Post by lazarus on Jun 3, 2003 13:38:41 GMT -5
Chiefs Might Have One More Off-Season Card to Play
Nick Athan (Editor in Chief)
6/3/2003
The Kansas City Chiefs have made no secret about getting better on defense this off-season. They already have added linebacker Shawn Barber, defensive end Vonnie Holliday and cornerback Dexter McCleon. So who’s next?
How about cornerback Bobby Taylor of the Philadelphia Eagles?
Fanstop.com has learned that the Chiefs are keeping a close eye out on the contract negotiations with the Philadelphia Eagles and Bobby Taylor’s new agents, Jason Medlock and Vincent Taylor.
So far the talks are to the Chiefs liking. Kansas City is hoping to get a chance to make a serious run at Taylor if he’s released by the Eagles. The Chiefs have not had a shut down corner since Albert Lewis and Kevin Ross were on the team in the 90’s. No comment on Dale Carter, It’s just too painful.
Taylor has been a no-show in the off season workouts for the Eagles and at this point is not expected to be a participant at training camp without a new deal. Taylor will be a free agent after the 2003 season and is scheduled to make $3.75 million this year but he wants more money.
The Eagles after letting Shawn Barber and Hugh Douglas bolt without a fight appear to be focusing their attention on signing Taylors mate cornerback Troy Vincent to a long term deal.
Eagles coach Andy Reid again believes that the system is greater than the parts and losing Taylor is no big time blow to the defense. Reid is confident that former Florida standout Lito Sheppard can stand in for Taylor but he’s still unproven. But that has never bothered Reid.
I’d compare Sheppard to Chiefs current cornerback William Bartee. He needs major improvement in technique but has talent to be a good cover corner. Not a shut down corner but stable and consistant with more playing time. But to replace Bobby Taylor, that might not be an easy task. Florida players are always a risk in the NFL. Some adapt to the speed where others fail miserably.
When the Chiefs were flirting with Hugh Douglas in free agency, former Eagles linebacker Shawn Barber was trying to convince Douglas to join the Chiefs. Douglas played a good game with the Chiefs and took the big payday in Jacksonville despite the bull rush by Barber.
Barber and Taylor are friends. There is little doubt he’s made the call to Taylor to come Kansas City if the Eagles continue their path of righteousness by jettisoning players before they reach 30 years of age.
Reid has a good track record and seems to have a system that works. But he’s not gaining any supporters by not reaching the ultimate game. The Eagles appear to be in the same mold as the Chiefs. They are run very soundly and they make a profit. That might not be good enough in Kansas City anymore. But Reid is a smart guy and his ego, though not as flamboyant, is reminiscent to that of the Rams Mike Martz.
However Reid has shown an innate ability to get the most out of average talent where Martz can’t get anything out of anyone. That’s another article.
As for the Chiefs, with the addition of Taylor, whom they should have drafted years ago when they had the chance, would be a strong player to win the AFC West. If Taylor, Warfield started with Bartee, McCleon and rookie Julian Battle as nickel backs, this team would be lights out on defense.
Those players all can cover against many of the four wide receiver sets they will face against the Broncos and Raiders this year. Add the starting safeties of Jerome Woods and Greg Wesley and the Chiefs are loaded in the defensive backfield.
I think Battle could be a starter next year. The kid has so much game and with Taylor in the fold, Chiefs fans might not have to worry about not making the playoffs this year. You can never have enough cornerbacks. Just ask the Tampa Bay Bucs.
If Taylor is on the roster for the Chiefs in 2003, then they can realistically expect to enter the season with no holes in their defense. That might be enough to make them AFC Champs and a Super Bowl Victory next January.
You can reach the Editor in Chief, Nick Athan at the Fanstop.com Sports Desk
Nick Athan (Editor in Chief)
6/3/2003
The Kansas City Chiefs have made no secret about getting better on defense this off-season. They already have added linebacker Shawn Barber, defensive end Vonnie Holliday and cornerback Dexter McCleon. So who’s next?
How about cornerback Bobby Taylor of the Philadelphia Eagles?
Fanstop.com has learned that the Chiefs are keeping a close eye out on the contract negotiations with the Philadelphia Eagles and Bobby Taylor’s new agents, Jason Medlock and Vincent Taylor.
So far the talks are to the Chiefs liking. Kansas City is hoping to get a chance to make a serious run at Taylor if he’s released by the Eagles. The Chiefs have not had a shut down corner since Albert Lewis and Kevin Ross were on the team in the 90’s. No comment on Dale Carter, It’s just too painful.
Taylor has been a no-show in the off season workouts for the Eagles and at this point is not expected to be a participant at training camp without a new deal. Taylor will be a free agent after the 2003 season and is scheduled to make $3.75 million this year but he wants more money.
The Eagles after letting Shawn Barber and Hugh Douglas bolt without a fight appear to be focusing their attention on signing Taylors mate cornerback Troy Vincent to a long term deal.
Eagles coach Andy Reid again believes that the system is greater than the parts and losing Taylor is no big time blow to the defense. Reid is confident that former Florida standout Lito Sheppard can stand in for Taylor but he’s still unproven. But that has never bothered Reid.
I’d compare Sheppard to Chiefs current cornerback William Bartee. He needs major improvement in technique but has talent to be a good cover corner. Not a shut down corner but stable and consistant with more playing time. But to replace Bobby Taylor, that might not be an easy task. Florida players are always a risk in the NFL. Some adapt to the speed where others fail miserably.
When the Chiefs were flirting with Hugh Douglas in free agency, former Eagles linebacker Shawn Barber was trying to convince Douglas to join the Chiefs. Douglas played a good game with the Chiefs and took the big payday in Jacksonville despite the bull rush by Barber.
Barber and Taylor are friends. There is little doubt he’s made the call to Taylor to come Kansas City if the Eagles continue their path of righteousness by jettisoning players before they reach 30 years of age.
Reid has a good track record and seems to have a system that works. But he’s not gaining any supporters by not reaching the ultimate game. The Eagles appear to be in the same mold as the Chiefs. They are run very soundly and they make a profit. That might not be good enough in Kansas City anymore. But Reid is a smart guy and his ego, though not as flamboyant, is reminiscent to that of the Rams Mike Martz.
However Reid has shown an innate ability to get the most out of average talent where Martz can’t get anything out of anyone. That’s another article.
As for the Chiefs, with the addition of Taylor, whom they should have drafted years ago when they had the chance, would be a strong player to win the AFC West. If Taylor, Warfield started with Bartee, McCleon and rookie Julian Battle as nickel backs, this team would be lights out on defense.
Those players all can cover against many of the four wide receiver sets they will face against the Broncos and Raiders this year. Add the starting safeties of Jerome Woods and Greg Wesley and the Chiefs are loaded in the defensive backfield.
I think Battle could be a starter next year. The kid has so much game and with Taylor in the fold, Chiefs fans might not have to worry about not making the playoffs this year. You can never have enough cornerbacks. Just ask the Tampa Bay Bucs.
If Taylor is on the roster for the Chiefs in 2003, then they can realistically expect to enter the season with no holes in their defense. That might be enough to make them AFC Champs and a Super Bowl Victory next January.
You can reach the Editor in Chief, Nick Athan at the Fanstop.com Sports Desk
