Chiefs position analysis: the defensive line

By Mike Ash  |   Tuesday, February 26, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Kansas City Chiefs
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The position analysis series continues with a look at the Chiefs' defensive line.

DE Jared Allen

Earning his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2007, Allen has become one of the NFL's most complete defensive ends. He led the league in sacks this past year despite being suspended for the first two games of the season, and he has improved drastically against the run over the last two campaigns.

Unable to reach a long-term contract with their star pass rusher, the Chiefs have given Allen the non-exclusive version of the franchise tag, which means he can be signed by another team if they're willing to give up two first-round draft picks in return. While it seems unlikely that a team would pay that steep a price, the possibility remains that Allen won't be back in Kansas City next season.

According to recent reports, though, Chiefs COO Denny Thum and Allen's agent have touched base about getting to work on a new deal. The sooner a long-term agreement is hammered out, the sooner Chiefs fans can breathe a little easier.

DE Tamba Hali

The defensive end from Liberia battled nagging injuries for most of his second season, but he still registered 7.5 sacks, just a notch shy of his team-leading eight sacks in 2006. And according to head coach Herm Edwards, Hali could have easily reached double digits last season if he had been able to finish off a few more plays.

There seemed to be criticism in some circles of Hali, the Chiefs' first-round pick in '06, for not making a stronger showing in his sophomore season. But given his physical status, described by the Kansas City Star as battling one injury after another, it seems unfair to be hard on someone who posted stats nearly identical to his previous season.

A healthy Hali should continue to improve in 2008, and along with Allen, the Chiefs will hopefully have a bookend of dynamic pass rushers for several years to come.

DT Alfonso Boone

Signed last year as a free agent, Boone had spent years backing up a solid group of defensive tackles in Chicago. Getting his first opportunity as a starter with the Chiefs, he looked dominant in the first half of the season, drawing praise from both national media outlets like Sports Illustrated and his own teammates. In early November, Allen credited his league-leading sack total to Boone's play.

But during the second half of the season, Boone - like many of Kansas City's defenders - seemed to tire out, perhaps from the Chiefs' sputtering offense putting the defense right back out on the field so often. The fact that Boone wasn't used to playing a full season as a starter may have come into play, as well.

Boone was unquestionably an upgrade at the defensive tackle position, but he hasn't single-handedly solved Kansas City's woes in that area. Finding an impact tackle to line up next to Boone could turn the Chiefs' defensive line into one of the league's best.

DE Jimmy Wilkerson

The Chiefs' sixth-round pick in 2003, Wilkerson has been a valuable backup during his career, rotating in at every position on the defensive line. He's been playing on one-year contracts in each of the past two seasons, and will once again hit the market when free agency begins Friday.

It remains to be seen whether he'll be back with the team in 2008. Last season he tested the free-agent market for a few weeks before ultimately re-signing with Kansas City.

DT/DE Turk McBride, DT Tank Tyler

The Chiefs' second- and third-round picks last year, it was hoped that McBride and Tyler would instantly upgrade the middle of the team's defensive line. As it turns out, though, the jury is still out on both players, as neither saw all that much action during their rookie season.

Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham is said to be extremely high on both players, and they should see significant game time in 2008 as Kansas City ushers in a youth movement.

DT James Reed, DT Ron Edwards

Signed prior to the 2006 season, both tackles were starters for the Chiefs last year. After Boone was signed, Reed was moved into a backup role while Edwards retained the other starting spot.

Both tackles have had decent but underwhelming careers thus far in Kansas City, but they could prove to be productive members of a solid defensive line rotation. As starters playing significant time, though, they didn't offer the punch up the middle that the Chiefs were looking for.

Offseason analysis:

The Chiefs could get by with their existing defensive lineman in 2008. The combo of Allen and Hali will continue to be effective, and a rotation of Boone, Edwards, Tyler, and McBride in the middle could prove solid.

But barring a breakout from Tyler or McBride when they get the opportunity, the Chiefs could still use an elite tackle to truly make their defense special. A Warren Sapp-like presence coming from the middle, combined with pass-rushing ends like Allen and Hali, would make Kansas City's defensive line arguably one of the league's best.

Edwards wants to build a dominating defense like the one he helped run in Tampa Bay, and it all starts on the line. Knowing that, it raises the possibility of the team looking at LSU's Glenn Dorsey or USC's Sedrick Ellis in the upcoming draft, should either be available when the Chiefs go on the clock with the fifth overall pick.

And as the New York Giants showed last season, there's no harm in having multiple pass rushers coming after the quarterback. The presence of Allen and Hali shouldn't prevent the team from looking at ends like Virginia's Chris Long and Ohio State's Vernon Gholston. And adding one of those players would provide insurance in case Allen were to actually leave.

If any moves are made in free agency, they'll likely be signings similar to that of Boone last year. Nothing exciting, but solid additions to the rotation.

Up next: linebacker
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