CHIEFS SIGN CENTER & SCOUTING DIRECTOR
Last month as Scott Pioli was adding what I called at the time, 'stop-gap' players, I suggested ex-Bengal center, Eric Ghiaciuc(GUY-check). I thought he was a better center than Rudy Niswanger, shorter, more compact, stronger & he plays with better leverage. Thursday, the Chiefs signed the unrestricted free agent. I know what I think carries zero weight in NFL circles, but it's nice to see I'm occasionally on the same page. Ghiaciuc started 42 games for Cincinnati, playing in a total of 48.
The Bengals chose not to resign him, saying he had difficulty handling the big nose tackles in the NFC North. Those nose tackles, Casey Hampton at 325 lbs, Shaun Rogers at 345 & Haloti Ngata at 340(moved to nose after Kelly Gregg was injured) have been a load for every center in the league & all 3 command an almost constant double-team.
What's even stranger about this move by the Bengals was Sunday, they drafted Arkansas center, Jonathan Luigs, in the 4th round, a guy every scout said was totally underpowered, not very tough & would have to play in a zone blocking scheme like the Broncos run. Coming into last season Luigs was fairly well touted but I watched LSU nose man, Marlon Favorite, repeatedly stand Luigs up & shove him all over the field. Favorite & Luigs are within 5 lbs of being the same size. He takes good angles in the run game, but he doesn't overpower anyone & in pass protection he needs help vs 3-4 nose tackles, especially at the next level.
Ghiaciuc, 6' 3 3/4" 301, was a 4th round pick in 2005 & I believe he'll be the Chiefs' starter come opening day. Niswanger is better suited to play guard, he's taller & doesn't play with much leverage, defenders constantly get their hands under his pads & stand him up, rendering him pretty useless.
It hasn't been announced officially, but the word is the Chiefs have already signed former Atlanta scout, Phil Emery, to head Kansas City's scouting department. This position was opened up with the Monday firing of Chuck Cook. The usual connection applies, Atlanta GM, Thomas Dimitroff, hired Emery & before Dimitroff moved to Atlanta last season, he worked for the Patriots as Scott Pioli's assistant.
*UPDATE 2:20 CDT--Ray Farmer, Chiefs' Pro Player Director, has been retained in the same position. Jim Nagy, Jay Muraco & Pat Sperduto have been hired for the scouting department. Nagy & Muraco held similar positions with the Patriots(big surprise!) for the past 7 & 9 years respectively.
The Bengals chose not to resign him, saying he had difficulty handling the big nose tackles in the NFC North. Those nose tackles, Casey Hampton at 325 lbs, Shaun Rogers at 345 & Haloti Ngata at 340(moved to nose after Kelly Gregg was injured) have been a load for every center in the league & all 3 command an almost constant double-team.
What's even stranger about this move by the Bengals was Sunday, they drafted Arkansas center, Jonathan Luigs, in the 4th round, a guy every scout said was totally underpowered, not very tough & would have to play in a zone blocking scheme like the Broncos run. Coming into last season Luigs was fairly well touted but I watched LSU nose man, Marlon Favorite, repeatedly stand Luigs up & shove him all over the field. Favorite & Luigs are within 5 lbs of being the same size. He takes good angles in the run game, but he doesn't overpower anyone & in pass protection he needs help vs 3-4 nose tackles, especially at the next level.
Ghiaciuc, 6' 3 3/4" 301, was a 4th round pick in 2005 & I believe he'll be the Chiefs' starter come opening day. Niswanger is better suited to play guard, he's taller & doesn't play with much leverage, defenders constantly get their hands under his pads & stand him up, rendering him pretty useless.
It hasn't been announced officially, but the word is the Chiefs have already signed former Atlanta scout, Phil Emery, to head Kansas City's scouting department. This position was opened up with the Monday firing of Chuck Cook. The usual connection applies, Atlanta GM, Thomas Dimitroff, hired Emery & before Dimitroff moved to Atlanta last season, he worked for the Patriots as Scott Pioli's assistant.
*UPDATE 2:20 CDT--Ray Farmer, Chiefs' Pro Player Director, has been retained in the same position. Jim Nagy, Jay Muraco & Pat Sperduto have been hired for the scouting department. Nagy & Muraco held similar positions with the Patriots(big surprise!) for the past 7 & 9 years respectively.
Comments