1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: This is the Chief's official podcast network, taking dannage on 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: the day when you get opportunity in every game they 3 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: can play. Okay, don't do one touchdown. Kansas City the 4 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 1: Chiefs all right in the thick of it, baby, And 5 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: hello everyone, and welcome to this edition of Defending the 6 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:32,199 Speaker 1: Kingdom as we continue our basic two month journey not 7 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: only through the Chiefs a roster, but we take a 8 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: look at a position by a position the Chiefs compared 9 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: to everybody else, and then taking a look at ahead 10 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:41,599 Speaker 1: to the draft. We're gonna walk you all the way 11 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 1: up to the draft. We've already looked the defensive line, 12 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: We've already looked at the offensive line. You can go 13 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: back and check the archives for those past shows. But 14 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:52,239 Speaker 1: now we're gonna get right in the wheelhouse of my 15 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: co host, Mitch Holds. With you, the voice of the 16 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: world champion Kansas City Chiefs, and with me is a 17 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 1: ten year lanebacker in the nash Football League. You know 18 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,039 Speaker 1: him as the Shop, you know him as Barber Shop, 19 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 1: you know him as the spider Man, and you should 20 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: know him as a National Football League linebacker. We are 21 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 1: in your wheelhouse, Sean Barber, because today we're at your position, 22 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: to look at where the Chiefs are with the spot, 23 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: where the league is with free agency and such, and 24 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,039 Speaker 1: then also looking at the linebackers in the twenty twenty draft. 25 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: So welcome to your position, buddy, your home here. So 26 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: humble to be back defending the kingdom. Especially when we're 27 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: talking about linebackers, something that whole near and dear to 28 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:36,400 Speaker 1: my heart. How do we find them? How they bread? 29 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: You're not you're not you're not you. You don't build 30 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: a linebacker, you're boring a linebacker. It's a way of life, 31 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: it's a mentality, it's a mindset, and sometimes on film 32 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 1: your ayes loud to you when you're looking at the 33 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 1: linebacker position. Sometimes stats lie. Sometimes speed during the combine lies. 34 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: That's going to be a foreshadow into when we talk 35 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: about the combine. But all all in all, if you 36 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: see a guy, if he makes plays, he's instinct. If 37 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: more than likely, he's a solid linebacker. He's a solid 38 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 1: ball player. Now you got to get in the meetings, 39 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,239 Speaker 1: the one on ones. You gotta see what what his 40 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:10,919 Speaker 1: moxie is, what his makeup is. Can he lead a 41 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 1: room of grown men when it's nutcrutching time? When you're 42 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: down fourteen points and you're down ten points is the postseason? 43 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: The other teams trying to inflict their will on you. 44 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: One more first down and that's the game. Can that 45 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: guy rise up in front of the other grown men, 46 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 1: in front of that hold of ten other guys and 47 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,359 Speaker 1: say we're gonna stop him right here, right now, they 48 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: don't get another inch. That's the mentality we're looking forward linebacker. 49 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,639 Speaker 1: That was Willy Lanier of the sixteen nine Chiefs. I 50 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: mean that's you see the staying against the Jets. You 51 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: just describe Willy Lanier and really a lot of Anthony 52 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:46,959 Speaker 1: Hitchens because he's wired that way and he wears the 53 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: green dot. We'll get in that in a second. I 54 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: think overall, this position, though, to me, is changing as 55 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,959 Speaker 1: much as any of the National Football League. What is 56 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: an NFL linebacker now? The days if we just saw 57 00:02:57,600 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: Mike Singletary at the one on one, you and I 58 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,079 Speaker 1: were with him. But the days of the big two 59 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty pound mic back are setting there. You know, 60 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 1: blowing snot bubbles in the middle of the defense and 61 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 1: barking around are over. Those guys get exploited now. Um 62 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 1: as good as Ray Lewis was the Ray Lewis is, 63 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:18,119 Speaker 1: I don't know where the place is for them. Now 64 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: it's become these hybrid guys. I've got to be able 65 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: to cover more like the way you played. I gotta 66 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: be able to cover, but I still have to play 67 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: the run. I gotta play downhill or if they're coming 68 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: at me on some io or power O inside in 69 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 1: the B gap, I gotta play that. Yeah, we got 70 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 1: we got some Kingdom people to just now try to 71 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: turn off because we said and Semetary might not survive 72 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: in the NFL the way. No, no, no, those guys 73 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: got so much intensity they'd make it. Lewis don't say 74 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: the Trees to recreate their their their their mindset in 75 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: their game to fit today's game. But the way they 76 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: did played during their era is almost null and void 77 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: in the current NFL system. The NFL system is so 78 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: much about creating matchup problems um and creating personnel problems 79 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 1: that if you had a mic linebacker and the only 80 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 1: thing he could do was go tackle the tackle and 81 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 1: run stop and and and and and and and put 82 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: his helmet on and you know, one on one against 83 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: a full back and make tackles for loss. If that's 84 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: the only thing he could do. We got man Art's 85 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: Kittles Kelsey, it would go for ten catches, two touchdowns 86 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: on a hundred yards every ball game against that type 87 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: of linebacker. So the Hitchens, the Barbers, the the these 88 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 1: uh John Mobley's, the Dexter Coaxley's, the um those linebackers 89 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 1: of the worlds are so crucial to the way defenses 90 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: are playing now. It's a pass first, be able to 91 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,599 Speaker 1: rally to the ball. You need playmakers at all eleven positions. 92 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,039 Speaker 1: And I think that's the difference about the football that 93 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 1: you see today. Today's defense is built off guys making plays, 94 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:55,039 Speaker 1: playmakers being all over the field and all three positions. 95 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:59,720 Speaker 1: As opposed to years ago, it was hard nose, tough, smart, 96 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: give me, give me eleven guys that can line up 97 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 1: and run through a brick wall. And that was the 98 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: type of defense that people were used to. Now now 99 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: it's it's it's an educated game now. So guys got 100 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: to be smart. You gotta be able to adjust to 101 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: what offense is doing and geb be able to adjust 102 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 1: what your coordinate and wants you to do and be 103 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:20,039 Speaker 1: able to make plays. Yeah, it's the old Ray Nichky 104 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: prison guards on mean machine, you know, no teeth looking 105 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: and staring at you at the quarterback across the way. Uh, 106 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:31,359 Speaker 1: maybe that's a dinosaur now, but this position to me. 107 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: There were six linebackers generally on the fifty three man 108 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: roster almost for the entire season, and of those six, 109 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: I thought this group grew as much as any group, 110 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: particularly the defense, maybe as any on the team, especially 111 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:48,039 Speaker 1: when the team defense for the Chiefs went from being 112 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: kind of well what are they They're kind of learning 113 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 1: under Spag system and then became arguably the best defense 114 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: after the Tennessee game, really after the Tennessee game all 115 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,599 Speaker 1: the way to the Super Bowl, this defense statistically and 116 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 1: most of the major metrics were the top team in 117 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: the league. All Right, those six guys, three of those 118 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 1: are under contract, Anthony Hitchins, Ben Neeman, and those two, 119 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: interestingly enough, where the green dot, meaning that they're the 120 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 1: guys that Spags will talk to the communication from the sideline. 121 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,160 Speaker 1: And then there's Dorian O'Daniel who got to play more 122 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: and more as the season went on. He's kind of 123 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:25,119 Speaker 1: that definition of the hybrid linebacker. Reggie Raglan free agent 124 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: Darren Lee free agent, and Damian Wilson, who I thought 125 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 1: improved as much as anybody maybe in this group and 126 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: on the team, is a club option free agent. So 127 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 1: we'll see how this goes. But if those six guys 128 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:41,840 Speaker 1: what the Chiefs already have, what do you see there? 129 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:45,160 Speaker 1: Think there? And I did see growth on those guys, 130 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 1: and I thought the defense went to another level, especially 131 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,160 Speaker 1: because these guys went to another level. Yeah, they went 132 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: to battle, he said. The way the season started off, 133 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 1: a lot of pressure was put on the defense, especially 134 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: the linebackers, be able to make calls, get guys a 135 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,839 Speaker 1: line to sign um. And whenever there's a new defense, 136 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:04,919 Speaker 1: the terminology is new. The guys you're, you know, playing 137 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 1: in front of you and behind you are new. You're 138 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 1: you're learning how to fit off one another, and you're 139 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: learning how hard is this linebacker gonna hit this this gap? 140 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: You know? How how how quickly are we going to 141 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: change the call when this wide receiver goes information from 142 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 1: being strong left to strong right? When are we gonna 143 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 1: make the call? When are we gonna switch? When aren't we? 144 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: And so between the safety position, the linebackersition and everybody 145 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: had to kind of get on the same page. And 146 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 1: you found out, you know, there was a game that 147 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: came in and exploited that more so than any other 148 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: game this year was that Green Pay Packer game. Aaron 149 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: Rodgers came in here with Green Bay and they was 150 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: able to isolate and work on a man to man 151 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: between their running backs and our linebackers like never before seen. 152 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 1: So many plays, so many scoring strikes, big plays went 153 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: against the linebacker crew in that one game. Did it 154 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: almost it almost caused a lot of the fan base 155 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: to lose faith? Did this defense become something of a 156 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 1: playoff defense? If at the linebacker position, we can't stop 157 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: a team like Green Bay. But what you saw from 158 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: that was some scar tissue, right they scarred up. They 159 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 1: got to the film room and what the coaching staff 160 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 1: and what the players realized was and man, if linebackers 161 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: just can focus on the run and we can help 162 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: underneath on the past, we don't allow ourselves get isolated 163 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 1: with you know, single coverage out on out wide against 164 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: running backs. I mean, if that's the only one weakness 165 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 1: and we know about it, we can adjust to that. 166 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:34,839 Speaker 1: That's a simple adjustment cent of safety out there to 167 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 1: cover them. If that's the only thing you can do 168 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: to try to create big plays against this defense, and 169 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: what we found out about it, that was the only thing. 170 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 1: That was the simple adjustment that was made. And once 171 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: that turning point, once we created we started to dictate 172 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: towards offenses what you could and could not do. You 173 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 1: saw this this defense take on a whole another face, 174 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:00,959 Speaker 1: a whole, another facade, and they became at that point 175 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:04,320 Speaker 1: working in turning and turning and churning toward that defense. 176 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 1: We saw at the end of the season there was 177 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: not one of the top five I think was the 178 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 1: top defense in the league as we got into the playoffs. Yeah, 179 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 1: and Spags will tell you too that that Green Bay game, 180 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,320 Speaker 1: particularly with the coverages, was a watershed moment and changing 181 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: schematics and looking at, you know, personnel different what they 182 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:24,960 Speaker 1: could and could not do. Keep in mind though, the 183 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:27,599 Speaker 1: next week in that Minnesota game, they stepped up and 184 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: made plays. The Chiefs got two stops against Minnesota. I 185 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: know we Matt Moore did a great job in that game. 186 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: We see the ninety one yard run. We talked about 187 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:38,959 Speaker 1: that from the offense, but the defense got the stops. 188 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: They got two three and outs back to back against 189 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:44,840 Speaker 1: that really good Stephen Diggs and Mac and all the others, 190 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: and so that defense started to come alive. The other 191 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 1: against the run game was the Tennessee game at Tennessee 192 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:53,080 Speaker 1: the sixty nine yard run by Derrick Henry, the other 193 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 1: big plays. That's the other one. Spags will tell you 194 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:57,719 Speaker 1: became a watershed moment in the run game as far 195 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 1: as defense and things started to turn. It came together. Okay, 196 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 1: the croc pod guys, if you the crock pot guys, again, 197 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:07,839 Speaker 1: not a demeaning term. These are guys that are developmental 198 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 1: that have been in your system that fans forget about 199 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: either because of injury or they put on the practice 200 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: squad or they're on some in their injured list. There's 201 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 1: not a big crock pot with this group. Darius Harris 202 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:22,559 Speaker 1: we saw him some a training camp in the preseason, 203 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 1: was on the non football injured list. And so Darius 204 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:27,560 Speaker 1: Harris really, to me is the only guy on the 205 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 1: roster that puts in this croc pod category. But whether 206 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:34,199 Speaker 1: you're a croc pot, a free agent trying to figure 207 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 1: out that the team want me, or am I coming 208 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: back to me with Spags at this position, there's three 209 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 1: areas flexibility, because we just talked about it. You've got 210 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 1: to do a lot of things now as a linebacker too. Availability, 211 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: and I don't mean just physically available. I mean not 212 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:51,960 Speaker 1: just being well healthy and stand off the injured list. 213 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 1: It's also being available mentally and emotionally, because this defense 214 00:10:56,559 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 1: was mentally and emotionally available in their run to the 215 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 1: Super Bowl championship. And then reliability. Can I rely on you? 216 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: If I'm gonna put a green dot on your helmet? 217 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:06,679 Speaker 1: Can I rely on you? I probably gonna give you 218 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 1: a bunch of other here's how we're gonna just after 219 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 1: the Green Bay game? Can I rely on you to 220 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: get it? And with spacks you played for him. But flexibility, reliability, availability, Yeah, 221 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 1: when you add those three things together, those three components, 222 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 1: you end up with a guy that can stay on 223 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: the field no matter what the situation. Down in distance, 224 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: even after some adversity. You don't you don't. You don't 225 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 1: worry about him going into a shell. You don't worry 226 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 1: about him playing different after a big play was given up. 227 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 1: You don't worry about him playing different if there's a 228 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 1: big lead. He's very consistent. He makes the same cause 229 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 1: when he sees the same things so that everybody can 230 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: have a sense of trust and consistency. The shadows over 231 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:49,079 Speaker 1: over the entire defense. One thing you'll see with our guys, 232 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: even though, like you said, we don't have many guys 233 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 1: in the crock pot. We are looking toward a pair 234 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 1: of guys with O'Daniel and Ben Nieming the hawkeye of 235 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 1: making a big jump right from you two to year three. 236 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: That's when you expect a guy. All right, You've got 237 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 1: used to the system, you're used to the city. This 238 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:09,200 Speaker 1: ain't college no more. This is the NFL. You face 239 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:13,079 Speaker 1: guys on special teams, normal dawns. You've been through training camp. 240 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 1: You know the NFL playbook look like you know. It's 241 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: the amount of information. Now, when are you gonna be 242 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 1: able to just let it go? When are you gonna 243 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 1: let let it all shine? Let your ability, your skill level, 244 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 1: you know your physical your physicality, your mentals takeover. When 245 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,320 Speaker 1: can you start to just be instinctive and react to plays? 246 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 1: And that's what I'm really looking forward between Ben Niemon 247 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:38,680 Speaker 1: and d O d O daniel. I want to see 248 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 1: those guys come in hungry, fighting for a position, fighting 249 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:45,679 Speaker 1: for playing time, and not let anybody that don't let 250 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: anybody take that chicken. And by the way, we're way 251 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: past the first quarter. We're well into the second quarter 252 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:53,680 Speaker 1: of this discussion. This is our Defending the Kingdom episode, 253 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 1: getting you ready to refit your backpack to climb that 254 00:12:56,640 --> 00:12:59,560 Speaker 1: mountain again and go for another championship. But we're dealing 255 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 1: with Shop's position. Here are the linebackers. But I saw 256 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:05,559 Speaker 1: that in Dorian O'Daniel and I saw it in Ben Nieman, 257 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:09,079 Speaker 1: particularly in the playoffs. They're both willing run defenders, good 258 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:12,080 Speaker 1: run defenders, and they can cover the pass. But then 259 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 1: Nieman's blitz lad in the game, remember the forty seven 260 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 1: second possession. We're spags. I've got an aspects how many 261 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 1: times we ran at blitz Withneman. He sent him on 262 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: a blitz out of the past cover because Nieman was 263 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 1: the nickel dimebacker, right, he would come in during with 264 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 1: that specialty group. But when they sent him on the blitz, 265 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: he did a terrific job. He hits Garoppolo forces and 266 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 1: incompletion and Garoppolo gets his jaw jacked. You've seen the 267 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: close ups out right, it's a heck of a play. 268 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 1: But to your point, I've seen it with Nieman and O'Daniel. 269 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 1: I'm really interested to watch them this summer at Ota, 270 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: see him in training camp, and to see if that 271 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 1: jump can be made by those guys. Yeah, not only 272 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 1: from a mental standpoint, but physically. The one thing I 273 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 1: struggled with. I struggled with keeping my weight up during 274 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 1: the season. So I was into my fifth season before 275 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 1: I could game ten pounds. I was two and twenty 276 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 1: two pounds for the first five or six years of 277 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 1: my NFL career, and then once I got to my 278 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 1: seventh and eighth season, my metabolism slowed down. I was 279 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 1: able to get up to two thirty two thirty five. 280 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 1: When we talk about availability, you talk about being available, physicalness, 281 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:17,319 Speaker 1: trying to be, you know, an intimidating linebacker. Those hits, 282 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: it starts to rack up if you're under two hundred 283 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 1: and twenty five pounds. And that's the one thing that 284 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 1: concerns me about d D's He's just his size. Now. 285 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 1: Now Ben Nieman has the frame, he has the frame 286 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: to be able to put on some more weight, but 287 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 1: it comes down to your metabolism. If his metabolism doesn't 288 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:35,920 Speaker 1: slow down, then no matter how much calories he puts down, 289 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 1: no matter how much he eats, no matter what kind 290 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 1: of offseason diet he gets on. Once he is training 291 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 1: camp and they started doing two days and they started 292 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: practicing and hitting the weights. Everybody goes down to that 293 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: natural weight, and I want to see if he's able 294 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 1: to really manage that and you know, be a little 295 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 1: bit of a thicker player, put a little bit more emphasis, 296 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 1: a little bit more umph behind what he's doing on 297 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 1: special teams and on passing downs. But I think both 298 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:02,960 Speaker 1: of those guys have a bright future if they can 299 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: just learn a little bit of the nuances of the game, 300 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 1: learn how to play the game inside of the game. 301 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 1: And I think that if they kind of hook arms 302 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 1: and link arms to hitchens. He has such a mindset 303 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: and such a knowledge about the game, and you don't 304 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:20,920 Speaker 1: get the experience unless you have the time to sit 305 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 1: down with him and actually talk football. You don't see 306 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 1: it on the field. You just see him come takes 307 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: people heads off. You see the blur five three blurn 308 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 1: across the field taking somebody's head off. But he actually 309 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 1: is His football intelligence is off the chart. And I 310 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 1: think if if Nieman and Doriano Daniel can spend more 311 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:41,280 Speaker 1: time around him, learning his thought process. What how does 312 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:44,320 Speaker 1: he prepare before the snap? How does he prepare once 313 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 1: the alignment comes out? Is he have a different mentality 314 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: depending on the offensive personnel and then how he attacks 315 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 1: the tacks the game as a whole. I think all 316 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:58,280 Speaker 1: those guys can make big strides and and and force 317 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:00,480 Speaker 1: us to make some really tough to see when he 318 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: comes to this linebacking group. Yeah, and with Anthony Hitchins, 319 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 1: that's in that availability category. And the obvious one is 320 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,160 Speaker 1: to be healthy, but the not so obvious is to 321 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 1: be emotionally and mentally available. And that's on a daily basis. 322 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 1: Who's consistent and that is Hitchens. He will teach you 323 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 1: how to do that. Just you know, yoke to him 324 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: and he'll do that. Okay, we're at halftime now of 325 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:25,920 Speaker 1: our Defending the Kingdom podcast. Are refitting the backpack. We 326 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 1: are climbing them mountain and getting ready to climb the 327 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: mountain again. And we're going to take a look now 328 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:34,800 Speaker 1: if you look at the free agents in this category 329 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 1: and here again, this is interesting because fans want you 330 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 1: to go, you know, spend money on everybody. Well he can't. 331 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 1: But Shaq Barrett of Tampa Bay Marcus Golden of the Giants, 332 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 1: Bud Dupree of Pittsburgh, They're going to resign him. I 333 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 1: think he's are a good player. Then there's an interesting 334 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: crew of New England Patriots, Jamie Collins, Shaley Calhoun, Kyle 335 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 1: van Noy in this category. Corey Littleton of the Rams, 336 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 1: to me, is interesting. Alec Ogletree was just released by 337 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 1: the Giants. He was with the Ms prior to Spags 338 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: being or after after Spags was head coach of the Rams. 339 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:06,439 Speaker 1: So Matt House, you look at Matt House, you look 340 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 1: at Brandon Daily, who are on the Chiefs roster. I'm 341 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 1: in on the Chiefs coaching staff. Matt House coaches this 342 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: position with the linebackers. Then you look at Brandon Daily 343 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 1: maybe talking in the New England guys. But this is 344 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:19,320 Speaker 1: also a category, and I want to be sensitive. How 345 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 1: I put in this is you only have so much 346 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: money under the salary cap. I don't care if they 347 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 1: increase it. They're gonna increase it with the CBA. I 348 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:29,120 Speaker 1: get all that, but you also have to be careful 349 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 1: in this position to me, because can't you draft this 350 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:35,959 Speaker 1: position and develop this position with the way it's becoming 351 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,920 Speaker 1: The national Football League, because it seems to me like 352 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:41,679 Speaker 1: this is a category where you don't want to overspend. 353 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 1: I got firsthand experience in that category when I was 354 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:46,960 Speaker 1: with the Eagles and O two and it was time 355 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:49,879 Speaker 1: for my my contract to be expired. I was a 356 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 1: one year deal, had a great season. I thought the 357 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 1: Eagles was gonna make me one of the cornerstones their defense, 358 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:58,359 Speaker 1: and I got handed a formula. I got handed a 359 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:01,359 Speaker 1: form that this basically said that, um, you know you 360 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 1: that the Eagles defense was built to pay cornerbacks and 361 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 1: pass rushers. And you'll see that throughout the league. The 362 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:12,680 Speaker 1: great defenses have lockdown corners and they have great pass rushers. 363 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: So when you when you when you spend money on 364 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,720 Speaker 1: those two positions, you have to cut corners somewhere. You 365 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 1: have to The budget has to be used, um and 366 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: use smartly. When it comes to the other positions, and 367 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:27,679 Speaker 1: the linebacker position is one. If you run a simple 368 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: scheme and you're able to get guys that can make plays, 369 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 1: guys that can play aggressively downhill, shock of the guys 370 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: make tackles, um great tacklers, those type of attributes. You 371 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 1: seem to find those in linebackers. Throughout the draft. Every 372 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:46,960 Speaker 1: year you talk about the cornerback position, yeah, you gotta. 373 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 1: You know, there's a corner from Ohio State, there's a 374 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: corner from Floyds. It's three or you know, three or 375 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 1: four of them that might be first round picks. You 376 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 1: talk about wide receivers there, it's eight of them that 377 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: can go in first round. Offensive tackles it's another four 378 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 1: or five guys in the first round picks. Obviously the 379 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:03,679 Speaker 1: quarterback position, five guys can go first round. When you 380 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:06,639 Speaker 1: talk about how many first round picks in these other positions, 381 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 1: it only leaves a few for linebackers. So there's a 382 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:12,440 Speaker 1: few great ones. When we talk about the draft, you'll 383 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:14,120 Speaker 1: see one or two of them. But when you talk 384 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 1: about free agents, that's the position that teams are constantly 385 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:20,840 Speaker 1: turning over. And when you see teams constantly turn over 386 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:23,520 Speaker 1: that position, that allows the free agency pool in that 387 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:27,640 Speaker 1: position to be so deep. It's almost a no brainer 388 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 1: not to really pay even gas in your own system, 389 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:33,880 Speaker 1: not to pay the big bucks to that linebacker position 390 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: because you can always find an equal value out there 391 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 1: for a lot cheaper. Another guy that's interesting here is 392 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:43,639 Speaker 1: Elijah Lee. Remember him, He had the kickoff coverage tackle 393 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 1: on McCole Hardman in the Super Bowl fifty four. Elijah 394 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,520 Speaker 1: Lee's from Blue Springs, played at k State. Really good 395 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 1: player and he's been more of a special teams guy 396 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:53,679 Speaker 1: with San Francisco, but he's had his moments with the 397 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:55,680 Speaker 1: forty nine ers. He's a free agent. Will he re 398 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:59,400 Speaker 1: signed with San Francisco, Not sure, But he's an interesting 399 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 1: guy because he also is in that hybrid kind of position, 400 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 1: like he's a willing run defender, but he can cover 401 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 1: the past. You're talking about keeping weight, trying to gain 402 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: what I mean, trying to keep your weight on you 403 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 1: gain too much weight, though, the dude from Green Bays 404 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 1: running that wheel route right by you, right you're going 405 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:19,119 Speaker 1: to dang. So it's really this position, to me, is 406 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 1: fascinating in the way it's changed, how you have to 407 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: evaluate it, how it plugs in to your overall defense, 408 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 1: and how it plugs into your salary cap. And so 409 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:32,919 Speaker 1: it's to me, it's just it's very, very intriguing to 410 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:36,119 Speaker 1: see how this has changed in the National Football League. 411 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:38,439 Speaker 1: As we go now to our fourth quarter of this 412 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 1: defending the Kingdom, refitting the backpack, climbing them out and 413 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: once again are getting ready to climb and the linebacker position. 414 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 1: I look at the draft and I see a lot 415 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: of these hybrid guys. It's the way the game has become. Now, 416 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:54,320 Speaker 1: he won't be there when the Chiefs draft. I'm hoping 417 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:56,080 Speaker 1: he goes to an NFC team because I don't want 418 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 1: to face him on a regular basis. But he's really 419 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:01,679 Speaker 1: interested because he's a Kansas City kid. He played at 420 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:05,440 Speaker 1: the Lathan North Um and that great program. But Isaiah Simmons, 421 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:10,640 Speaker 1: a Clemson, was a safety. But he has destroyed the combine. 422 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:13,400 Speaker 1: I mean he has become, uh one of the main 423 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:16,200 Speaker 1: stories of Indianapolis. Man, he's got Yeah. He's a guy 424 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: from a Lath to the North, like you said. I 425 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: was able to see him his senior year, a guy 426 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 1: named Marlon Moore that goes to churchmen at church at 427 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:23,760 Speaker 1: the Harvest. He was like, hey, man, my cousin plays 428 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:25,680 Speaker 1: ball it or Lath to the North, and you want 429 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: to check him out. When one weekend it was Isaiah Simmons. 430 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:29,760 Speaker 1: So I go watch the game and I'm saying, man, 431 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 1: it's safety. He don't want to hit nobody like like 432 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:33,959 Speaker 1: like what you say, And they say, man, he got 433 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:36,439 Speaker 1: offered by Clemson. I said, hold on, a safety got 434 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:38,920 Speaker 1: offered by Clemson that don't want to hit nobody. Well, 435 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:41,119 Speaker 1: this this young man has gone to Clemson. He's developed 436 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:44,679 Speaker 1: his body, his soul, his mindset. Not only does he 437 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 1: hit people, he hits him with intentionality. Now he he 438 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 1: learned that you're either gonna be the hammer or you're 439 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,959 Speaker 1: gonna be the nail. And more than likely he's the hammer. Um, 440 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:55,200 Speaker 1: he's done a great job of, like you're saying this, 441 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 1: redefinding his his body, his profile. But he still has 442 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:03,199 Speaker 1: amazing track speed. He ran a four three seven that 443 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:05,920 Speaker 1: is unheard of in the linebacker crew. I think it 444 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 1: caused everybody to re look at their clocks a few times. 445 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:12,200 Speaker 1: But yeah, yeah, he ran faster than Pat Pierson. He 446 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:15,159 Speaker 1: ran fast and Sammy why all these other receivers that 447 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:18,440 Speaker 1: you Julio Jones, he ran fast in all these phenomenal 448 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:21,399 Speaker 1: wide receivers. But he's an all around athlete. He's he's 449 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 1: a guy who played safety, corner. He played all these 450 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:27,120 Speaker 1: different rover positions for Clemson. He did an amazing job. 451 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:29,159 Speaker 1: And so you got to find a pro team is 452 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:32,879 Speaker 1: able to use his skill sets. He's a jack of 453 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:35,200 Speaker 1: all trade, maybe end up being a master up Nune. 454 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:38,240 Speaker 1: But he's gonna he's gonna be drafted very early in 455 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:41,359 Speaker 1: the draft, hopefully bad a team like the Giants, a 456 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,000 Speaker 1: team that wants a defensive impact player that they can 457 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 1: use in multiple positions. But I think that the Kansas 458 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 1: City area have nothing but love for Isaiah Simmons and 459 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 1: hope help hold him all the best with his NFL career. 460 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 1: You know the other big programs. You have guys here too, 461 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,199 Speaker 1: Kenneth Murray of Oklahoma. People around here know about him 462 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:03,360 Speaker 1: being a Big twelve player and he was dynamic. Anthony Jennings, 463 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: the Moses Kid, both of Alabama. Patrick Queen of LSU 464 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 1: comes into the discussion. But let's go back now to 465 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:12,320 Speaker 1: what we've talked about the first twenty some minutes of 466 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:15,640 Speaker 1: this podcast, and that is this linebacker position, how it's changed, 467 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:17,480 Speaker 1: how you view it, how you view it with the 468 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 1: salary cap in your roster. This to me is a 469 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 1: position too where I can find an FCS player. I 470 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:26,360 Speaker 1: can go find a player at Richmond like you, right, 471 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 1: and I can go find a player who's a Division 472 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: two player maybe who can end up being the guy 473 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:34,960 Speaker 1: that we have described here over the last twenty two minutes. 474 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:38,440 Speaker 1: Now a highly regarded guy out of Appalachian State, a 475 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:42,679 Speaker 1: Keem Davis Gaither's this kind of fits the category. But 476 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:44,520 Speaker 1: there's others here in the later rounds where you can 477 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 1: get where I might go get a Missouri Valley Conference 478 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 1: football player, like a North Dakota State kid or Illinois 479 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: State kid or a South Dakota kid because of this 480 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:58,959 Speaker 1: position and how we describe it. But in the draft, 481 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:01,680 Speaker 1: this is one if you're looking for linebackers, I think 482 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:03,760 Speaker 1: you gotta dig deep. You gotta be on page three 483 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:05,679 Speaker 1: and four and five because you might find something in 484 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 1: the late rounds that could be a big time player 485 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:09,600 Speaker 1: for you. And the one thing you unique about the 486 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 1: linebacker position is everybody's skill set ain't gonna fit everybody's defense. 487 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:18,360 Speaker 1: And so a linebacker that's perfect for coach bags defense 488 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:22,399 Speaker 1: might be somebody that people have ranked twentieth when they 489 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:25,119 Speaker 1: start ranking their linebackers, like they don't fit their defense 490 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:26,640 Speaker 1: on anybody else in the league. But when it comes 491 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:30,159 Speaker 1: to our defense the way we demand our linebackers to play, 492 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 1: this might be our number one guy, but we know 493 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 1: he's ranked twentieth, So you don't need to draft him first, second, 494 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:38,199 Speaker 1: or even third round. He might be available for in 495 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 1: the fourth round. You don't have to give up any 496 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:42,480 Speaker 1: equity to get him just because the way he and 497 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 1: his skill sets fits your unique defense. I don't think 498 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 1: there's any other position in the NFL where that's the case. 499 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 1: I think wide receivers. If you transcend to somebody's offense, 500 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,639 Speaker 1: you transcend everybody. Running Backs, you're a great running back 501 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:57,920 Speaker 1: offensive time. If you can pass, protech quarterback, if you 502 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:00,080 Speaker 1: can spin it, you can spend it, pass rushers, if 503 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: you get after the quarterback, cornerbacks, if you can cover, 504 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 1: you can cover safeties. You're a hitter, you understand angles, 505 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:09,680 Speaker 1: high point, then you you're effective in everybody's defense. It's 506 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:12,359 Speaker 1: that linebacker position. And I think that's why our teams 507 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 1: turn it over so so frequently, is that you start 508 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:18,640 Speaker 1: looking at people's big boards and you see the Queens 509 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:21,680 Speaker 1: and the Murray's and Simmons, and you feel like, when 510 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 1: you're drafting twenty third or forty, if you gotta get 511 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:26,760 Speaker 1: this guy because he's a he's a top twenty pick, 512 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: and now he's available, But if he doesn't fit your defense, 513 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:32,920 Speaker 1: and you look deeper in that draft, you see somebody 514 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:38,119 Speaker 1: as a gay from Montana, the Grids Dante. He moves 515 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:40,840 Speaker 1: so fluently at the draft, at the combine, I was 516 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 1: that's before I even saw a ranking. I think I 517 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 1: saw him rank thirty second or something like that outside linebackers. 518 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: But the kid can move, he has instincts, he's natural 519 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:53,160 Speaker 1: at the position, and so I mean I could care 520 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:55,399 Speaker 1: less where he falls on anybody else's big board. I 521 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:57,720 Speaker 1: think that player could be an impact player in coach 522 00:25:57,760 --> 00:25:59,679 Speaker 1: Bags defense. Yeah, and we'll close out this one. And 523 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 1: it's just way. This is where a bread veach and 524 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 1: his staff is so very good because they the communication 525 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 1: is strong with Spags and his defensive staff. So when 526 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: Spags goes, here's what I need. This just accentuates what 527 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:18,439 Speaker 1: you're saying. Here, here's my checklist. Then instead of a 528 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:22,400 Speaker 1: bread Veach either reaching or taking a guy he's got, 529 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 1: we've got to go find a Spags guy at this position. 530 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:27,480 Speaker 1: We'll also close this way. In the last couple of 531 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 1: minutes here you have said is a veteran and going 532 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:34,120 Speaker 1: back on your career, this is one where I've got 533 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:36,199 Speaker 1: to find a place. Let's say I've played four to 534 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:38,439 Speaker 1: five years of my career. Now I'm a free agent. 535 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: Instead of maybe taking a little more money and going 536 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:44,440 Speaker 1: to a place that's a risk whether I don't fit. 537 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:47,119 Speaker 1: I either don't fit the culture, the subculture of their scheme. 538 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:49,280 Speaker 1: Why would it go take a little more money if 539 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:52,359 Speaker 1: I can stay here or go to a place where 540 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 1: I fit all of that. I fit spags, a subculture, 541 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:57,200 Speaker 1: I fit the over I love playing here. I think 542 00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 1: you know teams guys want to come here now and 543 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:03,480 Speaker 1: then third fifth or scheme to me a few more 544 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:05,879 Speaker 1: dollars could mean a lot more problems. Man. One thing 545 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 1: you'll find out with different organizations, and when that calling 546 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:10,520 Speaker 1: anybody out, you know everybody does things their own way. 547 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 1: But you have organizations where the general manager doesn't tell 548 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:16,240 Speaker 1: the truth to the players, where the scouting department goes 549 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:19,080 Speaker 1: behind the coach's backs and tells guys, hey, man, like, man, 550 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:20,679 Speaker 1: you really got to focus on X, Y and Z 551 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:22,480 Speaker 1: in your game. Where the coach is telling the focus 552 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:26,840 Speaker 1: on ABNC. That leaves to a player totally confused about 553 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:28,920 Speaker 1: who you're gonna serve, which master you're gonna serve? Like, 554 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 1: am I gonna do what the my agent wants me to? Do. 555 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:33,000 Speaker 1: Am I gonna do what my coach tell me to do. 556 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do with the general manager in the scouting department, 557 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:38,400 Speaker 1: like who am I listening too? Who actually determines whether 558 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,640 Speaker 1: I get another year's contract or that The one thing 559 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 1: that you will hear over and over about Kansas City. 560 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:47,920 Speaker 1: Andy Reid sets the vision and everybody that has their 561 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 1: focus on the same goal, everybody's going in the same direction. 562 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:54,399 Speaker 1: They talk about personnel on a daily basis, so that 563 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 1: everybody in the room knows exactly where they stand in 564 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 1: the coach's eyes, and that as in the place where 565 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:03,000 Speaker 1: they staying in Brett Beach's eyes, and that stands place 566 00:28:03,119 --> 00:28:06,680 Speaker 1: how you hear be Enemy and coach spags talk about 567 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:08,159 Speaker 1: them in the media when they have a chance to 568 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 1: talk um. It's the same message. It's a family orientated thing. 569 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:14,640 Speaker 1: It's family orientated. We want everybody to progress. We want 570 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 1: guys to play fast. Let your personality show. That's something 571 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:21,160 Speaker 1: that you hear here so often, and it's the same 572 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:24,480 Speaker 1: message from from from one level to the next. And 573 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:26,200 Speaker 1: when you see guys that are in their fourth fifth 574 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:29,880 Speaker 1: year who've struggled to make a play, make make their 575 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:32,520 Speaker 1: make their impact, on the league and now they're facing 576 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:34,159 Speaker 1: free agency and they got to figure out where am 577 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:35,960 Speaker 1: I going to go? But the one thing you know 578 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 1: when you come here, you come here to Kansas City, 579 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:39,640 Speaker 1: you're gonna be playing with the team that's gonna be 580 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:42,560 Speaker 1: highly successful. You know that that's one thing we did. 581 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 1: We win here, We win a whole bunch. But you 582 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:49,760 Speaker 1: also understand this is a a first year of a dynasty. 583 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: This is the first year of ten years of a 584 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:57,720 Speaker 1: very successful football of Coach Reid's offense, Coach spags defense. 585 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:02,200 Speaker 1: It's it's playmakers all over the field. It allows you 586 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 1: to be aggressive. The defense dictates to the offense what 587 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:07,840 Speaker 1: you're gonna do. All offense dictates to the opponent's defense 588 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 1: what they're gonna do. Our special teams we take a second, 589 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:14,560 Speaker 1: second seat, to a back seat to nobody. If you 590 00:29:14,760 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 1: if you enjoy being an aggressive downhill playmaking a football player, 591 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 1: then a linebacker who has those skill sets, who's not 592 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 1: afraid of making an ion team, making a pick six, 593 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:29,360 Speaker 1: who's not afraid of going and getting an attacker fol 594 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:32,880 Speaker 1: laws a big hit, causing the fumble, scoring on a 595 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 1: scoop and score. That's what this defense is built upon 596 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 1: is built upon guys taking advantage of the opportunities to 597 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:42,280 Speaker 1: make plays. And you'll find so many guys in so 598 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 1: many different defenses where that is being suffocated, that's being 599 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 1: taken from them because they're so scared of doing something wrong. 600 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: They didn't get the right check or they guarded the 601 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:54,160 Speaker 1: wrong person, and now the way to the world is 602 00:29:54,160 --> 00:29:55,720 Speaker 1: on them. That the organizations trying to get rid of 603 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 1: them because they thought there was this and now they 604 00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: found out they're not that. Coming Kansas City, It's it's 605 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:06,120 Speaker 1: a culture, it's a way of life. It's just it's 606 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 1: built on truth, communication, playing aggressive, being accountable, being flexible, 607 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 1: being responsible. And I think most guys that are free 608 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 1: agents would love to be a part of something like 609 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: that to kind of re energize and reboost their career. 610 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 1: I kind of feel like I need to get my 611 00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 1: fifty nine back on. I don't want to take it 612 00:30:23,680 --> 00:30:25,760 Speaker 1: from Reggie Wagne, but I gotta I can get me 613 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:27,760 Speaker 1: a jerry to getting myself suited up. I'm ready to go. 614 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 1: I would definitely be a difficult spaces We'll find you something. 615 00:30:31,040 --> 00:30:33,560 Speaker 1: We put fifty or fifty x to the third power, 616 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:35,680 Speaker 1: But what you just described too. Is one of the 617 00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:37,960 Speaker 1: reasons that Chiefs won Super Bowl fifty four and why 618 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:40,160 Speaker 1: they have a chance to climb them out and again. 619 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 1: And that is a strong subculture defensively built by Steve Spagnolo, 620 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:47,240 Speaker 1: and not only just scheme, but how they do their business, 621 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:50,800 Speaker 1: how this staff does their business, how they view linebacker, 622 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:54,800 Speaker 1: how they review linebackers, how they'll pick linebackers, how they'll 623 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:58,840 Speaker 1: pay linebackers, all part of the subculture. He is Sean 624 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:03,520 Speaker 1: Barber Tenure NFL linebacker the Shop Barbershop, aka the Spider. 625 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:07,040 Speaker 1: I'm Attolta's voice of your world champion Chiefs. This has 626 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 1: been the linebacker edition of Defending the Kingdom. Refitting your 627 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 1: backpack for the next climb, and our next one will 628 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 1: be the position that really changed the linebacker position. We're 629 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:21,760 Speaker 1: gonna jump deep into tight ends and why in the 630 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:24,040 Speaker 1: National Football League it has become one of the more 631 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:28,640 Speaker 1: dynamic positions of any Thanks for joining us and stay 632 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:30,560 Speaker 1: right with us as we get ready for that climb 633 00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 1: back up the matter. Thanks for listening to the Chief's 634 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:47,480 Speaker 1: official podcast network to touch down down and the celebration 635 00:31:47,600 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 1: begins in their head.