KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- We’ll begin our look at the Kansas City Chiefs' roster with the offensive line.
2014 starts for Chiefs: Eric Fisher 16, Zach Fulton 16, Rodney Hudson 16, Ryan Harris 15, Mike McGlynn 13, Jeff Linkenbach 3, Jeff Allen 1.
2014 snaps for Chiefs: Hudson 960, Fisher 959, Fulton 950, Harris 912, McGlynn 773, Linkenbach 206, Allen 38, Donald Stephenson 28.
Others on roster who didn’t play for Chiefs in 2014: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Ricky Henry, Eric Kush, Jarrod Pughsley, Derek Sherrod.
Potential free agents: Hudson, Harris, McGlynn, Linkenbach.
2014 recap: It wasn’t a great season for the offensive line. The Chiefs lost three regulars from 2013 to free agency and thought they had the depth to cover for that. Matters were made worse when Stephenson, the projected starter at right tackle, was suspended for the season’s first four games. The Chiefs shifted Allen, their left guard, to Stephenson’s spot but Allen’s season ended in the first game because of an injured elbow. So the Chiefs played most of the season with journeymen Harris and McGlynn and rookie Fulton as starters. In addition, Fisher didn’t play like the first overall pick in the draft that he was in 2013. The Chiefs allowed 49 sacks, 11 more than the NFL average.
Looking ahead to 2015: Much depends on Fisher. He needs to play like the player the Chiefs thought they were getting when they drafted him. This is a big offseason for Fisher, who needs to get a lot stronger. Hudson, the center, played better than any of the Chiefs’ offensive linemen last season and it’s important the Chiefs re-sign him. If they do, they could put together a line that from left to right has Fisher, Allen, Hudson, Fulton and Stephenson as the starters. Particularly if they invest in Hudson, the Chiefs won’t have much money to spend in free agency at these positions. The Chiefs are expecting 11 or more draft picks this year, so they could have one or more rookies on their roster next season. Duvernay-Tardif and Kush are former draft picks who could at least become high-quality backups.
