Chiefs Rebuild Offensive Blocking

It was not always this way. Rivals once cast envious eyes upon the Kansas City Chiefs??? offensive line. Guards Will Shields and Brian Waters and left tackle Willie Roaf went to the Pro Bowl in 2004 and ???05. Many thought center Casey Wiegmann should have joined them. But last season, with everyone but Waters retired or released, one of the N.F.L.???s best offensive lines turned into possibly the worst. The Chiefs??? 55 sacks allowed were the most in the league. Largely because of poor blocking, harried Kansas City quarterbacks threw 20 interceptions. Until he missed the last eight games with a broken foot, the Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson was hit so often in the backfield he hurled his helmet several times in disgust. The Chiefs would have been derelict if they had not cast off the aging and ineffective Chris Terry, John Welbourn, Kyle Turley and Wiegmann. Now the only starter who is back at the same position is Waters, a three-time Pro Bowl left guard and nine-year veteran. The new line has bigger players, but it is not yet known if they will be any better. It is a concern for a team trying to recover from a 4-12 record and a nine-game, season-ending losing streak. ???They???re getting better,??? Coach Herman Edwards said. ???I think what we???re asking them to do fits what they can do.??? After playing guard most of his college career, the rookie Branden Albert, who is 6 feet 5 inches and 315 pounds, is switching to left tackle. He was drafted in the first round last spring. Also new as a starter is center Rudy Niswanger. Opting for an N.F.L. career instead of medical school, the 300-pound Niswanger was groomed for the role during his first two seasons. But he has never started in the NFL. At right tackle is the nine-year veteran Damion McIntosh, a 6-4, 320-pounder who seems unhappy about being switched from left tackle. The new right guard is Adrian Jones, a five-year veteran, who was claimed off waivers from the Jets in December. Pressure is being applied at many positions from backups. But that is the line that has taken shape since spring workouts. The starters will probably get more playing time in the preseason than they normally do because coaches want to get a good look. ???I think we???re progressing as a unit,??? McIntosh said. ???Remember that we started this process in March. It???s nothing new right now. We???re going into August, so we???ve been doing this for months now.??? McIntosh???s knee is also a worry. He hurt it in the preseason last year and has had it wrapped at times this week. He also acknowledged he was more accustomed to the left side. ???I???m working at it,??? he said. ???I???m doing O.K., been working on it this whole off-season. It???s a challenge that was given to me and I???m fine with it. I???m a ballplayer. They want me to do something, I???ll work at it. This is my craft. This is what I???m supposed to do.??? Albert, who was drafted with the extra first-round pick obtained in the trade that sent Jared Allen to Minnesota, is being asked to learn a new position. ???We thought when we drafted him that he would have the ability to play tackle,??? Edwards said. ???That???s why we drafted him. He???s going to go through some growing pains, and that???s part of it. But the guy has very good feet, is a very good athlete, a smart guy. Very smart and picks up things. He learns something every day.??? Niswanger is tall for a center at 6-5. But he is also more than 60 pounds heavier than Wiegmann, who was ideal for the rollouts Kansas City ran in the Al Saunders-Dick Vermeil offenses. Niswanger appeared to be recovered from a knee injury late last season. ???I think he???s got a great upside,??? Edwards said of Niswanger. ???He???s a very smart guy and can get guys lined up. Now, he???s tall, and that???s kind of unusual as a center. He???s played the position in college. He needs an opportunity and is doing a good job.