Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs lead the league in LSU players with five

And they've got four Alabama players. Not bad schools to be picking from.

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The newest member of the Kansas City Chiefs, former Green Bay Packers nose tackle Anthony Toribio, spoke to the media for the first time as a Chief.

Toribio confirmed that the Packers were planning on signing him back to the practice squad before he got the call.

"We came and played here Thursday," Toribio said. "I couldn't even give you a guess that I was going to end up here. I was gonna get signed back to the practice squad and then got a call wtih like 10 minutes before the waiver period ended and they said you're going to the Chiefs. So I had to pack up everything on short notice, in like two or three hours, and I'm here."

I saw some reports out of Green Bay that his Packers teammates were saddened to hear the news he'd be moving to Kansas City.

"You develop friendships and you get tied to the coach," Toribio said. "You gotta understand that it's a business. Nothing lasts forever. I was going to be in Green Bay forever, you know? It's a better move for my career to get on the 53-man roster."

Indeed he's got a much better shot here in Kansas City. The Packers have a top ten pick in B.J. Raji lining up at nose tackle so Kansas City presents a better opportunity for him.

"It's the same system here," he said. "I just have to get adjusted to a few of the minor details. Once I get adjusted I'll be comfortable."

"You work your butt off. this is what you work for, to get on the 53 man roster. To finally get on there, it's a great accomplishment for yourself."

More photos » Ed Zurga - AP

3 days ago: Green Bay Packers running back Kregg Lumpkin (28) is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs safety DaJuan Morgan (38) during the second half of a preseason NFL football game in Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010. The Chiefs defeated the Packers 17-13. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

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I believe the first player cut by the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend has found a new home.

Interior offensive lineman Lemuel Jeanpierre was signed by the Seattle Seahawks. He was part of the initial group of cuts for the Chiefs.

All the Chiefs players cut were not vested veterans meaning they went through waivers after being released. It means that all the teams had a shot at signing that particular player but declined.

Here are the Chiefs players that were released that haven't found a new home: TE Leroy Banks, WR Rich Gunnell, G/T Ike Ndukwe, CB Mike Richardson, LB John Russell, G Dan Santucci, T/G Colin Brown, LB David Herron, NT Derek Lokey, S DaJuan Morgan and RB Javarris Williams.

All of the members of the Chiefs practice squad were cut and passed through waivers before signing as well.

Get used to some of the names above. I imagine we'll see one or two of them return at some point during the season because they're familiar with the offensive or defensive system.

Have any of the other cuts signed to this point? My research said no.

The Kansas City Chiefs are opening up Monday's practice with one goal in mind: beating the San Diego Chargers in the first regular season game.

The Chiefs opened practice with Casey Wiegmann taking first team duties, according to the Kansas City Star.

As we talked about earlier Monday morning, Rudy Niswanger has taken the majority of first team duties at center. The Chiefs kept both players during the roster cut down to 53 players.

This training camp I've been trying to figure out: Is Niswanger getting the first team snaps because he's better or because Wiegmann doesn't need as many snaps since he's a 15-year veteran?

Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star reports that it was also Derrick Johnson and Jovan Belcher as the first team inside linebackers in the opening minutes of practice he was able to view.

Tamba Hali is also back after taking off last week and Ryan O'Callaghan is out once again.

Here's Josh Looney of KCChiefs.com's practice report from Monday.

More photos » Jamie Squire - Getty Images

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The Kansas City Chiefs made their cuts for the roster cut down day and didn't leave themselves a lot of depth at cornerback.

The Chiefs starting corners -- Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr -- have very little competition. It looks like Maurice Leggett's trip to IR will guarantee Javier Arenas the nickelback job.

If any of those guys go down, I think you have a few worried coaches.

LCB: Brandon Flowers, Jackie Bates

RCB: Brandon Carr, Javier Arenas, Travis Daniels

The Chiefs released Mike Richardson and Ricky Price from the active roster and sent Leggett to IR last weekend.

Brandon Carr has been an iron man since coming onto the Chiefs while Flowers missed a game last year with a shoulder injury, so I don't think these guys will miss much if any time.

I think the backup cornerback role is the one some were hoping Donald Washington would occupy. But he's been moved to free safety and is listed on the third team there. The Chiefs cornerbacks are a strength, no doubt, but there's not a whole lot behind them. Javier Arenas would be the top cornerback replacement forcing another into the nickelback role.

Thoughts on the Chiefs cornerbacks after the cut to 53-men? Am I just being nit picky about the backups?

Kansas City Chiefs COO Mark Donovan recently did a roundtable with several other NFL executives on the state of the NFL's business.

One particular passage from Dononvan in the roundtable caught my eye. He talked about working with Chiefs owner Clark Hunt and how his operation positively affects the way Donovan can do his job.

"One of the advantages [the Kansas City Chiefs] have is a new building, new team of management, football and non-football, and an owner who is not risk averse. He’s given us the opportunity to look at every single operating mean and say: "Don’t tell me it’s because you’ve always done it that way. What can we do differently? Could we invest here? Could we sell this? Could somebody else do it for us? Could somebody else do it better?" It’s fundamental business.

I highly encourage you to check out the entire story and I think you'll learn a little more about Donovan and his thought process. Over the last year, I've really started to see the differences Donovan has made within the organization.

However, those differences apparently aren't noticeable to everyone.

Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports ranks all the NFL's owners every year. Here's a passage from Clark Hunt's ranking:

One of Hunt’s peers describes him as "an absentee owner. They were fifth in marketing at one point under Lamar; you won’t see that again."

So which one is it? Donovan's hire was lauded by some because they see him with a bright future in the league. He did a lot of innovating things with the Eagles. I've heard privately from others within the Chiefs that are very impressed with Donovan.

I suppose we'll have to wait to see what the Chiefs look like on the field. Fielding a competitive team makes Donovan and other marketing executive's jobs much, much easier.

Houshmandzadeh agrees to terms with Ravens

More photos » John Amis - AP

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The Kansas City Chiefs selected eight players in the 2009 NFL draft. Relative to the 2010 draft, things aren't looking too hot.

Entering the 2010 NFL roster cut down day last Saturday, I figured that all of those draft picks outside of Tyson Jackson and Ryan Succop were on the roster bubble.

The Chiefs ended up releasing two 2009 draft picks on Saturday -- Colin Brown and Javarris Williams -- and another one -- Quinten Lawrence -- on Sunday.

That's three of the eight picks that have been released after one season. It's possible they could come back, too.

You can't get too up in arms that a fifth, sixth and seventh round picks didn't work out. In fact, 18 of the NFL's 2009 fifth round picks aren't even on their original team anymore so the Chiefs weren't alone in that area.

Still though it doesn't look like the Chiefs have gotten much from the third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh round picks.

I'm intrigued by the vast differences in these two drafts. One was from Scott Pioli's first year with a different scouting situation, new team with new needs and all of that. The other was after he had a year to prepare and early results say he nailed it.

We'll see where we're standing at this time next year and the 2010 draft comes up. Depending on Cameron Sheffield's injury, it's hard to imagine the Chiefs parting ways with any of the '10 picks after a year.

Herm has good things to say about Jarrad Page

No surprise here. Herm stuck up for Bernard Pollard last year as well. He liked those two safeties he drafted.

More photos » Orlin Wagner - AP

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After many comments and plenty of debate, the position battle between Rudy Niswanger and Casey Wiegmann is complete.

And we still don't know who won.

The Kansas City Chiefs kept both centers on the roster but we've yet to determine who will be the starter.

It was a classic training camp battle with the younger guy, Niswanger, going up against the crafty veteran, Casey Wiegmann.

The Chiefs seem to value hard workers and smart players like Niswanger, which is why they kept him. They also value the veteran presence and experience of guys like Wiegmann.

We're still not sure who exactly is going to be the starter entering the season. Niswanger has taken far and away the most first team snaps and has been listed under the first team on every unofficial team-issued depth chart.

The Chiefs only kept three guards on the active roster meaning it's possible Niswanger could be called in a reserve. He practiced some at guard during training camp so that's definitely an option and likely one of the reasons the Chiefs could afford to keep two centers on the roster.

The answer to the starter question would seemingly be Niswanger with as many first team snaps as he took but because of Wiegmann's experience we know he doesn't need that many training camp snaps to prepare for the season.

Your take on keeping two centers?

Matt Leinart's Next Stop: Houston Texans

Not Kansas City.

More photos » Charlie Riedel - AP

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Happy Labor Day! Hope you don't have to do anything today other than sit around. Well, that and read you Kansas City Chiefs news.

Demorrio Williams had the idea two weeks ago: If the Chiefs were going to use him sometimes as a pass rusher, why not look the part, too?

So the veteran inside linebacker approached Kansas City’s coaches and asked them to watch as he lined up with his hand on the ground, similar to a down lineman, and went after the quarterback.

"They gave me an opportunity," he said. "Felt pretty good, you know?"

Demorrio Williams rushes into Chiefs defensive plans from KC Star

In a surprising move, Richardson, who has paved the way for Priest Holmes and Adrian Peterson, among other star running backs during his 15-year career, was released. According to a league source, there's a chance the Jets will re-sign Richardson after Week 1 so that his salary won't be guaranteed for the entire season.

New York Jets cut 15-year veteran fullback Tony Richardson in apparent change of heart  from NY Daily News

Nose tackle Garrett Brown was one of the last of cuts made by the Kansas City Chiefs Saturday night.

But the New Haven native and Fairfield Prep graduate found out Sunday he will still have a job in the NFL.

The Chiefs re-signed the 6-foot-1, 309-pound nose tackle to their eight-man practice squad.

Ex-Fairfield Prep star on Chiefs' practice squad from CTPost.com

Just like the Patriots’ own disgruntled employee, left guard Logan Mankins, he was a restricted free agent not thrilled with what the Chiefs were offering. The safety also wasn’t happy with his coach or his spot in the secondary.

So what exactly did the Pats bring to town Saturday when they acquired Page from Kansas City for a conditional draft pick? More trouble, or a player who can provide legitimate help in the secondary?

According to former Chiefs coach Herm Edwards, they’ve landed a player whom Bill Belichick will like very much.

Ex-coach gives read on Patriots’ Page from The Boston Herald

Nose tackle Anthony Toribio was claimed by the Kansas City Chiefs. The Packers instead went with seventh-round pick C.J. Wilson to be the next man in if Justin Harrell can't stay healthy.

"He's not the ideal body type, but he makes plays," defensive line coach Mike Trgovac said last week about Toribio. "That's why he's kind of hung around - because it's hard to get rid of him. You kind of like guys like that, that you can trust and count on, and you know he's going to be physical and he's going to give you effort."

Thompson defends Packers' choices from The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Horne made the Chiefs with solid work as a receiver and on special teams. He scored a touchdown on his only catch of the preseason, a 6-yarder vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also had two special teams tackles.

Record-number six former UMass football players make NFL rosters from MassLive.com

More photos » Jamie Squire - Getty Images

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The Kansas City Chiefs have made it through the first two rounds of cuts and established their eight-man practice squad.

We knew this was coming but the front seven went nearly unchanged. Of the 17 players in the front seven right now, 13 were with the team last year. Shaun Smith, Cory Greenwood, Justin Cole and Cameron Sheffield are the new comers.

• LDE: Tyson Jackson, Shaun Smith, Alex Magee
• NT: Ron Edwards, Anthony Toribio
• RDE: Glenn Dorsey, Wallace Gilberry
• LOLB: Mike Vrabel, Andy Studebaker
  
• LILB: Corey Mays, Jovan Belcher, Justin Cole
• RILB: Demorrio Williams, Derrick Johnson, Cory Greenwood
• ROLB: Tamba Hali, Cameron Sheffield

Here is the first depth chart after cuts at this point last year. It's interesting to see the differences. The Chiefs have been touting development from these guys already in-house. Looks like they weren't kidding. Day one of the front seven could be the same in 2009 and 2010.

More photos » Charlie Riedel - AP

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The Kansas City Chiefs announced via press release that they had signed former Green Bay Packers nose tackle Anthony Toribio on Sunday. They were awarded Toribio when the Packers placed him on waiver wire and the Chiefs placed a claim on him.

The Chiefs also announced that receiver Quinten Lawrence had been released. Lawrence was signed and released a couple of times last year so it seems his roster position is pretty fluid.

Lawrence also makes the third 2009 draft pick that was didn't make the active roster -- 5th round pick Colin Brown and 7th round pick Javarris Williams. He was a sixth round pick.

It's interesting that the Chiefs did release two nose tackles (one signed to practice squad) on Saturday. Perhaps they had a strong indication Toribio would be released. It sounds like some good scouting here.

"This had to be a tough one: Jets released veteran FB Tony Richardson, one of the league's classiest players."

Adam Schefter's Twitter

WR Quinten Lawrence released to make room for NT Anthony Toribio #Chiefs

from @JoshLooney

via Twitter

More photos » Jamie Squire - Getty Images

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The Kansas City Chiefs have established their 53-man roster and 8-man practice squad.

It sounds like that's going to change quickly. The agent for nose tackle Anthony Toribio tells Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the Chiefs claimed his client off waivers.

NT Anthony Toribio was claimed by the Kansas City Chiefs, agent Joel Turner told Bob McGinn. "He truly hates leaving," Turner said.

This would mean the Chiefs would have to remove someone if Toribio his headed to the active roster of the practice squad.

He was originally signed by the Dolphins as a UDFA in 2008. He later went to the Packers. He was promoted to the active roster at the end of the season the last two years.

He stands 6'1" and 305 pounds.

It sounds like the Packers were planning on adding him to their practice squad if the Chiefs didn't claim him.

Toribio was actually in Arrowhead Stadium last week when the Packers played the Chiefs in the final preseason game.

More photos » Jamie Squire - Getty Images

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The Kansas City Chiefs released 13 players over the weekend but announced on Sunday that eight of those players would be returning to the practice squad.

Here's the list of the Chiefs first practice squad:

• NT Garrett Brown
• DE Dion Gales
• RT Bobby Greenwood
• G Darryl Harris
• QB Tyler Palko
• DB Ricky Price
• WR Verran Tucker
• LB Pierre Walters

I'm not too surprised at any of these. Palko woud be one quick transaction away if Matt Cassel went down.

What do you think of the practice squad? About what you expected?

More photos » Chuck Burton - AP

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There are quite a few former Kansas City Chiefs players that were released in the last 24 hours. I went down the list of the Saturday cuts team-by-team and found these former Chiefs that were released (let me know if I missed one).

I suppose the Chiefs could be interested in one of these players again. None of these really jump out at me.

• LB Monty Beisel (Cardinals)
• RB Dantrell Savage (Panthers)
• DT Tank Tyler (Panthers)
• K Dave Rayner (Bengals)
• WR Bobby Engram (Browns)
• NT Junior Siavii (Cowboys)
• LB Steve Octavien (Cowboys)
• DT Marlon Favorite (Colts)
• RB Kolby Smith (Jaguars)
• LB Erik Walden (Dolphins)
• WR Logan Payne (Vikings)
• OL Eric Ghiaciuc (Patriots)
• FB Jed Collins (Titans)
• TE Sean Ryan (Titans)
• WR Bobby Wade (Redskins)
• LB Curtis Gatewood (Redskins)

More photos » Jamie Squire - Getty Images

3 days ago: KANSAS CITY MO - SEPTEMBER 02: Receiver Tony Moeaki #81 of the Kansas City Chiefs congratulates Leonard Pope #45 after Pope caught a pass for a touchdown during the game against the Green Bay Packers on September 2 2010 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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The NFL practice squads announcements are supposed to be starting by 11 AM today, but of course the Kansas City Chiefs haven't made any announcements yet. We'll be posting the practice squad ASAP.

To tide you over for a bit, give us your best one liner for the picture above.