2003 CHIEFS
	Is this Dick Vermeil's last year in K.C.?
	Head coach: Dick Vermeil (1st year). 2002 record: 8-8. AFC West finish: 4th. Season opener: Sept. 7 vs. Chargers. Schedule | Depth chart

For two years Dick Vermeil has been assembling the pieces, the character and the morale he wanted to see in turning around a Chiefs franchise that was headed in the wrong direction.

Those two years did not come without the growing pains of 6-10 and 8-8 seasons. Still, that's a far cry better than the 5-11 and 4-12 campaigns of Vermeil's first two years in St. Louis, where he took the Rams to a Super Bowl title in his third year (1999).

Vermeil has the league's most point-productive offense of 2002. Now, if he can get any kind of improvement at all from last year's 32nd-ranked defense, the Chiefs should win at least a couple of the four games they lost last year in which they scored 30 or more points. That turnaround alone should be enough to get them into the playoffs for the first time since 1997 and maybe even win a playoff game for the first time since '93.

Offense
Quarterbacks: Trent Green has stayed remarkably healthy and resilient in K.C., starting every game and taking every significant snap the last two years. The last Chiefs quarterback to do that was Len Dawson in the late 1960s. It's no fluke that Green's passer rating went from 71.1 in 2001, when he led the league in interceptions, to last year's mark of 92.6, good for third best in the AFC. He's confident in the system and fully aware of how best to use all his weapons. Backup Todd Collins is a conservative short-thrower who makes Green's continued health a key issue. Jonathan Quinn was limited in training camp with back spasms.
Grade: B.

Running backs: The status of Priest Holmes' hip remains the million-dollar question. In the preseason he did nothing to show that he was still feeling the effects of the late-December injury that cost him two games and led to offseason surgery. But his workload was limited by the team, and he really did little to prove he still should be considered the league's best all-around back. Look for the Chiefs to consciously try to reduce his number of touches this year, as they seek to limit the wear and tear on Holmes and better utilize their other weapons offensively. Tony Richardson remains one of the league's better blocking fullbacks when healthy, but he battled shoulder injuries each of the previous two seasons and missed much of training camp with a broken thumb. Undersized speedster Derrick Blaylock emerged from camp as the backup running back, as first-round draft choice Larry Johnson struggled to pick up NFL pass protection and running schemes.
Grade: A-minus.

Receivers: Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez caught 63 passes last year and called it a down year when he ranked third among NFL tight ends. Anxious to restore his place at the top of the Heap, it would come as no Shock to see him lobby for 70 or more catches again this year. Wide receiver Johnnie Morton was a first-year bust in catching only 29 passes, but a return to the split end position he played in Detroit will either make him a factor or run him out of excuses. Eddie Kennison remains an underutilized deep threat. Both starters could be pushed by second-year big-play threat Marc Boerigter, who scored eight touchdowns on only 20 catches as a rookie. Undersized but shifty Dante Hall, who had three of his 20 catches go for 49 or more yards last season, could become more involved by getting some of the short passes that routinely went to Holmes.
Grade: B-minus.

Offensive linemen: This unit remains the team's greatest strength after playing intact through all of 2002 and establishing a real chemistry with Priest Holmes. Ageless left tackle Wille Roaf, 33, and perennial Pro Bowl right guard Will Shields made return trips to Hawaii last year, and center Casey Wiegmann played like he could've been there. Jon Tait took a while to settle in at the right tackle position after moving over from the left side, but he got better as the year wore on. Left guard Brian Watters is a converted tight end with the quickness to pull and be effective between Roaf and Wiegmann. Backups, however, are thin, thinner and thinnest, so the Chiefs really can't afford a long-term injury here.
Grade: A-minus.

Defense
Defensive linemen: The addition of one veteran Tar Heel (defensive end Vonnie Holliday) and the return of another younger one (defensive tackle Ryan Sims) should fortify the right side of a Chiefs line that was porous a year ago. Holliday is a run stuffer with a better pass-rush upside than the Chiefs have had in recent seasons. Sims is healthy and hungry after making minimum contributions in only six games as a rookie and showed an ability to get in the backfield in his first full preseason. Left end Eric Hicks has been largely frustrated since the 2000 campaign, when he got 14 sacks in what was supposed to be his breakthrough year. He should benefit from better pressure on the right side. Defensive tackle John Browning has served as an unsung hero on a bad line for his ability to play every position with a level of quiet competence. But, like the offensive line, depth is thin here. R-Kal Truluck is a situational pass rusher who bears watching.
Grade: C.

Linebackers: This is clearly a much faster unit than the corps that struggled in 2001. Prized offseason acquisition Shawn Barber brings speed, coverage ability and credibility from an Eagles defense that was one of the league's best last year. Mike Maslowski set a team record for tackles last year despite playing out of position on the weak side. Tackling is his forté coverage isn't, and he'll be back at home in the middle this year. Strong-side linebacker Scott Fujita has the speed to play over tight ends and will get better as his skills and knowledge grow in only his second NFL season. Not much can be said for the backups. Second-rounder Kawika Mitchell should help in run support as he picks up playing time he missed while hampered by a hamstring injury in camp.
Grade: C-plus.

Defensive backs: The return of veteran free safety Jerome Woods, who missed all of last season with a broken leg, will help strong safety Greg Wesley return to the form he lost last year without his mentor and running mate. Wesley began missing tackles and found himself out of position a year ago when trying to assume too many of Woods' responsibilities. Cornerbacks remain a weakness, but the hope is that an improved pass rush will mean that Eric Warfield and William Bartee won't have to hold their coverages for an eternity. If the pressure doesn't materialize, the corners remain vulnerable to big plays. New addition Dexter McCleon could push Bartee for a starting job but he might not be an appreciable upgrade.
Grade: C-minus.

Special teams
Morten Andersen is still kicking after all these years (43). Last year he made 21 of his first 23 field-goal tries before a knee injury affected his accuracy and distance and eventually forced him to the sideline. Short kickoffs, however, remain a problem. New punter Jason Baker will try to compensate in the kicking game after punting with little distinction the last two years in San Francisco. Dante Hall won Pro Bowl honors after returning three kicks for more than 90 yards over a two-game span last year. Long snapper Kendall Gammon rarely misses the strike zone, and coverage units are generally good.
Grade: B.

Rick Dean covers the Chiefs for the Topeka Capital-Journal.

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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