Instant starter: Chiefs rookie OL Jeff Allen moves from future to fixture

For the past few years, the Kansas City Chiefs have been implementing a beautiful plan along the offensive front to keep the line both capable and affordable. Instead of bringing in a high priced veteran free agent, a la Carl Nicks, the team has chosen to fortify the trenches with one draft pick each year and slowly develop that player into a starter. The plan, to this point, has been coming along nicely.

While Scott Pioli inherited a stable left tackle in Branden Albert, the rest of the line has needed attention since his arrival. He selected Jon Asamoah in the 2010 draft with a third round choice from Illinois. Rodney Hudson of Florida State was the selection in 2011 in the second round. This year, it was another early choice with the second round pick of Illinois lineman Jeff Allen.

Over those years, the draft pick has enjoyed the chance to sit behind a capable veteran and learn the terminology, schemes and speed of the NFL without the pressure to perform from day one. Asamoah sat behind Ryan Lilja at right guard. Hudson took his time behind Casey Wiegmann at center. The complete shift along the offensive interior was supposed to happen this year as Allen sat behind Lilja, who shifted sides after Brian Waters left. Now his time frame has been pushed ahead.

With the news on Wednesday that Rodney Hudson was being placed on injured reserve by the Chiefs front office, the entire offensive line has shifted to adjust accordingly. Lilja was moving to his third starting spot in as many years on a permanent basis as the new Chiefs center. Allen was sliding into the starting role. Veterans Russ Hochstein and Bryan Mattison were signed to bolster the loss.

Allen stepped in on Sunday to fill in the gap at left guard, and that is exactly where he wil stay. Crennel spoke on the changes from practice at Arrowhead on Wednesday and he made it clear that Allen is now a fixture. Instead of being the future at the position, Allen must learn on the fly between a pillar in Albert and a man transitioning himself in Lilja. It was not how the team pictured.

What, then, will this make of "the plan" -- the strategy to bring along rookie linemen slowly and allow them to come in with a full year of observation and practice reps under their belt? That's a luxury the team simple doesn't have anymore. Allen remained the only real back-up option in case of emergency, such as this. That means the team had the faith that he could do exactly what he has been asked to do.

While it might not be the master plan, in this instance, Allen is apparently ready to do what he must. When asked about Allen's performance on Sunday, Lilja said, "I thought he did an excellent job at guard. He's got to do an even better job this week because it's a better front and it's for the division."

Jamaal Charles went even further to note that Allen was already in the game whenever he broke the 91-yard touchdown run. When asked what he thought would change given Hudson's injury, his short answer: "Nothing much." He went on to explain:

"Jeff [Allen] came in, did a great job, and he was in there when I ran that 91-yard touchdown. I don't think we're going to get out of our game plan, we're just going to say with the same thing. We know that San Diego has got one of the best run defenses right now, but something's got to give so we've got to go out there and do what we can."

While the move takes away a lot of depth for the team and places Lilja in an uncomfortable position of learning on the fly and making all of the calls from center that Hudson had learned to do, it seems the Chiefs should be set at the guard position. If anything, it provides an early learning curve for Allen that will only benefit the Chiefs in the long run as their young line develops chemistry and grows together as a cohesive unit.

For Lilja, it's a challenge. For Hudson, it's a disappointment. But at least the Chiefs seem well-prepared for a new player at left guard, even if they had to give up their strategy to get there.

Rodney Hudson injury: Romeo Crennel says center won't return in 2012

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel confirmed that there's no way C Rodney Hudson is coming back in 2012.

Rodney Hudson out for season with broken bone in his leg

With the word that Rodney Hudson is out for the season as the Chiefs starting center, the Kansas City front office immediately made moves to bolster the position. Early word did not clarify, however, just what kept Hudson from returning this year. It's clear now that the former Florida State lineman suffered a broken bone -- an injury that will take significant time to heal.

"There's a broken bone, but it doesn't require surgery and he's got to be off of it for several weeks and then several weeks on crutches, so it's going to be most of the season," said head coach Romeo Crennel from practice on Wednesday. "It's going to be most of the season, so that's why he's not going to be able to come back."

Hudson was appointed the Chiefs new starter after not signing Casey Wiegmann this offseason. The Chiefs signed veterans Bryan Mattison and Russ Hochstein to bolster the interior line.

Chiefs place Rodney Hudson on Injured Reserve

The Chiefs have placed their starting center Rodney Hudson on IR, meaning he's out for the rest of 2012.