It should come as no surprise to any Chiefs fan to see that Romeo Crennel is going to put his star safety in a position to be successful. In all honesty, Eric Berry could be lined up anywhere on the field and he's going to find a way to be successful. But to read about the kinds of things that Abram Elam is doing along with Berry in the Chiefs subset defenses, it's hard to not be excited if you're a Chiefs fan. Elam's versatility to play either safety spot allows Berry to roam free and disguise what you're doing.
The Chiefs are putting Berry closer to the line of scrimmage in these 3rd down situations and that's going to spell good things for this defense. This is the role that Jon McGraw had played for the Chiefs last year. It's something that I talked about on the Arrowhead Pride YouTube channel a while back after we drafted DeQuan Menzie.
The Chiefs put what could arguably be described as their biggest play-maker in a specific position on this defense that is set up to make big time plays. Berry was recently praised from All-Pro wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald as being able to play anywhere and any position on a football field. So the Chiefs could line him up on a tight-end while in the box, split him out or line him up as a linebacker. When you have a player that is so versatile AND the rest of the defense around him is solid, it's a recipe for success.
For as big of key as Berry obviously is in all of this, Elam plays just as big of a role because it's his versatility that allows Berry to line up wherever he wants. It's definitely something to watch for as the Chiefs take on the St. Louis Rams this weekend. Look for Eric Berry in 3rd down situations and look at all the different looks the Chiefs give with him on the field in these spots.