The Kansas City Chiefs have certainly resurrected their 2011 season in impressive fashion -- so much so that they've risen to the top of the AFC West and sit in the driver's seat for the division title if they play well enough for the rest of the regular season. Consequently, much of the conversation about the Chiefs' future has subsided since interest in what happens in the offseason is no longer a concern for most. But some recent talk out of New York brings up an interesting possibility for the Chiefs: Brandon Jacobs at running back.
Think ahead to next year for a second (not to distract you for too long from the Chiefs current fortunes). The running back position is going to be very interesting for a number of reasons and there are several questions that will inevitably be asked:
1. How much does Thomas Jones have left?
2. How will Jamaal Charles rebound from an injury?
3. How should the team handle Jackie Battle after a successful breakout season? [Ed. note: We're believing the best here.]
It's clear that Todd Haley enjoys a dynamic duo of sorts with others in orbit around the position. Perhaps the Chiefs will keep Battle, believe in Charles and move forward with those two and Dexter McCluster on the roster. Yet something tells me another veteran will be present and I'm not sure it can/will be Thomas Jones.
Jones is averaging 3.1 yards per carry and this comes after a season where fans were already discontent with his production on the field. He doesn't catch well out of the backfield and he's struggling to do the one thing he provides well enough to validate his playing time. Jones' defenders could point to his lack of playing time and make a case for not being able to establish a rhythm. That's fair, but the RB position has been thinned out in Charles' absence that Jones should have earned more PT by now if he could provide it.
That said, it's possible the team could bring someone in to stabilize the position amid questions and that player could be the one working his way out of New York in the current moment. Brandon Jacobs has long provided the thunder in the backfield for the Giants, but the only rumbling he's doing now is on the verbal scale as he talks his way out of town.
In fact, Ralph Vacciano from the New York Daily News writes that Jacobs might have talked his way out of the NFL instead with his latest antics.
"If he blows this opportunity now, no matter how long it lasts, who is going to take a chance on a mouthy, aging, injury-prone back with a knack for creating negative headlines? Running backs are expendable in the NFL. Yes, Jacobs vowed earlier this week to "turn it around" with a new attitude after the latest in a string of heart-to-heart talks with family members and friends. But if that doesn’t translate into actual production, the entire league will see he’s more trouble than he’s worth."
Yet just last season in spot duty, Jacobs carried the ball 147 times for 823 yards for a 5.6 yards/carry average. 5.6. Something is still there in the tank even after his knee surgery in 2009. If he's given the boot from the Big Apple. he'll also have a chip on his shoulder to prove there's something something of value. In Kansas City, he could prove to be a cheap, low-risk addition who's motivated to play for a winner who needs what he provides while also giving him a chance for redemption.
It's the perfect scenario assuming he provides the value on the ground, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit to see Jacobs in a Chiefs uniform next season. I can't condone his attitude and whiny behavior for the Giants, but I can believe that stats column when it says that Jacobs can still play. Despite the evidence on the field so far this season, Jacobs could be the ideal fit among the other components in the Chiefs backfield next season.