Kelly Gregg is the new Mike Vrabel. Or at least it seems that way from the outset. When Mike Vrabel first arrived in Kansas City, he was not only coming over to fill the role of outside linebacker, but also that of playoff-tested defensive veteran here to mentor the younger players. As Vrabel has moved on, now Gregg has moved in to help shepherd the young guys along the defensive line, including sixth round choice Jerrell Powe.
“Oh yeah, I heard from the Jets, but this is the perfect opportunity,” Gregg told Scout.com in an interview. “It’s an hour-flight from my house in Oklahoma and this is an up-and-coming team. I’ll be working with a good rookie in Jerrell Powe and he looks like he’s going to be a player.”
The Chiefs are definitely glad to hear Gregg’s excitement, given the belief that Powe could really be a late-round find in the middle. Early reports from training camp are that Powe has a long way to go in his preparation and conditioning, but there’s no denying his instincts and raw ability.
If anyone is going to be able to get the most out of Powe, it will be the team-first, highly conditioned atmosphere of Todd Haley combined with the veteran presence of Gregg utilizing Romeo Crennel’s schemes. It’s a perfect fit for the Chiefs rookie and it wouldn’t be a major surprise to see Powe learning rather quickly as long as he can get in game shape.