Andy Studebaker's Contract Extension Gives Insight Into Chiefs Philosophy

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:10:17 -0500

The Kansas City Chiefs this week extended the contract of linebacker Andy Studebaker.
"Obviously I'm excited," Studebaker told me after practice on Thursday. "It's not like it's something I'm settling with and I don't think that's the point of the whole thing. I'm excited to be here. To know that we've locked up a little bit of a deal here and being part of this process of winning games and eventually winning championships...It was an exciting week and I'm glad it happened but by no means does that mean I'm settled in."
All parties are quiet on the details of the deal and when asked how long he'll be a Chief, Studebaker responded, "Hopefully for a long time."
On the surface, it seems like just another contract, However, a closer look reveals that there was clearly a lot of thought put into this from both sides.

Studebaker becomes the first Chief to receive an extension from the Scott Pioli-led Chiefs. Matt Cassel's contract was more of a package deal with his trade and Mike Vrabel technically hit free agency before getting re-signed.
So, Studebaker becomes the first one to go through a full cycle in the Chiefs system and come out with a contract extension.
Clearly this means something. The Chiefs don't make moves that aren't well thought out so they're aware of what this says about Studebaker, and what it says to the rest of the team.
I think a key question the Chiefs ask themselves before they decide to make a commitment like this is:
What type of behavior do we want to reward?
Remember, there are 52 other players in the locker room and they'll hear about Studebaker's extension. Most NFL players play the game because that's their love but it also has to pay the bills and they all want to be financially rewarded for their work.
So what the Chiefs have done is let their actions speak for themselves. Players are going to see that Studebaker received a financial commitment from the team and they're going to think, 'OK, what did Andy Studebaker do to get that?'
And with that, the Chiefs are in a good position. They feel that Studebaker is clearly the type of player (and man) they want on their team.
He came to the team in November of 2008 and not only survived the regime change, but thrived in it. The players were told when the Pioli and Co. arrived that there is no us vs. them, or "Herm guys" vs. "Pioli guys". Either you buy in...or you don't. Studebaker is evidence of someone buying in while others that have since left are evidence of someone not buying in.
Studebaker's increasing role from last season to last Monday, and that he appears to be the long-term replacement for Mike Vrabel, provided him an opportunity to make a little noise about his role and his contract. But...he didn't. He kept quiet, did his job and was eventually rewarded. I think that's the lesson in all of this.
Studebaker is entering his third year in the NFL so the Chiefs didn't have to do this now. When the new labor deal is completed, most feel that the years to get to free agency will continue to be four years (or even rise to five). That means that the Chiefs could have let him play out this year and offer him a restricted free agent tender next year putting his contract negotiations off for two more years.
But they did it now. Why?
There's the uncertainty in the labor deal coming up and that they didn't know exactly what the rules would be, or what the prices on restricted free agents would be, so doing it now made the most sense. Plus, it gives the Chiefs a chance to provide tangible evidence to the rest of the team what buying into the organization's philosophy can do.
Studebaker's camp will tell you that it's not just the Chiefs that felt this was the right move. Clearly they did, too. Studebaker is a man of strong convictions and I was told that the union with the Chiefs is a perfect marriage. He believes in what the Chiefs are trying to do, how they're doing it and why they're doing it.
Studebaker told me that it was important to understand that this won't change anything and that it's just a byproduct of doing things the way he's been asked to do them.
"For me," he said, "let's take this one day at a time like I did before that. This is about team and winning games. Good things happen along the way and that's how it goes. I'm pumped to be here and that thing happened and I can be part of this process."
Way back when Pioli was first hired he said something along the lines of, 'The 53rd player is just as important as the first player.' I'll admit it -- I chuckled a bit when Pioli said that. But, at the time he said that, Studebaker was probably the 50th player on the roster.
And now here he is.
Maybe Pioli was onto something with that statement.
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Andrew Brewer - Omaha Nighthawks - Making the 52

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:41:59 -0500

OMAHA, Neb. – It turns out, getting beat out for the starting quarterback job in college just might have prolonged Andrew Brewer's professional football career.
The rookie wide receiver was relieved to find his name still on the Omaha Nighthawks' roster Thursday as UFL teams had to cut their rosters down to 52 players.
Brewer said Wednesday was an anxious night as team coaches and front office personnel met to trim the roster. In the end, certain players' versatility won out in keeping them on the Nighthawks' roster while several recognizable veterans were released.
“I knew I had a shot and I feel like I had a really good camp,” Brewer said. “At the end of it you can only control what you can control. That's your attitude and how hard you're working. I thought I came out and had the opportunities to make the plays I needed to.”
An undrafted rookie, the threat of getting cut had long been hanging over Brewer's head. He said he tried not to become too anxious, instead focusing on the learning experience of his first pro training camp.
“At the end of the day, you've been thinking since you've been here there's a chance you could always be cut,” Brewer said. “That's just why you have to make the best of every opportunity. Even if I had been cut, I knew I could walk out and say 'I had my shot.' That's ultimately what everybody wants.”
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Chiefs’ Studebaker Putting Himself in Position at Linebacker

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:40:24 -0500

ST. JOSEPH | The Chiefs found a lot to like from outside linebacker Andy Studebaker in last week’s preseason opener in Atlanta. He chased Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan out of the pocket on a third-down play and played off a block nicely to make a tackle in the running game.
His reward at training camp this week has been plenty of first-team snaps, which can also be partly attributed to the advancing age of Mike Vrabel, the starter on the left side.
Studebaker is unlikely to steal many snaps from Vrabel once the real season begins, though the Chiefs have looked at him as an outside linebacker in nickel situations, with Vrabel moving to the inside.
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Bear’s Spar in Friendly Competition

Sat, 7 Aug 2010 14:18:13 -0500

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Nick Roach recoils when he hears the word ''compete,'' even though he and Pisa Tinoisamoa are doing just that for a second consecutive Bears training camp.
''We're not the ones who call it a competition,'' Roach said. ''We just play the plays that we get.''
While Roach takes the more figurative approach, Tinoisamoa takes the more literal one.
''There's two of us and only one spot, so it's a competition,'' he said. ''But it's not like we hate each other.''
There are a handful of unsettled starting spots, but strong-side linebacker is one of the more appealing and intriguing ones. First, the winner gets to play with Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, who have achieved a combined 11 Pro Bowls.
Neither Roach nor Tinoisamoa is short on experience (24 starts for Roach, 85 for Tinoisamoa), and they've both succeeded in the defense.
''They fit this system to a T, and they'd fit anybody's system because they're both smart, physical, and they're both fast with instincts," Bears defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said. ''We're very blessed.''
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Packers LB Brad Jones Poised To Take Over For Aaron Kampman

Sun, 1 Aug 2010 17:27:08 -0500

Packers linebacker Brad Jones will be one of the most watched players on the roster this season as the heir apparent to Aaron Kampman and opposite of Clay Matthews. Most assumed the Packers would either draft or sign another outside linebacker with Kampman leaving, but the staff put its faith in Jones. Now he's expected to flourish in the 3-4 system to the point where opponents can't just focus on Matthews, who posted 10 sacks and made the Pro Bowl last year. "This year feels a lot different because I'm so comfortable with playing the game at this level," Jones said. "Last year, I felt like I was just trying to do anything to make the team. I feel like I'm competing on a much higher level. I can match (what they're looking for) and a lot more. I don't want to be just good enough to be the starter. I want to be good enough to be an All-Star starter."
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