Jamaal Charles gained 1,126 yards from scrimmage in the second half of last season, second in the NFL. That doesn’t mean Charles gets a free ride to the top of the Chiefs depth chart.
One year after amusingly burying Dwayne Bowe deep in his doghouse, Chiefs coach Todd Haley has undertaken a more subtle motivation ploy. Charles opened training camp as the team’s backup to Thomas Jones.
There are a few reasons for this, primary among them Charles’ shoulder surgery that sidelined him for most of the offseason. But the key to the Chiefs offense is healthy now, and Haley likely wants him to be hungry again after establishing himself last year.
“That’s coaching,” Haley said to the Kansas City Star. “I’m not real interested in any of these guys being real comfortable. Maybe down the road when we’re a real good team and some real good things are happening.”
For “real good” things to happen in Kansas City, Charles needs to continue his poor man’s Chris Johnson routine as a starter. There’s no doubt Charles by the time snaps really count.