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The opening of training camps are always an exciting time for NFL fans, but there’s an undertone of dread that can lurk around every corner. Every August we see several injuries that at least alter the course of September, and sometimes the entire coming season. The Kansas City Chiefs dodged just such an injury when cornerback Brandon Flowers was found to just have a bruised foot after being carted off the field.
Flowers is the team’s top cornerback. While Stanford Routt was a nice addition via free agency on the other corner, Flowers is the man who will have to defend the opposing team’s best receiver, and if a 3-4 defense is really going to hit its maximum potential, the top corner has to play a lot of man-to-man coverage effectively. If Flowers does this, it frees up the safeties—notably strong safety Eric Berry to roam a little freer and cover underneath, which in turn frees up the linebackers—notably outside linebacker Tamba Hali to attack the line of scrimmage with much greater freedom. Each of the latter two lead directly to turnovers.
Head coach Romeo Crennel got the good news this morning, For the time being, the reps being given to Flowers can go to other defensive backs who are looking to make the team or compete for an upgraded role. Perhaps by the time Flowers returns, the team’s #1 wideout, receiver Dwayne Bowe, will be back in camp and they can compete against each other. But while the word is good on Flowers, there’s no report on the best choice for his practice sparring partner.
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