Chiefs Hope DE Tamba Hali Can Improve His Game

On the surface, defensive end Tamba Hali doesn’t seem like he should qualify as a candidate to be any kind of breakout player for the Chiefs in 2010. Having led the Chiefs in sacks in three of his four NFL seasons, including last year, Hali seems more like a player who has already broken out.

But since the Chiefs added no veteran defenders of significance, they’ll have to get more from players like Hali, their starter at right outside linebacker, if they’re to make anything more than modest gains on defense next season. Though Hali was one of the Chiefs best defensive players last year, he was still a work in progress. He was playing linebacker for the first time after moving from end.

He played with the same relentless style, but admitted to serious doubts about his ability in pass coverage and those fears were realized at times last year. But the Chiefs are hopeful he can make major improvements in that area this year.

”Tamba had a very difficult transition,” coach Todd Haley said. ”There was a lot of speculation on it last year at this time. I think he made it through that initial whitewater and now he’s really starting to make strides in becoming an outside backer that obviously has a real good skill, that being rushing the passer. If he can continue to improve in those other areas that he has to, he’s got a chance to be a real good outside backer, a premier outside backer. The sky’s the limit.

”This is an impressive guy who in my opinion has really bought in to what’s going on around here. He wants to be a special player and wants to be a part of a really good team. He’s a passionate guy that put everything he has into this off-season, like he did last year. He’ll start seeing some more of those rewards here I think as he continues to (improve).”