It's interesting to think that, a little more than 14 months ago, the Chiefs' defensive line was a weapon that needed only cosmetic upgrades here and there. Jared Allen and Tamba Hali made up a terrific set of bookends, combining for 23 sacks in 2007.

Then Allen was traded, Hali was stranded, and yada, yada, yada, the Chiefs had a combined 10 sacks last season. Not only was that last in the NFL last year (and seven fewer than the hapless Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals), but it also was a league record for pass rushing futility.

So, of course, the Chiefs are blowing up the whole thing. First-year coach Todd Haley switched to a 3-4 defensive front and moved several linemen -- including Hali -- to linebacker. The gamble could work, but you should understand that it is a gamble and that it also could not work. Hali didn't look great in coverage situations during offseason practice, and although he is cutting his teeth on a new position at the highest level of resistance, he's also expected to be a starting outside linebacker.

But we'll discuss the linebackers another day. That leaves a defensive line with two returning starters and exactly zero of their expected starters with NFL experience at their expected 2009 position. Glenn Dorsey is moving to defensive end, and his size and speed don't measure up to what the typical 3-4 end normally looks like. We've used this comparison before, and it's probably not fair to put Dorsey side-by-side with a prototypical 3-4 end, but here's the situation of what the Chiefs have, compared to what they would like to have:

DORSEY
6-1
297

RICHARD SEYMOUR, New England DE
6-6
310

There's some question over whether Dorsey fits into the Chiefs' new system at all. And if that's really the case, then that is bad news for last year's No. 5 overall pick and the team that drafted him with the future -- and visions of Pro Bowl appearances -- in mind. Dorsey practiced only a handful of days during OTAs, saying it was because of an undefined injury and spending most of his time on the rehab field, pushing heavy sleds and doing lunges for farther than should be considered humane.

But Dorsey is here, and that's that. He's expected to be in the lineup come Sept. 13, and he'll have a short time to prove whether he can help the Chiefs or whether the team has to admit that it missed on Dorsey, if for no other reason than that they've moved to a new scheme, and chalk up the draft pick as a failed and immensely costly experiment.

That brings us to the Tyson Jackson issue. The Chiefs drafted him at No. 3 overall in April, eliciting mass confusion and a mad scramble to find out exactly who Tyson Jackson is, and plugged him immediately into their first-team defensive line. The Chiefs see Jackson as a player who can hold down that line as Seymour did in New England, and the Jackson pick allowed the Chiefs to make that move to the 3-4, as Haley wanted when he took that first head coaching job earlier this year. Nobody expects Jackson to be a dynamic player, which is probably good for the rookie because people did expect that out of Dorsey and then didn't see it last year.

Jackson, depending on whether he's in camp on time -- and make no mistake, the Chiefs need him in camp on time to hold down this line -- could be a solid player right away. The Chiefs obviously liked what they saw from him, enough to draft him at a slot that could command upward of a guaranteed $30 million. The longer Jackson remains unsigned, the longer the Chiefs have to wait and see about him -- and how their line will come together.

Tank Tyler said a couple weeks ago that he feels comfortable at nose tackle. He played there at times while at N.C. State, and he says the scheme feels comfortable. He's really the only expected starter who suggests he's comfortable, as Dorsey and Jackson each have admitted they have tall hills to climb before the season opener. Tyler has plenty of talent, and this could be the shift he has been waiting for. He's in his pivotal third year, so the Chiefs will need him to produce and help plug the rushing lanes they had such trouble filling last year.

Ron Edwards also might get some time at nose tackle, but Tyler is the best long-term answer there.

The Chiefs have more questions on their defensive line than anywhere, and that's not good for a defense that starved for sacks last year. Kansas City wants to see proof that the changes worked, but there are so many question marks regarding this unit entering training camp, it's tough to imagine anyone is expecting another season of disruptive line play like Chiefs fans witnessed in 2007.

GRADING THE INTANGIBLES:
TALENT: A -- Two top-five draft picks look good on paper, but Dorsey and Jackson have work to do to live up to the hype.
CHEMISTRY: C- -- It doesn't help that Dorsey missed almost all of offseason workouts. Jackson participated in OTAs and the minicamp, but it's too early to tell whether he'll be in training camp on time.
EXPERIENCE: D -- None of the expected starters has NFL experience at their 2009 positions.
OUTLOOK: C- -- If Jackson lives up to his billing and Dorsey can make it work at end, this could become a strong unit. There's plenty of talent on the line. It's just a matter of whether all the questions can be answered and players can find comfort in a timely fashion.