In 2002 St. Louis Rams Head Coach Mike Martz drafted the then quarterback, to play wide receiver, but Crouch had delusions of grander and refused to play wide receiver and eventually bolted the Rams after signing his rookie contract.
The Rams drafted Crouch in the third round because he was known for his speed coming out of Nebraska. No scout projected him to play quarterback in the NFL. He was a pure running quarterback for the Cornhuskers where he excelled under Frank Solich’s offense.
Come spring time, Crouch will be assigned to play in NFL Europe to start his switch to safety. The Packers had the same intentions with Crouch a year ago but he was cut before camp started in July. The Chiefs feel that Crouch who has a world of athletic ability might finally be ready to make the jump to the NFL.
“The kid (Crouch) has made the commitment to play defense,” Vermeil said. “He said he would do whatever we wanted him to do.”
Though this is a move that won’t send shockwaves around the NFL, he can’t do anything but help a secondary that needs a complete overhaul. The Chiefs were ranked near the bottom in passing yards allowed per game and Crouch could eventually turn into a solid back-up and special teams standout. But one thing is certain; this will probably be his last go-round in the NFL. If he fails to make the roster out of River Falls, Crouch’s dream of playing in the NFL could be lost forever.
But those close to Crouch maintain he’s ready to reach his potential in the NFL and he has every intention of making an impact on the Chiefs roster next season.
“That's his wish,” Crouch’s agent Jim Steiner said about playing safety. “He has no more desire to play quarterback. He's fired up about this. I've noticed a change in his attitude about things. He's as excited about this opportunity as he's been than about anything since he was in college.”
In other news involving former Chiefs assistant coaches; Paul Hackett, who stepped down as Jets offensive coach last week was given a job as quarterbacks coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hackett was not a fan favorite in New York as he was under a lot criticism from the media and ticket holders for his play calling.
Former defensive coordinator Kurt Schottenheimer will coach the St. Louis Rams defensive backfield next season. Schottenheimer spent last year with the Green Bay Packers as the defensive backs coach.