KRUMRIE IS TOAST, DAN BEEBE IS A GOOF & MIZZOU ALL-STARS
In a move Stevie Winder saw coming, the Chiefs canned defensive line coach Tim Krumrie. There's no discussion about Clancy Pendergast's impending demise, in fact some of the rumors include Pendergast being retained as strictly a position coach & Romeo Crennell or someone else being brought in from the outside to be defensive coordinator. The Charlie Weis rumors persist as well, in fact Todd Haley was asked about Weis several times in his season-ending news conference that ended about an hour ago. He said he would like to have an offensive coordinator soon. When asked about Weis again, he said Charlie runs the same offense so there would be no change, no transition, just slight differences in game planning. He said neither he nor Scott Pioli had spoken to Romeo Crennell since the season ended, but stopped short of denying any conversations with Weis. He said he hadn't but couldn't speak for Pioli. I think Weis might butt heads with Haley, but Pioli may put his foot down, I'd say it's a 50-50 proposition.
The Chiefs have numerous free agent issues to deal with. I'll just speak to key players, do you really care about Jackie Battle's contract issues? I didn't think so. I'll give you a quick NFL free agency primer.
Unrestricted free agents--This usually is for veteran players on their second or third contract. If this person leaves for another team, depending on that players production for your franchise, you can receive a "compensatory pick" in the next draft. These are usually lower round picks. Unrestricted free agents, or UFA's, can also be tethered to their current team by that team designating them as the "Franchise Player". This keeps the player with his team for another full season, but it comes at a very high price. The player will be paid the average of the top five contracts for players at his position league-wide. This is why Matt Cassel, the Patriots' franchise player from last season, would have cost the Chiefs $14 million for one season. That is the average contract of the top-5 QB's in the league. The Chiefs have since signed Cassel to a long term contract.
Restricted free agents(RFA's)--The restricted free agent is one that is at the end of his 1st professional contract. This player doesn't have the freedom to move anywhere he wants like the UFA. The team holding his rights can either match any offer from another team & retain that player at that price & contract length. If they choose to let that player go, they can expect to receive draft picks from the team signing that player. This can be as high as a 1st round draft pick. RFA's can also be given "Tender Offers" from their current team. The team offers them a one-year "tender offer" that is a very high figure, normally in the league's top-10 average-wise at their position. The player must sign this offer or they cannot play the following season, but they can be signed by a team willing to surrender a 1st round pick & at least a 3rd round pick. This is how Jared Allen was moved by the Chiefs, Carl Peterson made him sign a tender offer tying him to the Chiefs for another season, but Minnesota stepped in & gave the Chiefs a 1st & 2 thirds.
O.K. the Chiefs have numerous UFA's & RFA's & here's my quick thoughts. The UFA's include Chris Chambers, Wade Smith, Mike Vrabel & Bobby Wade. Chambers would be a nice guy to keep if they don't have to break the bank. Considering his age, he'll be 32 before next season begins, he's not a longterm answer, but 2-3 years would be a smart move. Wade Smith would be a keeper as well, he will be 29 in April, he became the starter at right guard by default & he looked capable. I don't think he's a longterm answer either, but he can play either guard spot & center, no one else on the roster can do that. Mike Vrabel is near the end, if he would sign a 2-year deal, I'd be inclined to say yes. He will be 35 next August. Bobby Wade will be 29 in February & I would question anything more than a back-loaded deal for Wade, his performance just hasn't been consistent.
The RFA's are tough for me to figure, I have no idea what Todd Haley thinks about these players. Personally I would resign all of these guys, but I don't know how attached Haley is to them. Brodie Croyle is a no-brainer in my mind. You need a backup QB that knows the offense inside out, Croyle qualifies. Derrick Johnson is the toughest free agency call as I see it. I think he should be playing much more, he is infinitely more instinctive(an important quality in a linebacker) than any of the inside linebackers we currently have on the roster. It's been well documented that Todd Haley doesn't like the way D.J. practices, which will try a coach's patience, but his ability to make plays on gameday is what counts. At least it is to me, I can't speak to Haley's thoughts on D.J. Lawrence Taylor was a complete PITA in practice, but on Sunday, he was the greatest defensive force of his generation. I'm not comparing LT to Derrick Johnson skill-wise, I'm comparing the circumstances. Ryan O'Callaghan should definitely be resigned. He was thought to be a 2-3 year project when he came out of Cal. This was his 4th year as a pro, I think he still has some upside, even as a backup. I like his mean streak. Jarrad Page is another question mark. I don't know Haley's thoughts about the 4th year safety. His season was cut short with a foot injury & I think the Chiefs' safety play suffered mightily. I would resign him.
Ryan Succop won the Mack Lee Hill Award as the team's best rookie. He had very little competition for the award. The last player drafted this past April, known as 'Mr. Irrelevant', he kicked 25 of 29 field goals & was decent on kickoffs. Jamaal Charles was voted the team's MVP by his teammates, this also wasn't a surprise. What this kid accomplished with a maligned offensive line & a shaky passing game was nothing short of amazing for long suffering Chiefs' fans.
Big-12 Commissioner Dan Beebe appeared on WHB-810 in Kansas City yesterday morning & what he had to say was confusing, bewildering & bizarre. It was clear from the outset, regardless of his phony concern, the Big-12 bigshots in Dallas aren't sweating the rumored defection of Mizzou to the Big-10. He danced around the questions regarding the unequal TV revenue money distribution that Mizzou is adamant about changing, or else. He then went on a tangent about how a playoff system would be such a bad idea for Division I football. He coughed up the usual complaint about students & their academics, which is the lamest of all excuses. Football players have the most off time of all college sports. Because the game is so physical, the normally play but once a week. Basketball, baseball, wrestling & volleyball play 2-3 times a week. Plus practice & they play just about any day of the week.
If there was an 8-team playoff, 4 of the teams would play one extra week, just one. so four teams would be extending their season 2 weeks & then just 2. This rambling slate of bowl games nearly every night isn't conducive for TV ratings. Not as high as they should be. I'm not trying to scrap the bowl system, I just want to eliminate 4 bowls out of 34. The first round ought to be on campus, the semis in a bowl setting & obviously an over-hyped championship game in another bowl setting. But this over-hyped game would produce a true champion.
Beebe also offered this jewel "the players I've spoken to really like the bowl setting because they can end their season with a win." Yeah, they like the swag from the bowls too. The $300 Best Buy gift cards, the leather jackets, watches etc. are similar, but much cooler than the 'Participant' trophy their Mom is still dusting back home for their T-Ball years. If that's what is really important let's have a 64-team playoff & have the losers advance. Then you only have one team that ends it's season with a loss. This goes back to my blog last week about not keeping score & giving everyone a trophy for their participation. The NCAA awards a trophy for the champion of over 40 men's & women's sports. The one lone holdout is Division I football. The other 3 divisions have a playoff, I know, I watched 3 or 4 of the games. This is about bowl committee chairmen not wanting to lose their big salaries, private jet trips & the like. If the NCAA went to a playoff it has been conservatively estimated they would reap another $100 million minimum for their member teams. As college donations shrink because of the bad economy, ignoring revenue that's just waiting to be dumped into their collective laps, is really irresponsible.
Four Mizzou players will be playing in post season all-star games. WR Danario Alexander & LB Sean Weatherspoon will travel to the 'Senior Bowl'. This is the best of these games because both teams are coached by NFL staffs & all the practices are televised on the NFL network. This game also has the best talent as well. Unfortunately, only seniors can play in these games. The 'Shriner's East-West All-Star Game' will have Tiger defensive tackle Jaron Baston, from Blue Springs, as part of the West team. WR Jared Perry, who came back from a fractured leg, will get one more chance to get an invitation to the NFL Scouting combine with his play at the 'Texas vs. The Nation All-Star Game'. I'll have a lot of Senior Bowl coverage & I'll give you the day & times of the telecasts so you can put an eyeball on these pro prospects.
The Chiefs have numerous free agent issues to deal with. I'll just speak to key players, do you really care about Jackie Battle's contract issues? I didn't think so. I'll give you a quick NFL free agency primer.
Unrestricted free agents--This usually is for veteran players on their second or third contract. If this person leaves for another team, depending on that players production for your franchise, you can receive a "compensatory pick" in the next draft. These are usually lower round picks. Unrestricted free agents, or UFA's, can also be tethered to their current team by that team designating them as the "Franchise Player". This keeps the player with his team for another full season, but it comes at a very high price. The player will be paid the average of the top five contracts for players at his position league-wide. This is why Matt Cassel, the Patriots' franchise player from last season, would have cost the Chiefs $14 million for one season. That is the average contract of the top-5 QB's in the league. The Chiefs have since signed Cassel to a long term contract.
Restricted free agents(RFA's)--The restricted free agent is one that is at the end of his 1st professional contract. This player doesn't have the freedom to move anywhere he wants like the UFA. The team holding his rights can either match any offer from another team & retain that player at that price & contract length. If they choose to let that player go, they can expect to receive draft picks from the team signing that player. This can be as high as a 1st round draft pick. RFA's can also be given "Tender Offers" from their current team. The team offers them a one-year "tender offer" that is a very high figure, normally in the league's top-10 average-wise at their position. The player must sign this offer or they cannot play the following season, but they can be signed by a team willing to surrender a 1st round pick & at least a 3rd round pick. This is how Jared Allen was moved by the Chiefs, Carl Peterson made him sign a tender offer tying him to the Chiefs for another season, but Minnesota stepped in & gave the Chiefs a 1st & 2 thirds.
O.K. the Chiefs have numerous UFA's & RFA's & here's my quick thoughts. The UFA's include Chris Chambers, Wade Smith, Mike Vrabel & Bobby Wade. Chambers would be a nice guy to keep if they don't have to break the bank. Considering his age, he'll be 32 before next season begins, he's not a longterm answer, but 2-3 years would be a smart move. Wade Smith would be a keeper as well, he will be 29 in April, he became the starter at right guard by default & he looked capable. I don't think he's a longterm answer either, but he can play either guard spot & center, no one else on the roster can do that. Mike Vrabel is near the end, if he would sign a 2-year deal, I'd be inclined to say yes. He will be 35 next August. Bobby Wade will be 29 in February & I would question anything more than a back-loaded deal for Wade, his performance just hasn't been consistent.
The RFA's are tough for me to figure, I have no idea what Todd Haley thinks about these players. Personally I would resign all of these guys, but I don't know how attached Haley is to them. Brodie Croyle is a no-brainer in my mind. You need a backup QB that knows the offense inside out, Croyle qualifies. Derrick Johnson is the toughest free agency call as I see it. I think he should be playing much more, he is infinitely more instinctive(an important quality in a linebacker) than any of the inside linebackers we currently have on the roster. It's been well documented that Todd Haley doesn't like the way D.J. practices, which will try a coach's patience, but his ability to make plays on gameday is what counts. At least it is to me, I can't speak to Haley's thoughts on D.J. Lawrence Taylor was a complete PITA in practice, but on Sunday, he was the greatest defensive force of his generation. I'm not comparing LT to Derrick Johnson skill-wise, I'm comparing the circumstances. Ryan O'Callaghan should definitely be resigned. He was thought to be a 2-3 year project when he came out of Cal. This was his 4th year as a pro, I think he still has some upside, even as a backup. I like his mean streak. Jarrad Page is another question mark. I don't know Haley's thoughts about the 4th year safety. His season was cut short with a foot injury & I think the Chiefs' safety play suffered mightily. I would resign him.
Ryan Succop won the Mack Lee Hill Award as the team's best rookie. He had very little competition for the award. The last player drafted this past April, known as 'Mr. Irrelevant', he kicked 25 of 29 field goals & was decent on kickoffs. Jamaal Charles was voted the team's MVP by his teammates, this also wasn't a surprise. What this kid accomplished with a maligned offensive line & a shaky passing game was nothing short of amazing for long suffering Chiefs' fans.
Big-12 Commissioner Dan Beebe appeared on WHB-810 in Kansas City yesterday morning & what he had to say was confusing, bewildering & bizarre. It was clear from the outset, regardless of his phony concern, the Big-12 bigshots in Dallas aren't sweating the rumored defection of Mizzou to the Big-10. He danced around the questions regarding the unequal TV revenue money distribution that Mizzou is adamant about changing, or else. He then went on a tangent about how a playoff system would be such a bad idea for Division I football. He coughed up the usual complaint about students & their academics, which is the lamest of all excuses. Football players have the most off time of all college sports. Because the game is so physical, the normally play but once a week. Basketball, baseball, wrestling & volleyball play 2-3 times a week. Plus practice & they play just about any day of the week.
If there was an 8-team playoff, 4 of the teams would play one extra week, just one. so four teams would be extending their season 2 weeks & then just 2. This rambling slate of bowl games nearly every night isn't conducive for TV ratings. Not as high as they should be. I'm not trying to scrap the bowl system, I just want to eliminate 4 bowls out of 34. The first round ought to be on campus, the semis in a bowl setting & obviously an over-hyped championship game in another bowl setting. But this over-hyped game would produce a true champion.
Beebe also offered this jewel "the players I've spoken to really like the bowl setting because they can end their season with a win." Yeah, they like the swag from the bowls too. The $300 Best Buy gift cards, the leather jackets, watches etc. are similar, but much cooler than the 'Participant' trophy their Mom is still dusting back home for their T-Ball years. If that's what is really important let's have a 64-team playoff & have the losers advance. Then you only have one team that ends it's season with a loss. This goes back to my blog last week about not keeping score & giving everyone a trophy for their participation. The NCAA awards a trophy for the champion of over 40 men's & women's sports. The one lone holdout is Division I football. The other 3 divisions have a playoff, I know, I watched 3 or 4 of the games. This is about bowl committee chairmen not wanting to lose their big salaries, private jet trips & the like. If the NCAA went to a playoff it has been conservatively estimated they would reap another $100 million minimum for their member teams. As college donations shrink because of the bad economy, ignoring revenue that's just waiting to be dumped into their collective laps, is really irresponsible.
Four Mizzou players will be playing in post season all-star games. WR Danario Alexander & LB Sean Weatherspoon will travel to the 'Senior Bowl'. This is the best of these games because both teams are coached by NFL staffs & all the practices are televised on the NFL network. This game also has the best talent as well. Unfortunately, only seniors can play in these games. The 'Shriner's East-West All-Star Game' will have Tiger defensive tackle Jaron Baston, from Blue Springs, as part of the West team. WR Jared Perry, who came back from a fractured leg, will get one more chance to get an invitation to the NFL Scouting combine with his play at the 'Texas vs. The Nation All-Star Game'. I'll have a lot of Senior Bowl coverage & I'll give you the day & times of the telecasts so you can put an eyeball on these pro prospects.
Comments