SOME COMMON SENSE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CHIEFS' ROSTER
I doubt I'll get too many arguments about the lack of talent thruout most of the Chiefs' roster, they have many holes to fill don't they? With free agency approaching, some serious evaluation that doesn't miss the mark, like in years past, is needed. The Pioli/Haley/Weis/Crennell regime needs to avoid any more restricted free agents from our team winning Super Bowl rings for other franchises. I don't pretend to know all the right moves but I know many of the ones that have been made for Kansas City in recent years really stink.
Let's examine 6 former draft picks that have departed K.C. One was traded for draft picks, the other 5 just walked away with zero compensation.
Scott Fujita--outside linebacker--won a Super Bowl ring with New Orleans in 2010, a starter for Dallas & New Orleans, no compensation. A 5th round pick in 2002.
Keyaron Fox--linebacker--won a Super Bowl ring with Pittsburgh in 2009, spot starter & excellent special team's player. A 3rd round pick in 2004, no compensation.
Kawika Mitchell--inside linebacker--won a Super Bowl ring with the Giants in 2008. Starter for his entire NFL career. A 2nd round pick in 2003 no compensation.
Jimmy Wilkerson--defensive lineman--Tampa Bay utility man, can play all 4 defensive line spots. He recorded 46 tackles, 6 sacks(more than the entire KC defensive line & did it on a 2-win team) & 2 forced fumbles as a spot starter. A 6th round pick in 2003, no compensation.
Bernard Pollard--safety--Houston Texans' 3rd leading tackler with 102, 1.5 sacks & 4 interceptions(1 for TD). A 2nd round pick by KC in 2006, no compensation. Pollard recorded 96 tackles for KC in 3 seasons as a part time starter.
Jared Allen--defensive end--Minnesota Vikings--Played in the NFC Championship game this season. A 3-time All-Pro, 72 sacks in 6 seasons, made Pro Bowl last 3 seasons. In 2009, he recorded 14.5 sacks, forced 5 fumbles, had 6 tackles for loss & an interception. A 4th round pick in 2004. Traded to Minnesota for a 1st round selection(Brandon Albert) & 2 third round picks(Jamaal Charles & DaJuan Morgan).
My point, if you haven't figured it out already, is this team has done a really crappy job of judging talent, coaching it or both. For argument sake, let's agree that Jared Allen wouldn't have prospered in the 3-4 defense & receiving 2 starters for him should be rated as a good trade for years to come. But after watching the hideous defensive effort from this past season, are you telling me Jimmy Wilkerson, Pollard & the 3 linebackers wouldn't have been an improvement over Mike Brown, Demarrio Williams, Corey Mays & anybody on the D-line? None of the guys I listed above are old, washed-up guys. This can't happen anymore, but I think we're in for more of the same very shortly as Derrick Johnson, our #1 pick in 2005, will probably be allowed to walk in free agency. With our track record the last 3 years, I'm going to bet a futures wager on whoever he signs with, it's like magic, history says they'll win the Super Bowl.
Jarrad Page is also a free agent, what is going to happen to him? Mike Brown is as well but I doubt anyone will complain when Brown isn't offered a new contract. What about Mike Vrabel, also a free agent?
My other question is about Glenn Dorsey, a 3-technique tackle playing in a 3-4 at DE. Totally miscast in this spot, Dorsey shouldn't be facing an offensive tackle every week who's 3-4" taller with arms that are 3-4" longer. Put Dorsey in a 4-3 scheme & pair him with a bigger, space-eating DT & he could be a very productive player. Regardless of the defensive coordinator, Dorsey will never be an impact player in a 3-4 defense. The Chiefs will be truly lucky to get a 4th round pick in trade for Dorsey, he's saddled with the contract of a top-5 draft pick.
While we're on the subject of this putrid defense, Demarrio Williams, Corey Mays, Ron Edwards, Mike Brown, Glenn Dorsey & possibly Mike Vrabel will all have to be replaced this season. Absolutely, positively, if this defense is going to improve. That's 6 starters we need to replace, I doubt they'll get them all.
Over on offense, they need help as well, but first, there are several questions that the Arrowhead braintrust will have to answer & once again there is no margin for error.
Is Brandon Albert an effective NFL left tackle? I have my doubts, especially since Todd Haley made him drop almost 30-pounds, he just didn't look as good in '09 as he did his rookie season. This is the most important decision Haley & Charlie Weis will have to make in the off-season. Albert could be moved to right tackle, right guard or left guard(is there a chance Brian Waters might move to center?). Is either Ryan O'Callaghan(a restricted free agent) or Colin Brown('09 rookie) in the plans at right tackle for next season? Wade Smith is also a free agent & keeping him would be a good decision, he has played 4 different spots on this line, all pretty effectively. Rudy Niswanger must go, he's tall, long-waisted & plays too high, consistently losing leverage snap after snap. They need to decide who's going to play where before the draft, it's possible they could need only one new starter on this line. It's also conceivable 3 new starters will be required. This line played better late in the season & much of it can be attributed to the emergence of Charles, a back that gets to the line very quickly, so the blocks don't need to be held as long. The safety can't crowd the line with a homerun threat carrying the ball either.
Will they keep free agent Chris Chambers? He'll be 32 before the season begins. Wide receiver is a position the Chiefs most definitely will need to upgrade. I don't see significant improvement if more than one of the following is part of the 2010 Chiefs; Bobby Wade, Chris Chambers, Lance Long, Quinten Lawrence, Terrence Copper & Bobby Wade. If I can keep one, it would be Chambers. The tight end position is just as jumbled with Leonard Pope, Jake O'Connell, Sean Ryan & Brad Cottam. Only Cottam showed any promise last season & that was in just two games. He was de-activated for most of the first half last year & then after he played pretty well in those two games, he was injured. Cottam couldn't stay on the field at Tennessee either, he was injured often in college. If Todd Haley plans to run an offense similar to what he had in Arizona, the TE isn't a major part of the offense, so the lack of healthy talent might not be such a problem.
Other than Jammal Charles, the Chiefs don't have a reliable running back. A larger back might make sense, Charles is a good pass receiver, so a tough, short-yardage runner would be a plus. A third back with Charles-like return abilities could make a major impact as well. Mike Battle, Kolby Smith, Dantrell Savage, Tim Castille & Javarris Williams shouldn't be a part of this team next season.
I'm going to anticipate the arrival of Charlie Weis coupled with the emergence of Charles will help Matt Cassel improve substantially next season. One thing I hope Weis drills into him is "don't hold the ball too long."
A few names to consider during the free agency period would be;
WR Kevin Walter of the Texans--178 receptions the last 3 seasons good for 2,310 yards & 14 touchdowns. He is an unrestricted free agent who's 28 years old, 6' 3" & 218. Played as the 2nd receiver to Andre Johnson, he'll need a stud opposite him to duplicate these numbers.
WR Anquan Boldin of the Cardinals--Very productive receiver playing opposite Larry Fitzgerald. Has probably worn out his welcome in Arizona, could be had for a late second or early third draft pick. High maintenance player, but very productive in his career, 586 receptions for 7,520 yards & 44 TD's. He'll be 30 in October.
Vince Wilfork, a nose tackle & Richard Seymour, a 3-4 defensive end, both played for Crennel in New England. Both have been Pro Bowl performers, Wilfork is 28 & Seymour is 30. I expect both players to be franchised by their respective teams, but since they have a history with Crennel & it was Scott Pioli who drafted them originally, there's a slight chance they could go someplace else.
Casey Hampton or Ryan Pickett, both nose tackles & both expected to be slapped with the franchise tag. Hampton is 32, but has remained injury free for the most part of his Steeler career. He is the definition of a space-eating nose tackle, he can really clog the middle. Pickett is 30 & has also played as a run-clogger in the middle.
Eugene Amano--center or guard of the Titans. Won the Dave Rimington Award as a senior at Southeast Missouri State as the best center in college football. With Kevin Mawae in Tennessee, Amano has played only guard, but he started 15 games this past season & played well. Mawae is also an unrestricted free agent, so it will be interesting to see if the Titans want a 39-year old center or a 28-year old guard who can also play center.
So many of the potential unrestricted free agents will be knocked down to restricted free agents because 2010 will be an uncapped year & that will require free agents to have 6-years of NFL service. This affects nearly 200 players who would have been free to roam wherever they could to peddle their services. It's obvious the Chiefs have numerous holes to fill. Which ones will they identify & fill first? The clock is running, no mistakes this time.
Let's examine 6 former draft picks that have departed K.C. One was traded for draft picks, the other 5 just walked away with zero compensation.
Scott Fujita--outside linebacker--won a Super Bowl ring with New Orleans in 2010, a starter for Dallas & New Orleans, no compensation. A 5th round pick in 2002.
Keyaron Fox--linebacker--won a Super Bowl ring with Pittsburgh in 2009, spot starter & excellent special team's player. A 3rd round pick in 2004, no compensation.
Kawika Mitchell--inside linebacker--won a Super Bowl ring with the Giants in 2008. Starter for his entire NFL career. A 2nd round pick in 2003 no compensation.
Jimmy Wilkerson--defensive lineman--Tampa Bay utility man, can play all 4 defensive line spots. He recorded 46 tackles, 6 sacks(more than the entire KC defensive line & did it on a 2-win team) & 2 forced fumbles as a spot starter. A 6th round pick in 2003, no compensation.
Bernard Pollard--safety--Houston Texans' 3rd leading tackler with 102, 1.5 sacks & 4 interceptions(1 for TD). A 2nd round pick by KC in 2006, no compensation. Pollard recorded 96 tackles for KC in 3 seasons as a part time starter.
Jared Allen--defensive end--Minnesota Vikings--Played in the NFC Championship game this season. A 3-time All-Pro, 72 sacks in 6 seasons, made Pro Bowl last 3 seasons. In 2009, he recorded 14.5 sacks, forced 5 fumbles, had 6 tackles for loss & an interception. A 4th round pick in 2004. Traded to Minnesota for a 1st round selection(Brandon Albert) & 2 third round picks(Jamaal Charles & DaJuan Morgan).
My point, if you haven't figured it out already, is this team has done a really crappy job of judging talent, coaching it or both. For argument sake, let's agree that Jared Allen wouldn't have prospered in the 3-4 defense & receiving 2 starters for him should be rated as a good trade for years to come. But after watching the hideous defensive effort from this past season, are you telling me Jimmy Wilkerson, Pollard & the 3 linebackers wouldn't have been an improvement over Mike Brown, Demarrio Williams, Corey Mays & anybody on the D-line? None of the guys I listed above are old, washed-up guys. This can't happen anymore, but I think we're in for more of the same very shortly as Derrick Johnson, our #1 pick in 2005, will probably be allowed to walk in free agency. With our track record the last 3 years, I'm going to bet a futures wager on whoever he signs with, it's like magic, history says they'll win the Super Bowl.
Jarrad Page is also a free agent, what is going to happen to him? Mike Brown is as well but I doubt anyone will complain when Brown isn't offered a new contract. What about Mike Vrabel, also a free agent?
My other question is about Glenn Dorsey, a 3-technique tackle playing in a 3-4 at DE. Totally miscast in this spot, Dorsey shouldn't be facing an offensive tackle every week who's 3-4" taller with arms that are 3-4" longer. Put Dorsey in a 4-3 scheme & pair him with a bigger, space-eating DT & he could be a very productive player. Regardless of the defensive coordinator, Dorsey will never be an impact player in a 3-4 defense. The Chiefs will be truly lucky to get a 4th round pick in trade for Dorsey, he's saddled with the contract of a top-5 draft pick.
While we're on the subject of this putrid defense, Demarrio Williams, Corey Mays, Ron Edwards, Mike Brown, Glenn Dorsey & possibly Mike Vrabel will all have to be replaced this season. Absolutely, positively, if this defense is going to improve. That's 6 starters we need to replace, I doubt they'll get them all.
Over on offense, they need help as well, but first, there are several questions that the Arrowhead braintrust will have to answer & once again there is no margin for error.
Is Brandon Albert an effective NFL left tackle? I have my doubts, especially since Todd Haley made him drop almost 30-pounds, he just didn't look as good in '09 as he did his rookie season. This is the most important decision Haley & Charlie Weis will have to make in the off-season. Albert could be moved to right tackle, right guard or left guard(is there a chance Brian Waters might move to center?). Is either Ryan O'Callaghan(a restricted free agent) or Colin Brown('09 rookie) in the plans at right tackle for next season? Wade Smith is also a free agent & keeping him would be a good decision, he has played 4 different spots on this line, all pretty effectively. Rudy Niswanger must go, he's tall, long-waisted & plays too high, consistently losing leverage snap after snap. They need to decide who's going to play where before the draft, it's possible they could need only one new starter on this line. It's also conceivable 3 new starters will be required. This line played better late in the season & much of it can be attributed to the emergence of Charles, a back that gets to the line very quickly, so the blocks don't need to be held as long. The safety can't crowd the line with a homerun threat carrying the ball either.
Will they keep free agent Chris Chambers? He'll be 32 before the season begins. Wide receiver is a position the Chiefs most definitely will need to upgrade. I don't see significant improvement if more than one of the following is part of the 2010 Chiefs; Bobby Wade, Chris Chambers, Lance Long, Quinten Lawrence, Terrence Copper & Bobby Wade. If I can keep one, it would be Chambers. The tight end position is just as jumbled with Leonard Pope, Jake O'Connell, Sean Ryan & Brad Cottam. Only Cottam showed any promise last season & that was in just two games. He was de-activated for most of the first half last year & then after he played pretty well in those two games, he was injured. Cottam couldn't stay on the field at Tennessee either, he was injured often in college. If Todd Haley plans to run an offense similar to what he had in Arizona, the TE isn't a major part of the offense, so the lack of healthy talent might not be such a problem.
Other than Jammal Charles, the Chiefs don't have a reliable running back. A larger back might make sense, Charles is a good pass receiver, so a tough, short-yardage runner would be a plus. A third back with Charles-like return abilities could make a major impact as well. Mike Battle, Kolby Smith, Dantrell Savage, Tim Castille & Javarris Williams shouldn't be a part of this team next season.
I'm going to anticipate the arrival of Charlie Weis coupled with the emergence of Charles will help Matt Cassel improve substantially next season. One thing I hope Weis drills into him is "don't hold the ball too long."
A few names to consider during the free agency period would be;
WR Kevin Walter of the Texans--178 receptions the last 3 seasons good for 2,310 yards & 14 touchdowns. He is an unrestricted free agent who's 28 years old, 6' 3" & 218. Played as the 2nd receiver to Andre Johnson, he'll need a stud opposite him to duplicate these numbers.
WR Anquan Boldin of the Cardinals--Very productive receiver playing opposite Larry Fitzgerald. Has probably worn out his welcome in Arizona, could be had for a late second or early third draft pick. High maintenance player, but very productive in his career, 586 receptions for 7,520 yards & 44 TD's. He'll be 30 in October.
Vince Wilfork, a nose tackle & Richard Seymour, a 3-4 defensive end, both played for Crennel in New England. Both have been Pro Bowl performers, Wilfork is 28 & Seymour is 30. I expect both players to be franchised by their respective teams, but since they have a history with Crennel & it was Scott Pioli who drafted them originally, there's a slight chance they could go someplace else.
Casey Hampton or Ryan Pickett, both nose tackles & both expected to be slapped with the franchise tag. Hampton is 32, but has remained injury free for the most part of his Steeler career. He is the definition of a space-eating nose tackle, he can really clog the middle. Pickett is 30 & has also played as a run-clogger in the middle.
Eugene Amano--center or guard of the Titans. Won the Dave Rimington Award as a senior at Southeast Missouri State as the best center in college football. With Kevin Mawae in Tennessee, Amano has played only guard, but he started 15 games this past season & played well. Mawae is also an unrestricted free agent, so it will be interesting to see if the Titans want a 39-year old center or a 28-year old guard who can also play center.
So many of the potential unrestricted free agents will be knocked down to restricted free agents because 2010 will be an uncapped year & that will require free agents to have 6-years of NFL service. This affects nearly 200 players who would have been free to roam wherever they could to peddle their services. It's obvious the Chiefs have numerous holes to fill. Which ones will they identify & fill first? The clock is running, no mistakes this time.
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