Time To Knock Off The FA LB Nonsense
I’m going to make this real short and sweet. I wish I didn’t have to go here, but Chiefs fans won’t stop obsessing over our phantom need for another linebacker. I use the term “phantom” because we don’t need another top-notch linebacker. Not at all. Especially a high-priced free agent one. If we want to pick one on day two of the draft or sign a third-tier FA LB, that’s fine. But the notion that we should waste our money on Jonathan Vilma or Lance Briggs is just complete nonsense.
Other than defensive end and tight end, our linebacking corps is the strongest unit the Chiefs boast. Napoleon Harris racked up 116 tackles last year. Keep in mind that he was playing behind mediocre defensive tackles, not to mention in a new system. I think he was fine last year, and I think he’s talented enough to even potentially make the Pro Bowl as a Chief. Give him improved DT play and another year and I think he will shine.
I’m actually kind of mad that Warpaint Illustrated ever started this Lance Briggs rumor, because this clamoring for another linebacker is getting ridiculous and annoying.
We desperately need a cornerback, defensive tackle, guard and offensive tackle. We also need another potential starter at quarterback. We even need a No. 2 receiver and a free safety (not sold on Jarrad Page) much more than another linebacker. Fullback? Yep, that as well.
Go ahead and keep wishing for us to sign an expensive free agent linebacker with our cap room. If we do so, the blood from the mistake certainly won’t be on my hands. I’m just crossing my fingers that our front office isn’t ignorant enough to make this mistake.
I endorse this post.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:37 pmThank you, Cornelius. Hopefully, it will catch on
February 25th, 2008 at 10:17 pmAmen Brother. On another note. A while ago you had a post about Owen Schmidt. Love this guy, he is a banger in the mold that Herm wants. But now that Chan Gailey is here, wouldn’t a FB like Hollis out of Arkansas fill the role better. He is more of a West Coast kind of FB. Any guy who blocked for McFadden and Jones can’t be half bad!
February 25th, 2008 at 10:36 pmBanny struggling with those names a bit? Owen Schmitt and Peyton Hillis? I think if you want a bruiser at the fullback position take a look at Jerome Felton. I think people underestimate the importance of a good fullback. Names like Greg Jones, Lorenzo Neal, Tony Richardson all block for Pro Bowl RBs. You need a great FB for Herm’s power running game. We have 10 picks, use one on a decent FB prospect. Cough Owen Schmitt/Jerome Felton Cough. Try to Get Jake Long in the 1st, Brandon Albert in the 2nd, Chris Johnson in the 3rd, a CB with our 4th round pick and trade up to a mid 4th and take Owen Schmitt. Just an idea….
February 25th, 2008 at 11:47 pmBannyc9, the reason that Chan was brought in was he could "take any player and design a scheme to fit them"…..if you want Schmitt (and so do I) then lets get him and tell Chan to figure it out……Adam I respect your pasion and your thoughts on the LB position, but I don’t care….Vilma is a favorite player of mine and I would love for him to be on the Chiefs….. I personally feel that he would be a great addition to the Chiefs…….You and me would love to DeAngelo Hall but we are in the minority on that one…..Redbeard would love to pass on Jake Long and get Clady – he is in the minority on that one….I understand your reasons, but can’t follow you on this one…..this Chiefs fan wants Vilma (as long as it’s a fair price)
February 25th, 2008 at 11:48 pmWho is the odd man out if we bring in Vilma? He’s a good player, but we have three other backers that are good. And I think Hall got more votes than neither or Samuel in the last poll, too. I think a lot of us want the 24-year-old speedy shutdown corner. I sure as hell do.
February 26th, 2008 at 12:03 amLook – I know where you are coming from Adam…..we have tons of holes and not enough room or money to fix them all…..everyone has an idea and there is no one perfect plan…my perfect plan has us taking a lot of people before looking at someone like Vilma…. but because he is a favorite player of mine – he IS on my radar and I am not ashamed of it……you bring up a good question of "at what cost" and "who would it affect" – I haven’t thought that through yet – I have just been throwing out my desire to have "Vilma in RED" (man that sounds good)…..Don’t worry about me becuase the Chiefs have never once asked me who they should get….But if they do ask me – Look out, Vilma is coming to town.
February 26th, 2008 at 12:20 amI’m with Donovan on the Felton pick. He is one of my favorite players in the draft, and he is a very smart young man as well. Alot of Scouts compare him to Jerome Bettis in his prime, with the ability to break tackles and score at the goal line. He is also very good at picking up blitzes in pass protection. I say if he is there when we pick in the 5th or 6th round we pick him without hesitation.
February 26th, 2008 at 1:18 amOk….. Umm back to something relevant to this post (Jason & Donovan)… Adam, same as Dave, you and I do agree and a lot of things… BUT I have to disagree with you on this one. I definitely think that a pickup like Lance Briggs is very much a luxury pickup, and fairly uneccesary… Yet, I wouldnt put Vilma in that same category. He can bring some value to this team. I know, I know, I know… I like Nap Harris. Im NOT saying he SHOULDNT play. Not at all. But I think he IS the odd man out if we were to bring in Vilma. Because youre talking DJ on the weak-side, Donnie moved to the middle, and have JV on the strong-side. Then when Donnie is done (which isnt all that far from now) put Vilma in as MLB and Nap on the outside. But DO think that this guy could bring a lot to this team… I said it before and I’ll say it again… We’re not just trying to be satisfactory or "good enough"… we should WANT to be great… At the same time… If we can load up BOTH DT positions, maybe youre right. Maybe we wont need another LB… Eh, just my thoughts. I would love to see Vilma wear that red and #51 (better than Boomer did. Hahaha!)
February 26th, 2008 at 1:47 amPlus, I dont think Vilma would demand too much money.
February 26th, 2008 at 1:50 amAnd not to mention that Jonathon Vilma is a Leader! Which is what we need. Especially on D… And he could bring up the morale of the defense, as well as the entire locker room… Theres a lot more to being a good football then being just a good football player… Ya’digg ??
February 26th, 2008 at 9:27 amI gotta say, I love all these posts. It seems we are clamoring now more than in the regular season. HaHaHa. Keep up the good work!!! Can’t wait to see what we have to say about the final draft. I agree that Linebacker is not a need for us this year. We could stand to pick up one in the later rounds as a back-up and development guy should Donnie’s age start to show. Let’s face it we need help at O-line, CB, WR, QB, and more depth at DT. Our offense is in shambles. Our defense is developing just fine. Go Chiefs!
February 26th, 2008 at 11:21 amRoc27 – I think your missing the point of this article. They’re trying to prove that we don’t need a LB because we have too many other needs elsewhere. I’m showing the positions that we do need. We need offensive playmakers. They just want to disavow any thought of going after Vilma or Briggs. I originally thought that Briggs would be a good pick up, but he plays weakside LB. We already have a great weakside LB, Derrick Johnson. We need to keep our picks/cap room in order to pick up some great offense prospects.
February 26th, 2008 at 12:09 pmDonovan, that’s an excellent point. If we bring in Briggs, someone is playing out of position. If we bring in Briggs or Vilma, one of our biggest salaries (Harris) is sitting on the sidelines. This all makes zero sense to me.
February 26th, 2008 at 12:38 pmCHECK THIS OUT!!!!!! http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7828762/Edwards-facing-major-rebuild-in-K.C. Says a lot about what we are going to do this year. Rely heavily on the draft.
February 26th, 2008 at 1:21 pmHahaha! Derrick, dont tell me that Im missing the point of the article, dude… I KNOW what this post is saying… So, what am I doing? … Im disagreeing…. Cause. . . . I. . . . can. . . do that . . . right? . . .OK. So, I think Vilma would be a great addition. So sue me. Its just MY opinion.
February 26th, 2008 at 2:55 pmI think you meant Donovan, Roc.
February 27th, 2008 at 10:41 am