Reader Post: Merlinnj

Allen is better than Freeney, more exciting to watch, and has a better personality.  Not that Freeney's is bad, I just think Allen is the nicest guy you could ever hope to find.  He has earned his money.  When is the next time we find a guy that gets 16 sacks off the end and sports a mullet for charity.  You can't replace that. 

Getting rid of allen because he's too expensive, and then signing another unproven DE (Gholston) in the 5th spot for 5th spot money doesn't make sence.  You are right, we do need a premier pass rush, and we have one in allen.  And guess what the best part is?  We can afford him.  Management just acts like we are two steps from the poorhouse for some reason. 

I left a comment somewhere a while back saying JA is a potential hall of famer.  You simply don't trade that away.  You'll never find another guy as good as he is unless you're very lucky.  You always take the proven player over the unknown.  Plus both Edwards and Gun have said they want "Chiefs," anyone you trade Allen for, if he's good enough will be making noise about a new contract in a year or two, and you'll be in the same situation.  Pay JA Dwight Freeney money and he'll be the happiest guy on the team.  He's just as good as Freeney, even better over the last two years, not to mention a better DE against the run.   He wants to be here, and you know what you have with him.  You'll never get the value that you already have.

With the depth at O-line in this draft, we would be foolish not to take at least 2, maybe even 3 if we throw in a quality center. That being said, unless JAKE L. is available at 5, I think we have to take Ellis or Dorsey. Also, at the risk of sounding like a heretic, I don't think you sell the farm, livestock AND the outbuildings to sign Jared A. I like him, but I can't have a player dictating team cash flow. I might even look at Gholston at 5. No dissing to Tank, Turk, or Jared, but a premier DT or DE is essential, and you can't have too many. At great risk to my safety and well being, I would even listen to trade offers for Jared A. Should  any substantive offer come, pick 5 would then definitely be D-line, with round 2 being OT. In my opinion, building a young team requires building a devote mentality centered on the good of the total unit. Having a high profile, high antics, disgruntled with his contract player that happens to love the microphone and camera is not conducive to getting the most out of the surrounding young players. Veteran players don't necessarily have a responsibility to be a role model for Joe Fan and his kids, but they sure as hell do for young team mates. And if they don't, can a team looking to improve trust them?

Absolutely BigChief, the play calling made me sick, in fact I feel sick just thinking about those pitiful obvious plays.

Well, they certainly didn't get much help.  I'm playing devil's advocate a bit, but at the same time, you have to admit our play calling was horendous and it is much easier for teams to stop you when they know exactly what is comming.  I by no means think the o-line was very good, I just don't know how bad it really was.

Big Chief I respectfully disagree.  The reason all of that occurred (obvious passing down) was because the O-line couldn't run block.  I truly beleive the O-line was the problem on offense last year.  Plain and simple.  Just my opinion.

Good thoughts guys.  I would like to see what Taylor can do with a bit more playing time.  As for Svitek, i don't know about that guy.  but i do want to point out one thing.  last years lack of offence can not always be placed on the o-line.  a lot of times the protection DID hold up, but it was such an obvious passing situation that the opposition could easily cover and our qb could not find an open man.  or they would just tee off with a blitz that for whatever reason solari did not expect to come.  i also think that half the time the blame could go on the qb for holding the ball way too long even if there were receivers open downfield.  bledsoe like.   and the line couldn't run block either, but mostly because like with the obvious passing situations, the running plays were even more obvious.  every team in the league knew we were running the ball on the first two plays of every series.  then a desperation toss.  honestly, the o-line can't be blamed for a lot of that.  i think it is impossible to tell from last year what we even have for an o-line.   

Kevin Jones would be great, but I don't see it happening because it would hinder the development of Kolby Smith.... Now Shane Olivea would be.... oh yeah I have already said it a dozen times!

Agreed!

Jay: I love your post and I basically agree with it. The point I was trying to make in that section is that I think we are a bit too far away to realistically contend for the Super Bowl. I would love to be wrong though. I do think our best case scenario is sneaking into the playoffs, but not being a serious contender. However, we are way too far out for that kind of projection right now. Let's see what happens with the draft and the rest of the offseason. I love the comments guys!   

This has nothing to do with the article, but I didn't know where else to put this.  Does anyone else think Kevin Jones would make a good 2nd/3rd running back for us?  He's had an injury history but has managed to play through most of it, He's young, he can catch the ball, has always had good ypc, and he's pretty good at finding the end zone.  He's a poor man's Priest Holmes if you ask me, and I'd think he'd be fairly cheap. 

Well put and well thought out Jay!

Good post merlin, I agree with everything except this, unless I'm reading it wrong.  "4] The talent level is close in the NFL. The
difference between 6-10 and 10-6 is very small. As bad as you are (with
some exceptions, not us) you are not that far away from playoff
contention."  Unless I'm reading this wrong your saying we aren't in the running to go from worst to first, if I'm wrong ignore this whole thing.  I agree that the talent level is close, closer than a lot of folks think.  That's exactly why I think we'll be a lot better than most believe.   1.) There are several contributors (used loosely) from last year that will no longer be on the team or at the very least starting again.  Law, Welborn, Turley, Kennison, Parker, Terry, Wiegmann, Sapp, Dunn, and Bell (Not a starter but useless when on the field.)  2. We've already upgraded over Bell and Kennison with Williams and Darling.  I don't think it will be hard to upgrade over Ty Law, I think Brackenridge is probably already an upgrade, but drafting a guy in the second or third round could help that too.  Welborn, Turley and Terry could be replaced by most of the rookies out there (or my grandma) and they'd fair the same or better, likewise with Taylor, Niswanger, Stallings and Svitek, they can at least match last years play and are all young enough to get better. 3.)  Page, Pollard, Turk, Tank, K. Smith, B. Croyle, D.Bowe, Hali, and Webb are all very young and should be expected to get better.  4.) Our only true contributors that we no longer have are Samie Parker, Benny Sapp and Casey Wiegmann.  At the very least we should be able to sign them back if we really need them after the draft.  5.)  I assume everyone agrees that Chan Gailey is a sizeable upgrade over Mike Solari.  I think all this shows that it isn't far fetched to say that we will be a better team than we were last year.  We had three games last year where we lost by three points, one where we lost by five, and two more that we lost by only ten points.  In five of our losses we went into the half tied or ahead.  If we can improve enough on O to just get two more field goals a game, and enough on D to slow down some of those opponents offenses a little more, we are at the very least 10-6 and we're competitive in a lot of other games.  This is why so many teams go worst to first year in and year out.  I don't see a good reason to assume the Chiefs will be in the tank again this year.  I'm not advocating it, but if we nothing else but fill our roster with Draftees at need positions, its entirely possible we could end up better just by our young guys being a year more experienced and the dead weight being off the field.  ie Kris Wilson, Boomer (I love him but he sucked at FB) Eddie Drummond, James Reed, Jason Dunn, etc etc.  I love that we're building a young team!  Go Chiefs!

One other thing I have to add is that Darling is a highly regarded special teamer. Think Kassim Osgood of San Diego. That's why he stuck around long enough to finally get his shot last year.

While I do believe that Oliver Hoyte is a Tickle Me Delmo, Devard Darling is not. He was tearing it up at the end of last season in Baltimore of all places. After Mason and Heap he was the next guy on the list receptions wise I believe. That team was terrible throwing the ball, probably worst in the league. Fans have said that Billeck was stupid for not playing him more, and was too loyal to Clayton. Darling also got more burn after Demetrius Williams got hurt. Darling was a guy who was off my radar, but I like his signing a lot. It is comparable to us signing Drew Carter, another under-the-radar guy who wasn't as known as Hackett or Johnson (49ers added him to a crowded core).

I like Demorrio Williams, too. I still want us to sign more players, though, and I'm still sticking to my boycott. But I do like Darling. We still need to sign a couple of lineman and a cornerback, though. I won't give in on those points.

It's OK Jeremy - thanks for agreeing with #4........I realize I am alone on this one.....If he is our #2 at the end of the year and posting awsome numbers then great - I was wrong.....and if he is just another average Wide out I will just keep it to myself......I am not the type to root against my own team.....Go Chiefs

Just for the record, I agreed with Dave's #4 post not his #8 post.  HAHAHAHA  Sorry Dave, but Post #8 was brutal.  I believe in Darling.  He is just the typ of guy who needds a chance.  He is now on the right team.  BRING IN SHANE OLIVEA!!!!!!!

Um, I will say Darling isn't the answer.....because he's not....sure he could prove me wrong - sometimes a dog can lick his ass......my point is - it seems like everyone picks one or two of our backups and declares that they just haven't had their fair shot, but this is the year that they are the next Priest Holmes.......Come On - Adam you are the one that started the Tickle me Delmo thing, thats what we have so far.......a tickle me delmo Full back.....a tickle me delmo wide out........nothing changes......Chiefs brass screws us and we say give me more

I agree with Dave's philospohy.  We are trying to make our SH#t smell like roses, because we have to.  You are all sick of reading my constant posts about the O-line, but I will say it again, until we get some serious talent on the O-line, we will not be able to move the ball.  We have to hit the O-line heavy in the Draft!!!!! Then CB in later rounds!  xxxlp, good  post, poit taken, but I don't remember any o-lineman knocking it out last year, even Brian Waters.  GO CHIEFS!

Um, I wouldn't say Darling isn't the answer, Dave. Go read Baltimore message boards. They  think they let a diamond in the rough slip away.

As far as Herb and Rudy are concerned, let's give them a little time. Hell, we gave Samie Parker four years, the least we can give them is a few starts or games.

dave is right about one thing-svitek, herb taylor, tre stallings...they arent the awnsers, they should be backups for their careers. i do kinda like niswanger though.  as for darling-he might be the answer, only time will tell.  and for xxxlp to say that we dont need to draft an o lineman, that was ignorant.  we desparetly need an o line in the draft, pry 2 of them.

I see a scary trend going on here - we ignore the good Lineman in FA - then when they are gone......we pretend our garbage smells like roses......we ignore the good wideouts in FA (by the way bryant johnson is gone now - @#$#$) and again we are going to pretend that our garbage smells like a frikin rose - by the way Darling is not the answer - niether is Herb Taylor, Svitek - oh hell, what is the use.....

This may get a little confusing, but bear with me please, haha. Jeremy- Herb Taylor actually did well when he played, although I don't remember seeing much out of Niswanger. They actually stuck Herb Taylor at LT for at least part of the last couple of games, and he gave up maybe one sack, maybe none, I can't remember now. He did well at pass blocking but I don't know about his run blocking ability, I'd have to go back and watch the games. They didn't start, at least in my opinion, because for one, Weigmann is better than Niswanger despite being smaller, at C. Taylor is a guard on the depth chart, but we had Waters (He's not going to be taking his spot any time soon, barring retirement) and John Welbourn (who sucked, yes, but we were giving him too much money for him to sit on the bench, they thought he could do better.) If Weigman does retire, look for a possible Niswanger opening. I still like Herb Taylor at RG, and I'd even take Svitek at RT if we can nail a LT either in the draft or FA. Svitek is better at run blocking because of his strength (and his god awful slow feet just don't allow him to block well on the left side) but he will open up holes on the right. With Taylor blocking well in pass protection at the guard position, and if we can get a blocking TE/FB (or both!) then we'll be fine. I only see as needing 2 spots on the O-line, because for sure Brian Waters and D-Mac will start somewhere on the O-line, Waters being at either LG or C, and D-Mac either LT, RG, or RT. I also see at least one, maybe two, of the young guys stepping into their roles, (c'mon Herb Taylor, don't make me look like a fool!) Nobody knows yet what's going on with Casey, so we'll just have to wait and see, if he stays for another year or two, we've got 3 veterans on the O-line, Herb Taylor is coming into his 2nd year, and I think he'll be just fine at guard, so that leaves 2 spots, and that's if Svitek turns into a little girl on the right side, like he did on the left. If Svitek can take the right T spot, and Herb takes the RG spot, then D-Mac will play left tackle for us (and hopefully be healthy enough to look better.) We may not even need a linemen THIS year. ( D-Mac, Brian Waters, Weigman/Niswanger, Herb Taylor, Svitek.) And if Svitek can't work at RT, I'd like to see him involved somewhow, even if we've got to stick him at TE just to have an extra blocker. Maybe this is why we havn't fired at any linemen in free agency yet, I think the draft will tell us for sure. Either way, whether we stay in-house or not; our O-line will be at LEAST a little better than last year, and most of or games were lost by a touchdown or less. A little better will let us score another TD a game, especially with LJ back into the mix. Plus, if we do go defense with the first pick, then our D will be better able to give our offense short fields, and turnovers. Even or mediocre O can't screw up if we get the ball on the 20. I hope.

4] The talent level is close in the NFL. The difference between 6-10 and 10-6 is very small. As bad as you are (with some exceptions, not us) you are not that far away from playoff contention.5] Short term fixes tend to hurt teams in the long run. The last thing we need is a coach or GM who mortgages the farm to win today. It usually does not work. AMEN TO THAT MERLIN!!!!!!!---------- I love the contribution. --- Maybe Eddie Kennison comes back for less money?  Who knows?------ I like Tyron Brackenridge.  He is from Ontario CA which is about 10 minutes away from Riverside, CA, where I am from.  But he needs to put on about 5-10 more pounds of muscle to be a starter, he is real thin, (per football standards). ----I am not sold on Taylor or Rudy Niswanger.  If they were so good how come they weren't starting and contributing earlier.  When they did play they did not pass or run block that well.--- I think Tank will be real good, as a run stuffer.  Turk needs to show us more.  GO CHIEFS GOOD POST!

I was with you until you started trashing on our new DT's. I think adding Ellis or Dorsey would be great, but that is so we can replace Ron Edwards. Turk is supposed to be a pass rush specialist, and Gunther has already stated he thought Tank was the best run DT on the team. They need to develop, and won't start playing dominant football until year 3. Everything else seems right on the money, though I think we will not get everything on our wish list this year. No veteran WR, and maye no DT (we need a 3rd and 4th DE even more). We will get a fullback and a blocking TE, a young receiver, cornerback, and some young o-line help. Expect (and learn to love) the mediocre from the Chiefs offense.