Chiefs’ Dorsey Throws Cold Water On QB Dream
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Somewhere former Kansas City Chiefs first round draft pick, former QB Todd Blackledge, is popping a bottle of champagne.
Just as the 1972 Dolphins uncork a bottle of bubbly every season when the last undefeated NFL team loses, thus preserving the ’72 team’s legacy as the only NFL team to win the Super Bowl without losing a single game, Blackledge could begin his own tradition of celebrating his esteemed place in history as being the last QB the bungling Kansas City Chiefs have deemed talented enough to select in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Despite desperate cries from weary fans that just want to see their beloved Chiefs select the best possible QB of the bunch and try to develop him, it is beginning to look more and more like those cries will fall on deaf ears.
Speaking with the Kansas City Star, new Chiefs GM John Dorsey sounded less than enthusiastic about the QB prospects in this year’s draft.
"There is no quarterback where personnel guys can definitely say, ‘He’s a first-round pick. There were so many inconsistencies in the collective group. There was not one guy that stood up and said, ‘I’m the guy in the position this year.’ There really wasn’t one clear-cut guy."
Oof. That doesn’t sound good, does it?
This sounds even words. Dorsey wasn’t finished.
"There are too many technical flaws, scheme flaws. There are so many different variables that there are a lot of people all over the place on naming the top four or five guys and who those guys would be."
Now, KC fans can try to convince themselves that just because Dorsey is saying that no QB jumped up during the season and proved to be the #1 guy that there isn’t a number one guy. Sure, it is possible that the Chiefs will see some things in person that they didn’t see on tape that will cause them to change their thinking.
But if you ask me, Dorsey’s words are bad, bad news. It sounds like the new GM is trying to set up fans for a letdown. I can’t think of any other reason for him to go around talking about how there is no clear QB at #1.
If Dorsey’s goal is to trade back, it would be in his best interest to be talking up as many of the top players as possible before draft night. The position teams are most likely to trade up for is QB so going around bad-mouthing the entire class isn’t going to inspire any QB-needy teams to call the Chiefs and offer up a deal.
No. It seems more likely that Dorsey is trying to cushion the blow for fans. If Dorsey really does think the QB class is poor then he probably knows he’s got no chance of getting a decent enough trade offer to move back. And if he refuses to take a QB that he will consider a reach, then his best bet is to slowly start trying to convince fans that there is no QB worth taking #1.
The only other reason I can think of, for Dorsey to be talking like this, is that he is trying to convince the handful of QB-needy teams behind the Chiefs that they too, should pass on QBs in the top ten. If that should happen, the Chiefs could trade back into the first round or, if they are lucky, see the QB they want fall to them int he second.
Here are the teams the Chiefs have to worry about:
Jacksonville Jaguars
-Blain Gabbert was a #1 pick just a couple of years ago. Still, he hasn’t played well and the Jags are under new ownership. Jacksonville is not to be trusted here.
Oakland Raiders
-Carson Palmer is getting old but the Raiders seemed to be intrigued by backup QB Terrelle Pryor. The Raiders are under new management, however, so the new regime may want to select their own QB.
Philadelphia Eagles
-Just re-signed Vick and picked up Dennis Dixon. It would appear Philly isn’t thrilled with this year’s QBs and will take a pass. Probably nothing to worry about.
Detroit Lions
-The Lions aren’t taking a QB.
Cleveland Browns
-The Browns have both Colt McCoy and Branden Weeden. Weeden played well at times last year and showed flashes of being very good. Unfortunately, he may not be progressing fast enough for the new (again) Browns regime. Weeden’s advanced age could have him being traded out of Cleveland. The Browns are a wildcard.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals’ QB situation is just as pitiful as the one in KC. If a QB hasn’t been taken by the time the Cards pick, I bet they’ll pull the trigger.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills need a QB as well. Watch what them closely in free agency an you may get a better idea of what they will do here.
New York Jets
-THe Jets will take a QB if they want one, everyone else be damned. The team that traded for Tim Tebow so they could let him rot on the bench for a season is as unpredictable as the Al Davis Raiders.
Tennessee Titans
-The Titans have a young QB but if a Geno Smith were to fall on their laps they might go for it. Probably not, though.
The team that picks after the Titans is the San Diego Chargers and they kick off the run of teams that all have stability at starting QB. It is always possible a team could snag a QB late but it is probably unlikely.
Dorsey did say that he thinks up to two QBs could go in the first round, but which teams will take them?
What do you think, Addicts? Should we take Dorsey’s words to mean that QB is off the table for the Chiefs in round one?