May 14, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid walks on the field during organized team activities at the University of Kansas Hospital Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

As an Arrowhead Addict staff writer, finding new and interesting things to write about every week proves harder and harder during the offseason. Post draft and pre-training camp seems to be the most non-newsworthy time in the NFL. Luckily, I’m not above borrowing and expounding on ideas already posted by other Addict staffers.

If you checked out the site earlier this week, you saw an article by my fellow writer, Ladner Morse titled  “Chiefs 2013 Boils Down to Just One Word.” The executive summary of that article is that Mr. Morse surmises that the entire 2013 Kansas City Chiefs season will come down to one word: Protection. While I agree with Ladner that protection in all aspects of the game is extremely important, I think the actual key to success for the Chiefs this season is “execution.”

In working on this article, I thought about several angles to take on fleshing out my idea of “perfect football execution.” For this guy, it comes down opening drive touchdowns. Granted, a team has to execute throughout the entire game, all four quarters, every minute for 60 minutes (sometimes longer) and minimize mistakes to the greatest extent possible to have perfect execution. I get that. But having a opening drive, where the Chiefs receive the ball and then execute perfectly to march down the field and score a touchdown is just about the best thing ever.

Do you know when the last time the Chiefs scored an opening drive touchdown?

Actually, it was in the emotionally charged, Week 13 game against the Carolina Panthers, following the tragic murder/suicide of Kassandra Perkins, perpetrated by linebacker Jovan Belcher. If you don’t remember, in perhaps the best football performance by Brady Quinn, he led the Chiefs to their second and final win of last season after opening the game with a 74 drive that was capped off with a  two yard Peyton Hillis run for a touchdown. That hadn’t been accomplished by the Chiefs in 29 games. No, that’s not a typo. I’ll type it again so you know you read it right. 29 games. The last time the Chiefs scored an opening drive – in the regular season – was Week 16 of the 2010 season. As in, two seasons ago, as in execution has been non-existent in this organization for quite some time, as in there’s no time like the present.

The opening drive touchdown falls squarely on the shoulders of the offense, that much is certain. While I couldn’t find a stat to back up the theory that a team who scores a touchdown on their opening drive will ultimately win the game, the last two times the Chiefs have had opening drive scores for six, they won (actually, the last three times they did it they won if you count the preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals last season.)

The biggest aspect of the opening drive touchdown execution comes down to red zone efficiency. This obviously must continue throughout the game, however nothing is as deflating as driving down the field on that opening drive, only to stall inside the 20 yard line and having “Mr. Irrelevant 2010” trot onto the field and kick a field goal to send the broadcast into commercial with the tag line Chiefs – 3, Opposing Team – 0. How many times have the Chiefs done exactly this with Matt Cassel at the helm? Fear not Addicts, I think we’re in luck.

Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith has a career red zone quarterback rating (QBR) of 97.1. Since 2005, he has thrown 48 touchdowns when the play started between the opponent’s one and 19 yard line. Conversely, the man the Chiefs gave up two draft picks for has only turned the ball over three times during that same time period. Alex Smith has shown perfect execution in the red zone during his career. But, the quarterback doesn’t do it all himself.

The Chiefs’ undisputed number one receiver is the man known as Dwayne “The Show” Bowe. He has proclaimed he will lead the league in touchdowns and receptions this season, as well he should. I would be pretty upset if he told the media he was predicting a season of mediocrity for himself and his teammates. Looking at “The Show’s” stats over the years, it’s easy to see why the Madden video game franchise labels #82 as a “Red Zone Threat.” Since coming into the league in 2007, Bowe has pulled in 24 touchdowns inside the opponent’s 20 and added 30 first downs for good measure. While Bowe has been an inconsistent pass catcher at times and his execution has been called into question in the past, he has performed extremely well at the goal line.

The next piece of the Chiefs’ execution puzzle is the running game. Even though Jamaal Charles was snubbed by Pro Football Focus’ Top 101 players of 2012, I don’t see how you say #25 isn’t one of the top five running backs in the league. While Charles isn’t exactly an up the middle, bruising, goal line running backs, he’s managed to bang through eight red zone touchdowns in his short time with the Chiefs. I suspect that number will increase substantially this season with Charles catching passes out of the back field more than ever before in head coach Andy Reid’s offense.

The last piece, and perhaps the biggest question mark, is the tight end position. It seems Reid has taken an interest in more than one pass catching blocker this season with signing of unrestricted free agent Anthony Fasano and the drafting of rookie Travis Kelce in the third round of this year’s draft. Add incumbent tight end, Tony Moeaki into the mix and there is a very interesting combination of big bodied pass catchers for Alex Smith to choose from when the enemy’s backs are against their own endzone. Since coming into the league in 2006, Fasano has caught 18 balls for scores in the red zone. In fact, all five touchdowns the former Miami Dolphin caught last season were inside the 20 yard line. He could prove a viable weapon for Alex Smith to execute when the Chiefs look to end that opening drive with six instead of three.

After the first game of the preseason last year, hopes were high in the Chiefs’ Kingdom. The main reason for those high hopes was the opening drive touchdown pass from Matt Cassel to Peyton Hillis. However, until the Chiefs had another opening series touchdown several months later with a different quarterback under center, the execution that existed in that preseason game was non-existent with the Chiefs in 2012.

Hopes are starting to build again in the Sea of Red and those hopes rest mainly on this retooled, Andy Reid devised, Alex Smith led offense. If the hope is to stay high instead of fizzle out by Week 5, execution will be the name of the game at One Arrowhead Drive.

Until next time, Addicts.

Dec 9, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith (11) throws the ball before the game against the Miami Dolphins at Candlestick Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

I will not use this post to make comparisons between Alex Smith and rookie
quarterbacks who were drafted in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. I
already wrote that article. I will not use this space to say that Alex Smith
is an upgrade from Matt Cassel. If you need me to do that, or you think
Smith isn’t better than Cassel, you probably think the Chiefs will score the
most home runs this year using their football bats and getting past the
opposing goalies.

Nope, this post will be devoted strictly to explaining why I believe Alex
Smith has the “clutch” gene. Yes, I said clutch, as in gets it done under
pressure, doesn’t just manage the clock but goes out and wins football
games, gene. He is clutch.

We all know that Smith didn’t start out his NFL career as well as his No. 1
overall price tag would indicate. Many would call Smith a bust. If you look
only at his stats, I would be inclined to agree with you. But, I’m not just
looking at his stats. Smith is a quarterback, and while the great ones -
Montana, Favre, Brees, Brady – generally make the others around them look
better than they are, there has to be some talent there to begin with.
Smith really had no help in that department his first few seasons in San
Francisco. His first year, his leading receiver was a guy named Arnaz
Battle. Ever hear of him? Yeah, me neither.

So what makes #11 a clutch QB? Is it the ability to sling the football 4000
yards per season? Is it racking up 40 TD’s in one year? Are those stats what
make a QB a clutch player? By that account, Cam Newton of the Carolina
Panthers is the clutchest of the clutch. His rookie year he passed for 4,051
yards, threw 21 TD’s, rushed for 706 yards and 14 more scores on the ground.
But was he clutch? What was the Panther’s record in 2011?  They went 6-10 on
the year, finished third place in the NFC South and obviously didn’t qualify
for the playoffs. On the other hand, in 2011, the 49ers went 13-3, finished
first in the NFC West and were a fumble away from the Superbowl. Despite the
success, Alex Smith’s stats in 2011 were not what many consider top shelf,
or elite for an NFL quarterback. He threw for a career high 3,144 yards and
17 TD’s. While he added 179 yards and two more scores in the rushing game,
his stats were far removed from the Rookie of the Year, Newton. So what’s
the difference? The winning? The playoffs? Was that Smith’s doing, or was it
the defense and the running game?

By 2011, Smith finally had talent in his receivers. While Vernon Davis had
been there as long as Smith, it also took a while for the pass-catching
tight end to come into his own. Let’s not forget, this is the same tight end
who was benched by the “great savior” Mike Singletary, for having a poor
attitude. Smith, also turned the corner in 2011 with his leadership skills
and fire under pressure. While Smith had led comeback victories in seasons
past, he didn’t truly master the art until the week 3 game against the
Philadelphia Eagles, funny enough, against his now head coach, Andy Reid.
Perhaps this was when Reid first discovered the clutch gene in his future
quarterback.

After falling behind to the Eagles 20-3 at halftime, Smith led a crusade
against the City of Brotherly Love and outscored the birds 21-3 in the
second half, including same late 4th quarter heroics that put his running
back, Frank Gore, in position to score the game winning touchdown. Smith
wasn’t perfect on the day, 21/33, 291 yards and 2 TDs, but he got the job
done.

During the playoffs that season, Smith proved his mettle after the famed
49er defense allowed the New Orleans Saints to regain the lead in a back and
forth game with 1:28 on the clock. Smith had just taken the lead in the game
with 1:51 with a perfectly executed bootleg run to the left that allowed #11
to sprint his way into the endzone with the go ahead score and put the 49ers
up by five points with less than two minutes remaining. However, 34 seconds
later, the 49er offense, having barely had time to celebrate their score,
found themselves back on the field, 85 yards from the endzone, and less than
a minute and a half to play.

Smith didn’t cry. He didn’t blink. He went onto the field and led his team
on a seven play drive that ended in a touchdown. I’ve watched the drive so
many times, I could tell you exactly what happens and when. After the huge
catch and run by Vernon Davis, the commentators are talking about setting up
a David Akers field goal to tie the game. If Smith were a game manager, a
facilitator – if Smith weren’t clutch – that’s exactly what would have
happened when they got into range. That’s not what happened. Smith fired a
pass to Davis – into triple coverage – and scored the winning touchdown,
leaving Brees and the Saints only 14 seconds left. Tell me that’s not
clutch.

Smith continued on his winning ways the following season. Out of the gate he
engineered a win against NFC favorites, the Green Bay Packers. Smith went on
in 2012 to win six games and drop two before being injured in the second
quarter of a game against the Saint Louis Rams. Adding to his clutch quality
(albeit a little crazy, considering) Smith stayed in the game and threw a TD
with blurred vision before coming out of the game.

The 49ers have travelled a similar road as the Kansas City Chiefs in the
last couple of years. Both teams have exceptional running games, good
defenses and above average (but not quite elite) wide receiver corps. Both
teams have gone through coaching staffs and especially offensive
coordinators, like most people change their underwear.

Last week Alex Smith took over his football team and started them on the
road to the playoffs in 2013. And that guy who everybody thought should be
drafted No. 1 overall? He fired his agent during a temper tantrum. Is that
clutch? I don’t think so.

Until next time, Addicts.

October 14, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Daniel Te

If defense wins championships and offense is the key to victory, what cheesy cliché is there to utter about the offensive line?

They protect our multiple round draft pick that many say we shouldn’t have traded for?

That doesn’t quite roll off the tongue.

They spring Jamaal Charles like a jailbreak so he can run like the cops are chasing him?

Again, not aurally pleasing.

What can we say? The Kansas City Chiefs’ hogs up front aren’t pretty like a Jamaal Charles cut and sprint towards the end zone. They’re not full of finesse like Dwayne Bowe catching a pass on the sideline and tip toeing both feet in bounds to move the chains. They’re not either one of those things. I will tell you what they are. They’re mean, they’re nasty and they have the potential to be the best offensive line in the NFL this season.

If (yes, there’s an “if” involved) the starting five can manage to stay healthy, and (yes, an “if” and an “and”) Branden Albert shows up.

Speaking of Branden Albert, let’s talk about Kansas City’s wayward son.

Word on the street is, former Chiefs’ general manager, Scott Pioli, was trying to work a long term deal with Albert’s people last year prior to Pioli being fired. That extension never materialized and when the new regime couldn’t strike a deal with Albert prior to the free agent deadline earlier this year, they applied the franchise tag to Albert. In a nutshell, this means the Chiefs own the rights to Albert for the 2013 season and must pay him $9.8 million for the year.

The Chiefs have three options at this point.

Option #1: Trade Albert

The biggest sticking point with a potential trade is the gaining team will insist on agreeing to a new contract in principle before completing the trade. This will ensure their investment is protected and they’ll keep the traded player for longer than the one year the player is franchised.

The Chiefs tried to broker a trade with the Miami Dolphins for Albert in the week leading up to the 2013 NFL Draft. The Dolphins reportedly agreed to Albert’s contract demands but were unwilling to give into the Chiefs’ demands for a 2^nd round draft pick in this year’s draft. This caused the transaction to fall through and Albert to remains on the roster.

Option #2: Allow Albert to Play Under the Franchise Tag

This is probably the most likely option for the Chiefs this season. If this course of action is followed, Albert will be under contract to attend all “mandatory” team activities, OTA’s, training camp and games. If he skips any of these activities, he would be fined which would affect his bottom line. Since this whole conversation is about money, Chiefs fans can rest assured that Albert won’t do anything that will take cash out of his wallet. Some fans and Albert critics are concerned that Albert won’t “try as hard” this season under this option because he’s unhappy and disgruntled. Let me dispel those rumors.

A: The man is a professional football player who has nearly ten million reasons this season to perform to utmost of his ability.

B: This is essentially a contract year for him. Not only will the Chiefs’ coaching team and front office personnel be keeping a very close eye on Albert but so will coaches and GMs from other potential landing spots for him next season should he become a free agent. This will cause Albert to almost “over perform” in an effort to impress all parties involved with his play.

In the end, trust me; he’s not going to “call in” his performance this season.

Option #3: Sign Albert to a Long Term Contract

This is perhaps the best case scenario with Branden Albert, however at this point the least likely, in my opinion. I say this for a couple of reasons. Despite what I just said about Albert being a professional, I think he’s probably still a bit salty about the failed Dolphin contract. This failed transaction may have soured him on his desire to remain the starting left tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs beyond the 2013 season. I’m not saying he won’t sign a long term deal; I’m just saying he may need a bit more convincing than he would with another team.

One thing the Chiefs did gain out of the talks with the Dolphins was  they found out exactly how much money it would take to get Albert to say “yes” to a contract – at least if that contract was in South Beach. The Chiefs, along with the rest of us reading the reports in the news, learned that Albert is looking for money similar to what former Dolphin Jake Long got from the St. Louis Rams, which is around the neighborhood of $36 million for four years. Time will tell if that’s what the Chiefs are willing to pay the man who has protected Kansas City’s blind side for the past five seasons.

All that being said, why should the Chiefs fight to keep Albert long term? The Chiefs just drafted perhaps the best left tackle to come out of the NCAA since the formerly mentioned Jake Long. This has caused some discord with Albert, who has repeatedly stated he does not want to play right tackle. Andy Reid took the first step to set Albert’s mind at ease on that front.

“And so, you never know, I mean, in this business you’d love to say that he’d be here or not be here, one of the two, but I know he’s a good kid, I know he’s a hard worker and I know he’s a good left tackle. So that gives us a whole lot of flexibility, and if he was here today he would be the left tackle.”

-          Andy Reid

In typical Andy Reid-ese, he’s essentially said that Albert is penciled in at left tackle. That leaves Eric Fisher at right tackle and the best two guards and center in between. You see, Andy Reid believes you play the “best five guys” on the offensive line. Apparently he thinks Albert is the best bet to protect Alex Smith’s blindside. I’m inclined to agree. Here’s why.

Since arriving in Kansas City, Albert has only allowed his assigned defender to get to the quarterback 27 times in 73 games played. That’s one sack every three games. I like those odds. Keep in mind, he managed to provide this supreme protection with substandard quarterbacks who generally held onto the ball entirely too long. Through all of this, Albert held up his end of the deal and only got beat once every three games.

If you put an above average quarterback under center (save the Alex Smith argument for another time) who can move through his reads quickly, as well as a quick moving, West Coast Offense, this bodes well for Albert’s protection of the Chiefs’ most important asset. If you look at Alex Smith’s stats, he was sacked 68 times in the last two seasons. That’s more than 2.5 sacks per game. Not all of those sacks came from his blind side. However, it would stand to reason that if he can throw with the accuracy he displayed while being under pressure as he was in San Francisco, imagine what Smith can do with some time behind the best O-Line in the NFL. And, Albert won’t have to do it by himself. Along with Eric Fisher, Albert will most likely be playing alongside Geoff Schwartz, Rodney Hudson and Jon Asamoah who will hold down the center of the line.  

I know I made the argument through the talks with the Dolphins that the Chiefs should trade Albert. I believed since the Chiefs could have potentially gotten back into the second round of a draft full of high caliber second round talent, and they were predisposed to selecting Albert’s replacement with the first overall pick it was the smartest thing to do. I stand firm by that line of thinking. But that was then and this is now. The trade talks have died, the Chiefs have a high caliber player in Albert as well as a guy who can anchor their line for many years to come in Fisher. If Reid can make this whole thing work, the Chiefs have taken a huge step towards turning around that 2-14 season to one full of wins and happy Chiefs fans on Sunday afternoons this fall.

What do you think, Addicts? Should the Chiefs hold onto Albert or continue to find trading partners for him and take less than what he’s worth? Let me know!

Until next time, Addicts!

By now, the Kansas City Chiefs’ fan base is intimately familiar with the eight new names selected this past weekend in the 2013 NFL Draft. However, there are over twenty other players the fans may not know so well. These new additions to the Chiefs’ Kingdom are the undrafted free agent class signed by the Chiefs following the draft and also a number of players that are invited to the team’s rookie minicamp that will essentially be getting tryouts. 

In an effort to get to know these long shots for the Chiefs’ final 53 man roster in September, I reached out to one of the Chiefs’ minicamp invites, running back Jordan Roberts from the University of Charleston-West Virginia

Coming from a small Division II school like UC-WV, there wasn’t a whole lot of information on the web about Roberts. I did manage to find an interview with Pat Kirkland, Roberts’ college coach at UC-WV in an article written by Mike Whiteford of the Charleston Gazette.

Most of the NFL teams have contacted us. A number of those teams have been on campus looking at Jordan and a couple other guys, but obviously Jordan’s the main one. He’s got the speed, talent, work ethic. He’s a very coachable young man.

- Pat Kirkland

Jordan hails from the small town of Yawkey, WV which is just south of Charleston, West Virginia. While not highly scouted coming out of high school despite owning two West Virginia state records of 3,826 rushing yards and 48 TDs his senior season, he originally attended and redshirted at West Virginia before leaving for Charleston.

Entering his professional career will be a bit different. While Jordan wasn’t drafted, the UC-WV coach did receive scouting interest from nearly every team in the NFL. I asked Jordan if the Chiefs worked him out prior to his selection as a UDFA.

No, the Chiefs did not previously work me out, but a scout was present at my pro day at Fairmont State in West Virginia.  I did speak with one of the Chiefs scouts on the phone a couple times to gather my information for their records.

As draft day came and went and Jordan realized he wasn’t going to be drafted, he began to prepare for the next step, which was the undrafted free agency frenzy. I asked him where he was when he got the call from the Chiefs.

I planned to be at a location where I would have cell phone service during and after the draft because the reception at my home is spotty so I spent the day in Charleston, WV. I was so pumped when I received a call from the Chiefs inviting me to minicamp!

In researching for this interview, I watched some tape on Jordan. His running style is impressive and he is quite strong and shows great muscle tone. I was curious who Jordan thought his play style most closely resembled and who he idolized growing up.

I like to compare myself to Marshall Faulk because he is my all-time favorite running back and was a versatile player who won some Super Bowl’s. Similarly to him, I want to be known as a team player who can contribute and do a multitude of things to help the Chiefs win games and hopefully a Super Bowl. 

The Chiefs stable of back field studs, currently includes eight running backs (including Roberts) on the roster. Jordan is fighting an uphill battle before he even begins, to make the roster. If he should get one of those spots, he would be playing behind one of the most prolific running backs in the NFL, Jamaal Charles. For a young up and coming player, that’s a huge a deal. I asked Jordan what it meant to him.

It means a lot to play with one of the best running backs in the NFL. I hope to learn a lot from his experience as a top rusher in the NFL so I can better my game. I’m excited to have the opportunity to learn from the best!

Sometimes, the best way for an undrafted free agent to make the squad is via outstanding special teams play. Roberts can fit this bill to a tee. In addition to being a well above average half back, he played on all special teams in college, to including kick returner.

My versatility allows me to be used as a kick returner and on special teams as well as at running back. I will play wherever the team needs me. I’m determined and driven to work hard to better myself for the overall success of the Chiefs. 

I will say I like this kid. I know that at the running back position he’s a long shot to be on the roster in September. But, never say never. Over 20% of players currently in the NFL are undrafted and as I said in the initial report announcing Jordan’s signing to the Chiefs, I like to watch the UDFA running backs the most because they seem to make the biggest impact. The last question I asked Jordan had to do with his favorite team. I was just hoping he wasn’t a Raiders fan.

I have always been a Saint Louis Rams [because of his hero Marshall Faulk] and Indianapolis Colts fan, but that all changed Saturday night when I got the call from the Chiefs! Now I’m a Chiefs fan and there isn’t any other place I would rather be than Kansas City!

Good answer, Jordan. We’re glad you’re here too.

CORRECTION: The original version of this story indicated that the Chiefs had signed Roberts. He is not one of the 13 undrafted free agents KC announced yesterday. He appears to be a minicamp invite, meaning he will participate in the rookie minicamp on a tryout basis but does not have a contract with the team.

Apr 25, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Kansas City Chiefs fans Chad Comeau (left) and Chris Keller pose for a photo before the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs have reportedly signed UFA Jordan Roberts, a running back from the University of Charleston.

The Chiefs continue to add bodies to their stable of running backs which is growing by the minute. The excited Roberts broke the news on his own Twitter feed earlier.

Officially a Kansas City Chief!!!!

— Jordan Roberts (@JRoberts1stPick) April 28, 2013

Of all the UFA’s, I keep the closest eye on the running backs. It seems more hidden talent is found in those late round running backs and guys who go undrafted than any other position. Roberts put together quite the senior campaign last season, racking up over 1,500 yards on the ground and finding paydirt 18 times. Add to that the 450 receiving yards he had as well as another 3 scores and I think Roberts is a pretty solid signing by the Chiefs’ front office.

Again, the thing to keep in mind with UFAs is they are camp bodies first, designed to make the guys already on the roster better. However, as head coach Andy Reid pointed out in his post draft press conference, for some of them, it’s a try out and they end up making the squad because they impress a coach enough to give them a shot. Sometimes it’s all they need.

What do you think, Addicts? Did the Chiefs’ front office just discover the next Arian Foster?

Oct. 09, 2011; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs helmet seen on the field prior to the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory credit: Michael Hickey-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs have reportedly signed CJ Jones, a defensive back from Texas A & M University.

The Chiefs continue to stay busy in the undrafted free agent market, signing Jones to a contract. He sent out a very excited tweet, announcing the news to the world.

CHIEFS!!! LETS GOOOOO!!! twitter.com/anAverageJO_NE…

— Cj Jones (@anAverageJO_NES) April 28, 2013

That tweet was quickly followed up by a shout to his former Aggie teammate, Cyrus Gray who will be with him once again in KC.

@cyrusgray32 already let’s eat!

— Cj Jones (@anAverageJO_NES) April 28, 2013

As head coach Andy Reid and general manager, John Dorsey pointed out in their post draft press conference, they will continue to bring guys in who can not only compete, but also help their teammates get better by providing competition. CJ is one of those guys who will help his teammates get better.

Jones did not have a stellar season in College Station by any means. He barely played and when he did, he didn’t contribute a whole lot to the outcome of the football game. He’ll be a good camp body that will make the roster as a special teamer, if at all. He’s got his foot in the door, and sometimes, that’s all it takes.

What do you think, Addicts? Do you approve of the latest Chief from the state of Texas?

Jan 14, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey (left), chairman Clark Hunt (middle) and coach Andy Reid pose for photos during the press conference at the University of Kansas Hospital Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013 NFL Draft has come and gone and now it appears that the undrafted free agent frenzy that immediately followed the pick of Mr. Irrelevant is winding down as well. Having completed their first drafts as the Kansas City Chiefs, general manager, John Dorsey and head coach, Andy Reid gave a press conference to the media at One Arrowhead Drive.

The main theme of both press conferences were focused on the draft. When asked about how the teams stands, Dorsey had this to say:

I feel we’ve upgraded our roster at certain positions I feel were weak. We’ve added some depth to them, we’ve added competition. We’ve done that through pro-free agency, we’ve done that through the draft and I think we’ve done that through college free agency.

When asked about the roster and whether or not the Chiefs were ready to go to camp, Dorsey replied:

We’re about 95 percent there.

Dorsey then touched on the team stature and where it stands.

This team had a hard year last year. I think the moves we make are to improve and get better. We’re not done yet, by any means.

When asked about the transition from Scott Pioli to John Dorsey, Dorsey gave this answer:

I don’t have all the answers. I took some things I thought were good, I took some things from those guys so I could make the transition easy for them and easy for me. I met everybody in the middle and we moved forward and this is the end result.

John Dorsey on what he thinks about the 2013 Chiefs draft class:

I’m very happy with this draft class. I think we got all of the players we targeted. And that’s all you can ask for.

Dorsey had some high words of praise for Nico Johnson.

I like Nico Johnson. I think he’s played a level and caliber of football. He’s demonstrated a very unique ability against the run. I don’t think the speed of the national football league will make him flinch at all. He’s a perfect fit for us and we’re lucky to have him.

Andy Reid on Nico Johnson:

I had a chance to speak with [Alabama Head Coach] Nick Saban this morning, before we picked him, and he said he’s one of the tougher guys on his football team. He was one of the leaders on his football team. And we’re talking about a National Championship football team.

In talking about the state of the roster moving forward into camp, Reid had this to say:

You’re not going to fill whatever you consider every hole with all-star players. I don’t think you need to do that. I think you need guys that are willing.

Overall, I was pretty happy with what the Chiefs leadership had to say about the draft and the state of the roster. They both seemed to make it very clear that they didn’t feel they reached for any players nor did they take anyone they didn’t think held value with where they drafted them. They both seemed to work together well and compliment each other. This was quite the departure from the Pioli/Haley era. It would have never gone down like this.

As the off-season marches on, we’ll see how well the duo of Reid and Dorsey continue to work and bring in players on this roster.

If you want to check out both interviews, they’re posted now on KC Chiefs.com.

What do you think, Addicts? Did Dorsey and Reid win the draft?

Nov 24, 2012; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Tyler Bray (8) during the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won by a score of 37 to 17. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs reportedly have signed UFA Tyler Bray, a quarterback from Tennessee University.

Adam Schefter from ESPN broke the news on his Twitter feed that the Tennessee quarterback would be joining the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent.

ESPN’s @fieldyates reports former Tennessee QB Tyler Bray will sign with the Kansas City Chiefs, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 28, 2013

 

This is quite a surprise, because it had earlier been reported that Bray was headed for South Beach and the Miami Dolphins. Schefter was quick to set the record straight with this tweet.

RT @buffalo_wolf: NOT the Dolphins? … Not the Dolphins. Tyler Bray is headed to Kansas City to the Chiefs.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 28, 2013

This is pretty exciting news, as Bray was projected to go as high as the third round in some mock drafts. I was personally pretty high on him and expressed interest in my normal weekly column last week.

Bray was a quarterback that many questioned whether he should have declared for the draft, but his numbers don’t lie. Last season he threw for 3,612 yards, just shy of a 60 percent completion rate, 34 TDS and 12 INTs.

He may be headed into the Chiefs’ off-season program as an undrafted free agent, but I truly think he has the best chance to be on the 53-man roster when the season begins in September. He’s better than Stanzi, he’s better than Tanney and I think he could be better than Daniel.

Time will tell, but this might be the developmental quarterback Chiefs fans have been waiting for.

What do you think, Addicts? Did Dorsey and Reid just find the quarterback of the future?

Aug 30, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Kansas City Chiefs helmets during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Packers defeated the Chiefs 24-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs have reportedly signed UFA Josh Martin, a pass rushing DE/OLB from Columbia University.

Martin’s new agent, Kevin Robinson tweeted out the news shortly after the deal was done.

Congrats, Josh Martin (Columbia, DE/OLB) on signing with the KC Chiefs!

— Kevin Robinson (@KevinRobinson04) April 28, 2013

Martin had a decent senior year as a pass rusher, totaling 29 solo tackles, 6.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. His play was recognized as the Ivy League Player of the Week in November last year, from the NFL Draft Scout site.

NOV 12 IVY LEAGUE CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Columbia senior defensive lineman Josh Martin (Aurora, Colo.) was a dominant force in an Empire State Bowl win over Cornell with three of the Lions’ six sacks. Martin made the game’s key playing in the third quarter, forcing a fumble on a nine-yard sack. The Columbia offense took advantage and converted the turnover to points with the go-ahead touchdown in a 34-17 win over the Big Red. – Ivy League football

I really like the Chiefs continued addition of a pass rushers to the roster. I believe the Chiefs are set at starters with OLB’s Justin Houston and Tamba Hali, but beyond them, the depth drops off considerably. If defensive coordinator Bob Sutton’s defense will put as much pressure on opposing QB’s this season as has been said, the Chiefs will need all the support they can muster.

What do you think, Addicts? Is a Columbia Lion just what the defense needs?

Dec 2, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; A Kansas City Chiefs helmet on the sidelines against the Carolina Panthers in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City won the game 27-21. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs have reportedly signed UFA Collin Kelly, an offensive lineman from the Oregon State Beavers.

Stephen Nelson, from KEZI in Oregon has broken the news that the former Beaver, Kelly, has signed with the Chiefs via Twitter.

Former @osubeaversfb offensive lineman Colin Kelly has signed with the Kansas City #Chiefs. #GoBeavs

— Stephen Nelson (@Stephen__Nelson) April 28, 2013

A quick search of the internet on Collin Kelly uncovered this bit of information from his Oregon State Player Profile page:

Colin is an athletic big man with the quickness to pull as well as get to speed rushers on the edge … will be expected to continue to man one of the tackle positions this season … limited during spring practice with an ankle injury – will be ready for fall camp.

I never get enthused about a player when I see there was a limiting injury. It makes me even less enthused when the player is a lineman and the injury was an ankle. However, being that the injury was last year, and it doesn’t appear that it bothered him, it should be okay.

Overall, I like the depth being added on the Chiefs’ offensive line. With what the Chiefs spent to bring in starting quarterback, Alex Smith, I can appreciate them searching high and low for the right guys to protect him this season.

What do you think, Addicts? Is Kelly a good addition to the Chiefs off-season roster?

Nov 24, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Baylor Bears wide receiver Darryl Stonum (7) runs with the ball after making a catch against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the game at Cowboys Stadium. Baylor beat Texas Tech 52-45 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs will reportedly sign UFA Darryl Stonum, a wide receiver from Baylor University.

The Chiefs continue to add undrafted free agent talent as they sign Stonum from the Baylor Bears. The news came from his own Twitter feed, as have most of the UFA signings tonight.

kansas city chiefs! thanks everyone for the love n support. God is great and he gets the glory. time to work now!

— Darryl Stonum (@CornellStone7) April 28, 2013

Stonum has had some issues. Actually, he’s had a lot of issues. He began his career at Michigan but was suspended from the team indefinitely for legal issues. Apparently, Stonum violated his probation on an alcohol related offense and served jail time. After the 2011 season, Stonum announced he was a wide receiver for the Baylor Bears. He was able to transfer to Baylor under the graduate program exemption, enrolling in a graduate degree program that wasn’t offered at Michigan. However, Stonum only played in two games for the Bears last year and wasn’t all that productive.

I don’t like this at all, and with any luck this player will be cut before the first preseason game. The Chiefs locker room needs to gel and with a trouble maker and law breaker in their midst, it may be hard to do that. That may sound harsh, but it is what it is.

What do you think, Addicts? Do you like the Stonum signing?

December 1, 2012; Morgantown, WV, USA; Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Dayne Crist (10) looks to pass the ball against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the first quarter at Milan Puskar Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs have reportedly extended a mini-camp invite to UFA Dayne Crist, a quarterback from the Kansas University Jayhawks.

It appears if the Chiefs have finally found their rookie quarterback. It took all seven rounds of the draft and then some, but Dayne Crist is the first quarterback in this class who head coach, Andy Reid and general manager John Dorsey will even talk about.

The news of the mini-camp invite came from Brian Hamilton of the Chicago Tribune’s Twitter feed.

Correction, via Dayne Crist himself: Former #NotreDame QB got rookie camp invite with #Chiefs, has not signed a contract.

— Brian Hamilton (@ChiTribHamilton) April 28, 2013

While Crist doesn’t have overwhelming stats, he is a quarterback who will be a camp body (should he get an invitation to camp following the mini-camp) who can compete with incumbent third stringers Ricky Stanzi and Alex Tanney. Teams don’t generally keep four quarterbacks on the roster once the regular season begins, so I would assume there will be fierce competition for that third spot.

The fact that Reid and Dorsey did not address the quarterback position beyond Alex Smith and Chase Daniel until now has many Chiefs fans believing they are satisfied that either Stanzi or Tanney will fill that final roster spot. I guess, if nothing else, Crist adds a little intrigue into that storyline going forward.

What do you think, Addicts? Is Crist the franchise quarterback we’ve been waiting for?

Dec 8, 2012; Birmingham, AL, USA; Jackson State Tigers wide receiver Rico Richardson (83) catches a pass for a touchdown as Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions defensive back Jamel Maxwell (28) defends during the SWAC Championship at Legion Field. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs reportedly have signed UFA Rico Richardson, a wide receiver from Jackson State.

The news was announced by Richardson’s Twitter feed a bit earlier when he tweeted out his excitement.

I’m a #kansascity#chief

— Rico Richardson (@RICO_TIGER83) April 28, 2013

A short while later, he tweeted out a second announcement, in case anyone missed the first.

Feels good to be a #chief#arrowhead

— Rico Richardson (@RICO_TIGER83) April 28, 2013

As with several of the other signings the Chiefs have made during this post draft, undrafted free agent frenzy, the team is sticking close to home with Richardson. Richardson did not participate in the NFL Combine, but he did have a showing during Jackson State’s Pro Day.

2013 Jackson State Pro Day: A total of 10 players from Jackson State worked out at the school’s pro day on March 8. The workouts were held outdoors on grass in front of six NFL teams. Rico Richardson, WR (5-11 ½, 167 pounds) – Richardson proved impressive enough to earn an invite to the Super Regionals in Dallas. He ran a time of 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash and recorded a 35½-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-1 broad jump. He ran a 4.12 short shuttle and 6.77 in the cone drill. Richardson recorded 12 bench presses and worked out as a wide receiver. – Gil Brandt, NFL.com

While he didn’t wow anyone enough to get drafted, his numbers aren’t terrible by any means. His career stats won’t frighten Dwayne Bowe into thinking his job is in jeopardy, but they’re nothing terrible. In his senior year at Jackson State, he caught over 1,000 yards in passes and 11 TDs. Not too shabby.

What do you think, Addicts? Are you happy the Chiefs have finally addressed the WR position with a rookie?

Sep 15, 2012; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks safety Bradley McDougald (24) celebrates after causing a fumble against the Texas Christian Horned Frogs in the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs have reportedly signed UFA Bradley McDougald, a free safety from Kansas University.

It appears the Chiefs are addressing the secondary and adding depth at the safety position with the next undrafted free agent signing. Another local athlete, the Jayhawk safety, sent out a tweet announcing his signing with the Chiefs.

Just agreed to a free agent deal with the KC Chiefs… Thank you for all the love and support, time to go to work!

— Bradley McDougald (@BabyLead) April 28, 2013

Shortly thereafter, in case most folks didn’t understand how he felt about joining the Chiefs as a UFA, he sent a follow up.

#ChiefsNation I’m home..

— Bradley McDougald (@BabyLead) April 28, 2013

McDougald has had quite a successful college career and has been recognized for his achievements. He was named Second Team All-Big 12 by the league’s coaches, Third Team All-Big 12 by Phil Steele Magazine and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention by the Associated Press. In addition to that, he received an invitation to the Senior Bowl.

While the Jayhawks didn’t have the greatest season in 2012, McDougald finished the year with 92 total tackles and three interceptions.

Again, I like this signing as it adds needed depth at the very back end of the Chiefs’ defensive secondary. Eric Berry will be a starter at the strong safety position for years to come, but Kendrick Lewis still has a huge question mark on his chest as far as I’m concerned. We’ll see if McDougald can help with that.

What do you think of this signing, Addicts? Are you happy to see Bradley McDougald remain in the Kansas City area?

Jan 22, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA: Milwaukee Panthers forward Demetrius Harris (15) grabs a loose ball as Cleveland State Vikings forward Tim Kamczyc (33) and guard Charles Lee (31) chase during the second half at the Wolstein Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric P. Mull-USPRESSWIRE

The Kansas City Chiefs have reportedly signed UFA Demetrius Harris, a tight end from the UW-Milwaukee Panthers.

The third undrafted free agent prospect signed by the Kansas City Chiefs has been announced, once again, by the player’s own Twitter feed.

@kcchiefs thanks for the opportunity. I’m living my dream, I’m thankful for all the support that everyone has shown. #Godbless

— Demetrius Harris (@D_NFL_Harris) April 28, 2013

 

You may remember the Chiefs worked out Harris and it was somewhat of a major story because he was a basketball star with the Panthers and not on any football scout’s radar. Because he’s athletic, tall and graded out as a tight end, the comparisons to Tony Gonzales and Antonio Gates abound from here.

After scouring the internet, I could literally find zero stats on this guy. He’s 6′ 6″, 239 pounds and can run the 40 yard dash in 4.75. Beyond that, I can’t really tell you much other than he played basketball.

If you missed the story from the beginning of April, Chiefs’ general manager, John Dorsey first became aware of Harris while he was still in his old job with the Green Bay Packers. To show the amount of due diligence Dorsey shows as a scout, he made a note in his calendar to follow up on Harris two years later because he saw that much promise in the young man. I did manage to find this story from Yahoo Sports breaking down how the Chiefs scouted Harris.

This could be a very promising signing for the Chiefs. If Harris impressed Dorsey that much that he would call and sign him two years later, there must be something to that. We’ll see. What do you think, Addicts?

Nov 10, 2012; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Bo Wallace (14) gets tackled by Vanderbilt Commodores defensive tackle Rob Lohr (84) during the game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Vanderbilt Commodores defeated the Mississippi Rebels 27-26. Mandatory Credit: Spruce DerdenUSA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs have reportedly signed UFA Vanderbilt defensive tackle, Rob Lohr.

Lohr tweeted out his excitement at being signed by the Chiefs a bit earlier.

I’m a chief!

— Rob Lohr (@VandyRoLo84) April 27, 2013

A quick check of his official bio at the Vanderbilt Comodores official page revealed the following information about Lohr:

Lohr started every game at tackle, running his consecutive career total to 38 starts… Ranked third on team with 11 tackles for loss and concluded his careeer as team’s active leader with 31.5 career tackles for loss and 11 quarterback sacks… Notched 30 tackles and a pair of sacks as a senior, and played his best football of the season late in the year… Was superb in thrilling win at Ole Miss with five solo tackles, three resulting in losses… Also had pair of tackles for loss and a sack vs. UMass… Finished regular season with six-solo tackle performance in win at Wake Forest… Added two tackles in Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl victory over N.C. State.

Any defensive tackle who can get to the quarterback is okay in book. The Chiefs will have some questions at this position this season along with the rest of the defensive line. Last year’s first round pick, Dontari Poe, is still coming into his own as an NFL tackle and could always use the competition at the position. As I’ve said before, look for the Chiefs leadership to continue to bring in bodies to push each other in the days leading up to training camp.

What do you think about the Lohr signing, Addicts? Let us know in the comments!

September 22, 2012; Columbia, SC, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Brad Madison (57) runs to the ball carrier against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs have reportedly signed UFA Brad Madison, a defensive end from the Missouri Tigers.

This comes from his own twitter feed.

Plan on signing with Kansas City tonight as a free agent!!!! #chiefs

— Brad Madison (@Sacksandsnaps57) April 27, 2013

Kansas City should remember Brad from his time at Mizzou! While he wasn’t invited to the NFL Combine, he did have a Pro Day and didn’t do too bad. He posted the following stats:

Pro Day Results

40-yard dash: 4.81

Bench: 22 reps

Vertical jump: 30.5”

Broad jump: 9’3”

20-yard shuttle: 4.53

According to his official player profile here he has played hurt the past two seasons and that has hurt his production. However, he can play as a traditional, hands in the dirt defensive end or as an edge rusher, so that will provide with Chiefs with a bit of versatility.

This is a pretty decent first UFA signing for the Chiefs. With the loss of Glenn Dorsey and Ropati Pitoitua and the non-interest head coach Andy Reid and general manager John Dorsey have shown in re-signing Shaun “Big Perv” Smith, the Chiefs could use some meat along the defensive line. The fact that he’s a local guy doesn’t hurt anybody’s feelings.

The Chiefs War Room will continue to contact other college prospects throughout tonight and into tomorrow who weren’t picked up in the draft. I would say look for them to continue to add depth at positions along the offensive and defensive lines.

Keep it here, Addicts for all your UFA signing reports!

Apr 26, 2013; Kansas City , MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid speaks to the media during a press conference introducing first round draft pick Eric Fisher (not pictured) at the Kansas City Chiefs Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs have completed their draft and the rest of the league is wrapping things up as well. The next step in this process is the Undrafted Free Agent frenzy. This is the time teams may contact any prospect not previously drafted by another team and start to truly build their training camp roster.

Earlier today, Chiefs’ head coach, Andy Reid, had this to say about college free agents. The second greatest number of starters in the National Football League besides first round picks are the college free agents you sign. They’re all over the place and you just don’t realize it. Those are some good football player. Only 50 percent of your first round picks even start and then you drop down to 22 percent for the second round. And you’re right at about 22.5, 23 percent of college free agents that start. ”

It would seem the draft battle is only half over. The Chiefs’ War Room still has plenty of work to do.

Consider this the opening post for the UFA season. Look for the Chiefs to be quite active in this period as they work to bring in more talent to provide competition, depth and perhaps that one diamond in the rough that all teams hope they can find in this period of the process.

Use this post as an open thread and discuss the draft and what players you hope to see brought on for the rest of this weekend as we here at Arrowhead Addict continue to bring you updates to signings as soon as we have them. This should get interesting.

Until next time, Addicts.

Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs have made three selections in the 2013 NFL Draft and have five picks to go. Quite a lot has transpired over the last couple of days and some of it has muddied the water in respect to the future of this franchise. At the same time, some things have become much clearer. I think after the last two days of draft magic, Chiefs fans can break down the franchise into three categories: what we know, what we think we know and what we don’t know.

I’ll start with what we know.

We know that the Chiefs got the absolute best player in the draft. This has been confirmed by everyone from Mike Mayock to Mel Kipper to the guy I talked to at the grocery store the other day. Nearly every Chiefs fan was happy with the Fisher pick. He’s mean and nasty and exactly the kind of offensive lineman that head coach Andy Reid wants on his football team. The most important thing to take away from this point is, the Chiefs got considerably better by taking Fisher. We know this for sure.

We know that with the signing of free agent Anthony Fasano from the Miami Dolphins and the early third round pick of tight end, Travis Kelce, incumbent TE, Tony Moeaki’s starting job is in jeaopardy. Watching some tape (what’s available anyways) shows Kelce as quite the draft value. I’ll save the whole “he’s the second coming of Tony Gonzales and will lead the Chiefs to the Promised Land” drabble for another time. There’s no such thing as another Tony G. If you’re looking for that, keep looking.

What the Chiefs did get, is a solid, run blocking, pass catching, tight end that was given a comparison to Rob Gronkowski. Again, with the comparisons, but this one is a bit more accurate as they have similar body and play styles. The guy has a lot of upside. He does have a couple of cons as well. The biggest is he doesn’t do much with the ball after he catches it. Regardless, at the spot he was drafted, Kelce was a great pick here and he will challenge both TE’s currently on the roster for playing time.

We know that not a single general manager or head coach coveted Geno Smith with a first round pick. We know that the team of Reid, and general manager, John Dorsey, meant what they said and they got the best quarterback available in the offseason in Alex Smith. We know that every pundit and “draft expert” leading up to the 2013 NFL Draft was absolutely correct when they said this was not the year for quarterbacks. We know three rounds have come and gone and only three quarterbacks have been pulled off the board.

Finally, we know that if back up running backs Cyrus Gray, Shaun Draughn, and Nate Eachus are still on the roster when training camp starts in the summer, they had better bring their “A” game. Although the pick of Knile Davis wasn’t popular with Chiefs fans by any stretch of the imagination, the fact is, he’s a 230 pound running back who can run a 4.3 40 yard dash. That’s fast for a big dude. That’s really fast for a big dude. He may take a roster spot or he may not, but we know he’ll be ready to compete.

The next category the Chiefs franchise falls into here isn’t quite as clear. After the first two days of the draft, while the topics already discussed are quite clear, the next few points are a bit fuzzier.

This is what we think we know.

We think any trade talks involving current starting left tackle Branden Albert are dead. Nobody in the Chiefs’ camp has confirmed this point and I don’t know if they will, but based on the fact that all reports pointed to the Chiefs’ leadership wanting a second round pick for Albert I think it’s safe to say it’s a dead issue. Where does that leave Albert and the Chiefs? That’s the part that’s pretty fuzzy. I’m sure he isn’t happy about being placed on the block and jerked around over the last couple of weeks. I’m sure he is less than enthused about his potential and likely replacement being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick. I’m sure he’s probably the most upset about the possibility of playing right tackle this season, instead of protecting Alex Smith’s blind side. Time will tell what the way ahead is with Albert.

The NFL is a copycat league. When something works, other coaches are not shy about “borrowing” that plan or some form of it and adopting it in their own system. One only has to look as far as the “two tight end” system that New England Patriots’ head coach, Bill Belichick has perfected or the “Wildcat” or even the most recent craze, the “run option quarterback.” Whatever works, everyone wants a piece of it.

It stands to reason that Andy Reid is no different. He’s in Kansas City to win. He needs his new quarterback to perform like he did during the last two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. One of the keys to that success was Smith’s favorite target, tight end Vernon Davis. Could that be why Reid went out during the off-season and signed a free agent tight end and then used the 63rd on another TE? Are they trying to re-imagine the magic Smith found with Davis in the city by the bay? It would seem so, but it will depend on what kind of sets and formations Reid’s offense will run with Smith under center. Time will tell.

Dorsey has touted his best player available mantra since arriving in Kansas City. Why then, did he use the 96th overall pick on a running back that only had 320 yards all of last season with two broken ankles and seven fumbles in two games? Was this young man really the best player available on the board? Again, time will tell, but he could really be the thunder to Jamaal Charles’ lightning. This is what I was hoping for last year in the Peyton Hillis/Jamaal Charles combo and never really got. I think, if Davis can stay healthy and hold onto the ball, it might actually happen.

Finally, let’s talk about what we don’t know.

Will the Chiefs still look to trade Branden Albert? What value is left for him, other than future draft picks, which doesn’t help the Chiefs get better this season? If Albert stays in Chiefs Kingdom, where will he play? When will he show up to OTA’s and begin to participate in activities with his team? Is he angered by the situation, or is he treating the situation like the business transaction that he should? We don’t know what he’s thinking or what the future holds for him.

The best possible outcome in this situation is if Albert stays on the left side for one more season and leads this young, hungry, extremely talented offensive line to be the absolute best OL in NFL.

What will the receiving corps of the 2013 Kansas City Chiefs look like? What type of sets will they line up in? Most would assume that the offense would look similar to the Philadelphia Eagles, but a different team means different personnel and different looks.

The Chiefs have yet to take a receiver in the draft. They are clearly concentrating on the offense in an effort to make sure they are able to score points. Will their efforts translate into points? We shall see.

When it comes to Chiefs’ fans, they’re nothing if not passionate. The biggest noise they’ve made in the off-season is demand the Chiefs draft a quarterback. Even after Reid and Dorsey essentially used their second round pick on a quarterback, fans continued to demand a signal caller was drafted as well. Last night, during the latter half of the third round, my Twitter feed was jam packed with tweets from rabid Chiefs fans who wanted nothing more than for Dorsey to call Matt Barkley’s number. It didn’t happen.

Does this mean Reid and Dorsey are comfortable where they are in regard to the quarterback position? They’ve obviously named Alex Smith as their starter and paid Chase Daniel a nice “back-up QB” contract. Are they ok with letting Ricky Stanzi and Alex Tanney battle it out in training camp for the coveted “QB3” position? History would tell us this isn’t the case, as both of those quarterbacks were drafted by the previous regime and the new guys in town don’t have any loyalty or love for them. The good news is for Chiefs’ fans who want to see a QB drafted, there are five more picks with which to take a quarterback and there are still some great ones out there.

Many of these questions will be answered by the end of the draft today. Some may have to wait for the days and weeks ahead. There will be undrafted free agents to contact and more cuts and signings. I’ll keep repeating myself, but time will tell. Regardless, when it’s time to lace up their shoes and pads in September, all will be answered, and we’ll all be in for one hell of a ride.

Until next time, Addicts!

September 29, 2012; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman John Jenkins (6) hits Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Tyler Bray (8) as he throws in the second half at Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs won 51-44. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

The off-season has been rife with debate regarding the Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback situation. Since before the Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid and general manager John Dorsey gave up a 2013 second round pick and a 2014 conditional pick for former San Francisco 49er signal caller Alex Smith, fans have debated who would be calling the plays from scrimmage for the Chiefs this season. At this point, I think we can all be pretty certain that Alex Smith is the undisputed starting quarterback of the Chiefs.

Once Reid and Dorsey had their starting QB, they made one of the more questionable moves of the off-season and signed backup quarterback Chase Daniel to a three year contract worth around $10 million. It seems most fans would have preferred to save the cap space and drafted a rookie to compete for that second slot on the depth chart. However, if you look at Alex Smith’s injury history, that line of thinking is a double edged sword. Although Smith played all 16 games in 2011, he went out in week 10 last season with a concussion, so signing a solid backup wasn’t a bad move.

In addition to Smith and Daniel, Ricky Stanzi and Alex Tanney are also on the squad. Stanzi, a guy who many fans thought should have been given a chance in seasons past, is barely hanging on and hasn’t been able to start even when the Chiefs were at their worst and other quarterbacks like Tyler Palko were given the nod. Tanney, known around “Chiefs Kingdom” as “Trickshot,” is a novelty who gained his fame from a YouTube video and spent his rookie season on injured reserve after hurting his hand in his one preseason appearance last season. Neither QB is a favorite to remain on the Chiefs’ roster by the opening Sunday at Jacksonville.

Does all this mean the Chiefs are out of the quarterback market when it comes to the draft? I say no. In fact, I’m willing to bet they take a quarterback with one of their two third round picks.

Why, you ask? You only need to look as far as the coach. Reid is a quarterback guy. He’s famous (some would say infamous) for drafting a mid-round QB and then trading him off for more than he’s worth a year or two down the road. Kevin Kolb anyone? Plus, I guarantee you if Reid had spent another season with the Philadelphia Eagles, Nick Foles would have been shipped off to another team and Philly would have been a couple of draft picks richer.

Since Reid and Dorsey aren’t “married” to either of the potential third string QB’s and could potentially draft their own guy, who would it be? Would they go after a big name QB in the first two days, or wait until day three and bring in some no name from a small school? It’s tough to say either way. Dorsey has repeated his “best player available” mantra since coming to the BBQ city, so who knows how the chips will fall. For the sake of argument, I’ve taken a look at some QBs who could fit this mold and wear Chiefs’ red and gold this season. I’ve broken these prospects down into three categories: Top Tier, Most Likely Mid-Rounders and Bottom of the Barrel.

Top Tier:

These are the top college prospects I believe will go in the first and second rounds of the draft.

#1 Geno Smith – West Virginia

I’m not even going there. It’s not going to happen. You should all just accept it and move on.

#2 Matt Barkley – University of Southern California

Matt is considered by most experts to be the second best quarterback prospect in the draft. Though his senior season wasn’t quite what everyone thought it would be, he’s not a horrible quarterback. However, I don’t see Matt surviving very far into the second round if he even makes it out of the first. I wouldn’t count on the Chiefs having another USC alum at QB anytime soon.

#3 EJ Manuel – Florida State University

Manuel has kind of come out of nowhere and risen up many draft boards. His stats were respectable during his senior season, throwing for 3,392 yards with a 68 percent completion percentage. He threw for 23 TDs and was picked off 10 times. Perhaps more importantly, he led his team to an 11-2 record and then a convincing 31-10 win in the Orange Bowl against Northern Illinois. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t bet on Manuel going too far past the beginning of the second round so don’t expect Reid and Dorsey to call his number on day one or day two.

#4 Tyler Bray – Tennessee

Of all the QB’s in the Top Tier category, I would most like to see Tyler in a Chiefs’ uniform next season. I’ve watched some tape on him, and though he is risky at times (as evidenced by his 59 percent completion percentage and 12 picks last season) he has a nice deep ball and can find the end zone. He threw for over 3,600 yards and 34 touchdowns. Granted, he was throwing to one of the top rated receivers entering the draft this year, but I think he could be a really good NFL QB with some coaching. If the Chiefs are able to get a second round pick back through a trade, and Bray was available, I wouldn’t be disappointed if they used that pick on him.

#5 Ryan Nassib – Syracuse

Nassib could most likely end up playing for his college coach in Buffalo if the Bills miss on Geno Smith in the first round. He can put up the numbers, throwing for 3,749 yards with a better than 60 percent completion rate. He definitely won’t last much past the top half of the second day of the draft.

Most Likely Mid-Rounders

These are the college prospects I believe will most likely go in the mid rounds (3-5) of the draft and also are the most likely to get drafted by the Chiefs should the opportunity present itself.

#1 Tyler Wilson – Arkansas

I promise you I’m not just a fan of the name Tyler, but if the Chiefs miss on Bray, Wilson would be my second pick to come to Kansas City. He’s a bit of wildcard, but he has a strong arm and can really throw the deep ball. He threw for 3,387 yards last year with 21 touchdowns. His 13 interceptions are indicative of his gunslinger mentality. He could be a good quarterback with some solid mentorship.

#2 Mike Glennon – North Carolina State

A lot of people are high on Glennon because of his size (he’s 6’7”) and the fact that he threw over 4,000 yards his senior year. However, along with all of those yards came more than one INT per game. He’ll go in the third round, but hopefully to someone other than the Chiefs.

#3 Zac Dysert – University of Miami Ohio

Zac has been very consistent, playing since his freshman year. He has steadily gotten better and while his team didn’t do so well last year (5-8 with no bowl game) his personal stats weren’t terrible. Zac is a solid 3,000 yard passer with 25 TDs to 12 INTs. Coming out of The University of Miami Ohio, his pedigree isn’t quite on part with Ben Roethlisberger. He’ll go in the fourth round for sure. The Chiefs can pass and not hurt my feelings.

#4 Matt Scott – Arizona

Matt is the other mid rounder I wouldn’t mind Reid and Dorsey bringing to KC. He’s rough around the edges, but he’s a fighter. While his team wasn’t perfect last season, all of their losses were only by a touchdown with the exception of the 49-0 pounding they took from Chip Kelly’s Oregon Ducks. Matt has some issues with his fundamentals, but nothing you wouldn’t expect out of a solid fourth to fifth round draft pick. I definitely think he’s better than Stanzi and he doesn’t have a ridiculous mullet, so there’s that.

Bottom of the Barrel

These are the college prospects I believe will go in either the sixth or seventh rounds or could even be undrafted free agents. The Chiefs could select one of these prospects, but I wouldn’t count on it.

#1 Ryan Griffin – Tulane

I didn’t even know Tulane had a football team. Ryan’s team only managed to win two games last season. That doesn’t say much about his leadership potential. I’m hoping Reid and Dorsey pass here.

#2 Brad Sorenson – Southern Utah

There’s a reason this guy is floating at the bottom of the barrel. We’ll leave it at that. His senior season was so forgettable, ESPN.com doesn’t have a player card for him.

#3 Sean Renfree – Duke

Renfree isn’t horrible, but if he’s playing for a third string slot I have to ask if he’s better than Stanzi. There really is no way of knowing, but I can’t say yes at this point. He’s probably better left to another team to pick up.

#4 Landry Jones – Oklahoma

It really surprised me to see Landry Jones slide this far down my list. Statistically speaking, he’s not a bad QB. He threw for over 4,000 yards last year along with 30 touchdowns. However, consistency problems at the combine and pro day have forced Jones’ stock lower and lower until he’s fallen off most teams’ radar. Still, if it’s the end of the sixth round or the beginning of the seventh and he’s sitting there, I think Reid and Dorsey would be crazy not to pick him up. At that point you can’t beat the value and I think he’s definitely better than Stanzi.

#5 Collin Klein – Kansas State

I watched three bowl games last season. The first was the AT & T Cotton Bowl because I wanted to check out Landry ones and Johnny “Football” Manziel. The second was the New Era Pinstripe Bowl because I wanted to check out Geno Smith. I wasn’t impressed. The third bowl game was the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl because I thought, perhaps, Collin Klein could be the Chiefs’ QB of the future. After watching that game (actually, I think I turned it off in the third quarter) I knew he wasn’t the guy. Considering he was a Heisman Trophy runner up, I wasn’t impressed with him at all. I think he’s a seventh round pick, if at all and the Chiefs shouldn’t draft him.

That’s my take on who’s out there for the quarterbacks I think the Chiefs should look at and consider. Regardless, we’ll know what happens in less than a week. What do you think? Did I miss on any of these prospects? Am I wrong in my evaluations and estimations? Let me know in the comments! As always, I look forward to seeing what you have to say!

Until next time, Addicts!

Dec 23, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) catches a pass against the Indianapolis Colts in the first half at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

As we anxiously await the start of the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2013 season (only 148 days to go,) there are a lot of mixed feelings in Chiefs’ Kingdom as to how well the team will do this year. In talking to other Chiefs fans on Twitter, Facebook and around my own circle of friends, I’ve heard every prediction from barely climbing out of last place in the AFC West to making a Superbowl run.

While I personally don’t think the team is quite ready for the “big show” yet, I do think they’ll be competitive this season. By competitive, I think the Chiefs could win 10 games, giving them a shot at a Wildcard berth in this year’s playoffs. I know it’s a little early for these predictions, and the term I continue to use is “cautiously optimistic.” The Chiefs could make this happen, but there are four “musts” I think have to happen.

#1:  There must be solid quarterback play.

This point has been endlessly debated. The Chiefs traded for Alex Smith. Half of the fan base (myself included) thinks this was the right move for the team. The other half of the fan base think the team should draft Geno Smith and let the rookie have the keys to the franchise.

It’s been awhile since the Chiefs have had a good quarterback take the field. Some would say the last time the team had a good quarterback was in Matt Cassel in 2010. Still others would say Trent Green was the last great Chiefs signal caller. Even a small percentage of Chiefs fans would say there hasn’t been a decent passer in KC since #19, Joe Montana, retired. Despite your feelings on the history of Chiefs’ QB, remember, Cassel was the last signal caller to lead the team to a winning season. Prior to his arrival, Chiefs fan were victimized by horrible QB after horrible QB from Brodie Croyle to Tyler Thigpen, Damon Huard to Tyler Palko. In all, since the departure of Trent Green, universally accepted as the last great Chiefs QB, seven men have started for the Chiefs under center.

The quarterback position last season accounted for 24 turnovers between Cassel and Quinn’s fumbles and interceptions. If the team is going to be successful, Smith has to protect the ball. He has to lead the team to the red zone and then score touchdowns when he gets them there. It’s a tough position for Smith to be in, but the team’s (and the fan’s) hope rests squarely on his shoulders.

Without getting back into the Smith vs. Smith debate (I did that last week), the Chiefs play under center has to be spot on this season. The franchise spent a hefty price for Alex Smith to make the trip east from the San Francisco Bay. In order for the Chiefs to be successful, the Alex Smith who showed up during the 2011 and 2012 season with the 49ers has to be the Alex Smith that shows up with the Chiefs in 2013. He cannot regress to his 2007/2008 self or this team, the fanbase, and perhaps the city itself will implode in on itself.

#2: The play makers must remain healthy.

In 2010, the Chiefs had a promising season. It appeared unorthodox head coach, Todd Haley’s crazy plans were coming together. The Chiefs finished the best in the AFC West and landed themselves in the playoffs. However, when they played the Baltimore Ravens in the Wildcard Round, they were embarrassed and summarily trounced.

Coming into the 2011 season, fans had high hopes that despite the playoff loss, the team would build upon its momentum from the previous season. By the time the second game of the season was over, Eric Berry, Tony Moeaki and Jamaal Charles were all on injured reserve, all with identical injuries. The team was never able to recover. Later that season, quarterback Matt Cassel landed alongside them on the sidelines.

While the Chiefs’ 2012 season was likely over before it ever got started, they suffered the injury bug quite extensively once again with several key players suffering major injuries, including: left tackle Branden Albert, wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, Free Safety Kendrick Lewis and both quarterbacks.

While general manager John Dorsey and head coach Andy Reid have gone out of their way to add depth this season, one position continues to concern me. Jamaal Charles is the most talented man on the roster. I like his backups, Shaun Draughn and Cyrus Gray. However, I don’t like them enough to start, should Charles go down with an injury. Charles can be fragile at times and though he rushed for over 1,500 yards last season after returning from a blown ACL, there is always that risk. The team has yet to find a quality back to put behind Charles in the depth chart. Until they do, Charles can absolutely not get hurt.

Defensively, the Chiefs’ pass rushing linebackers, while they haven’t shown a history of injury, have no depth. While the draft still remains, these are positions the duo of Reid and Dorsey should really consider adding quality players to on the depth chart. Nothing will stop the momentum of a team like key players going down to injury.

The bottom line is, the team, especially the play makers, must remain healthy for there to be any success this season. Once the injury bug bites, it seems to gain momentum and take more and more players with it. This is one of the reasons I was so excited to see all the players (except Albert) at the voluntary workout sessions over the last couple of weeks. The sooner the Chiefs get in football shape, the better chance they’ll have to avoid injury.

#3: The defense must play lights out football.

Do you know what is significant about the number 16? It was the number of two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. Lenny Dawson and Joe Montana both wore that number, though both not in Kansas City. That is, however, not the correct answer I was looking for. The correct answer would be that 16 is the average number of points the Chiefs lost by last season. That’s more than two touchdowns.

Our defense has talent. Last season they seemed to wander around the field like 11 (sometimes 12) confused school children at recess. When the pro bowl results were released, the fact that four of the unbelievable six Chiefs’ all stars were from the defense was a little staggering.

In order for the Chiefs to succeed this season, the defense must play to win. I hate the cliché that “defense wins championships” but I’m going to use it anyways. I liked former defensive coordinator/head coach Romeo Crennel’s defensive scheme. However, after two seasons of blowouts, his philosophy of “bend but don’t break” wore a little thin on me. The Pittsburgh Steelers have “Blitzburgh.” I want the Chiefs’ defense to have a cool nickname like “Warpath.” When pass rushers, Tamba Hali and Justin Houston sandwich Peyton Manning for the fifth time in a game, I want the color commentary guy to talk about the Chiefs’ “Warpath” defense. I’m hoping this is what Bob Sutton will bring and I’m hoping it’s what this defense can deliver. They need to.

#4:  Jamaal Charles must to step up.

Some may say that rushing for over 1,500 yards after coming back from a season ending knee injury would be the definition of stepping up. I would agree with you. Charles needs to bring everything he had last season and then some. If the Chiefs need five yards, he needs to make damn sure he gets the five yards. He is the heart and soul of this team and it’s magic when the ball touches his hand.

When Alex Smith has a successful running game, he seems to be successful through the air. This seems to be the case with most quarterbacks, but as we all know, Smith’s biggest weakness is his inability to consistently stretch the field. It thus stands to reason that the better Charles plays, the better Smith plays and thus, the better the Chiefs will do this season.

This is my take, Addicts! I really believe that if all four of these “musts” can be accomplished, the Chiefs can truly turn around this season and make a playoff run. I’d like to hear what you think. What are the Chiefs’ “musts” heading into the season? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time, Addicts!

The Kansas City Chiefs haven’t drafted Geno Smith, nor have they given any realistic indication they intend to and yet there still seems to be a quarterback controversy in the BBQ City. Chiefs’ head coach, Andy Reid, made it clear that Alex Smith is the starting quarterback. He further backed that up saying Smith is the guy he has wanted since the day he was hired to coach the team. Most of the Chiefs’ fan base has accepted this as fact. However, there is still a portion of “Chiefs Kingdom” who will “boo” any selection made with the first overall pick of the NFL Draft that doesn’t rhyme with “Dino Fifth.”

I’m okay with that. I like a little disparity in my fandom. I think having a bunch of “homers” who blindly follow the establishment doesn’t make for a very passionate bunch of fans. The problem is “Team Geno” is using flawed logic and half-truths as facts to back up the argument that the younger Smith is a better quarterback than the elder.

If I may, I’d like to address a few of those “facts” right now.

Fact #1: Statistically speaking, Geno Smith is a superior quarterback to Alex Smith.

To compare the younger Smith’s excellent collegiate statistics with the older Smith’s sub-par NFL stats makes as much as sense as comparing Chiefs fans to Raider fans. They are so different they shouldn’t even be in the same sentence. If one truly wants to compare stats, then the numbers should come from the same body of work — namely each Smith’s senior year in college.

In 2012, Geno Smith led the West Virginia Mountaineers through 12 regular season games and the Pin Stripe Bowl. During those 12 regular season games, his record was 7-5. He attempted 490 passes and completed 350 of them for an impressive 71.4% completion rate. His total passing yardage in the regular season was 4004 yards. He threw for an amazing 40 touchdowns on the season and was only picked off six times. In addition to that, he rushed for 155 yards and two more TDs. All in all, a pretty impressive stat line for a young man getting ready to leave college behind and enter the NFL.

Turning to Alex Smith, he was the starting signal caller for the Utah Utes in 2004. During that year, he started all 11 regular season games, and then led his team to a victory in the Fiesta Bowl. The Utes were undefeated in the 2004 season, winning every game by at least 17 points. Alex attempted 317 passes and completed 214 of them for a well above average 67.5% completion rate. His total distance through the air was 2952 yards. He threw 32 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions on the season. In addition to his arm, he used his legs to add 631 yards on the ground, reaching pay dirt 10 times. All in all, Alex Smith was a much better college quarterback than he’s shown in the pros.

However, there’s a bit more to Geno’s stats than meets the eye.

Geno Smith is the king of “throw short and hope for YAC” (yards after catch.) I’m not saying the short game with YAC is bad. In fact, Alex is in this category as well, especially in a “West Coast Offense,” but since “Team Geno” is claiming Geno is so much more superior to Alex, it’s worth mentioning this.

The younger Smith had the benefit of throwing to two of the most prolific wide receivers in college football this past year. Tavon Austin and Steadman Bailey combined for 2760 of Geno’s 4004 yards through the air, and an incredible 35 of his 40 touchdowns. Of the 2760 yards combined from his two primary receivers, over half of those (1462 yards) were YAC yards. Why is that significant? It shows that Geno Smith is not necessarily the high flying, long-ball, deep-threat quarterback the “Team Geno” homers would have you think he is.

Looking at Alex Smith’s paltry 2952 yards through the air lends one to ask the question, who was he throwing to? Honestly, I had no idea and had to look it up. Where Geno’s favorite targets, Austin and Bailey, are slated to go within the first three rounds of the 2013 NFL Draft, Alex Smith’s primary receivers had no NFL careers to speak of.

Paris Warren caught 80 of Alex Smith’s passes during the 2004 season with the Utes. He racked up just over 1000 yards receiving and 12 TDs. However, that is pretty much where Warren’s glory ended. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and never really caught on.

Steve Savoy was Alex Smith’s second favorite target during the 2004 season. He caught 67 of Smith’s passes for 11 TDs. Unless you are a Utah Ute fan, (or an avid Wikipedia reader) you’ve probably never heard of Steve Savoy. He left college as a sophomore, received special eligibility to enter the 2005 NFL Draft, and expected to get selected in the third round. He never got the call and ended up signing as an undrafted free agent with the Detroit Lions. He was cut after the third preseason game and never saw the inside of an NFL locker room again.

Who is catching the ball is nearly just as important as who is throwing it. The quality of receivers on the other end of Geno Smith’s passes definitely increased – some would say inflated – his stats during the 2012 season. If you add all the YAC that his two primary receivers added up, the younger Smith isn’t all that much more impressive than the older one.

Fact #2: Alex Smith is nothing more than another San Fransisco 49er backup cast off to Kansas City.

I don’t know why so many people seem to think Alex Smith is a 49er backup. Is everyone’s memory so short that they don’t remember two seasons ago when the 49ers were a Kyle Williams fumble away from beating the Giants and going to the Superbowl? In no way, shape, or form did Alex Smith have anything to do with Williams’ fumble that cost the 49ers the NFC championship. Further, people seem to forget the fact that Alex Smith began this past season as the 49ers’ starter and had better than a 70% completion percentage before going out with a concussion. Enter Colin Kaepernick, and the rest is history.

I’m not taking anything away from the 49ers and their Superbowl run. Obviously 49ers head coach, Jim Harbaugh, made the right choice as Kaepernick is an outstanding and talented quarterback. I wish the Chiefs would have had the foresight to draft him. I am saying that the same thing happened to Alex Smith that happened to Joe Montana that happened to Drew Bledsoe that happened to Drew Brees that happened to countless other quarterbacks over the history of the NFL. They were playing well and then they got hurt. Their backup stepped up, played at a high level and the coaching staff decided to stay with the “hot hand.” This makes Alex Smith the victim of a bad situation, not “another SF back up.”

Fact #3:  Geno Smith will be a more successful NFL quarterback than Alex Smith.

Who knows? There may be truth to this one. I’m a blogger, not a fortune teller so I can’t say for sure. Alex Smith’s professional numbers have not been what most consider worthy of a No. 1 overall pick; that is for certain. However, is there more to being a successful quarterback than just 4500 yards passing and 40 TDs a season?

There is no argument that the quarterback position is probably one of the most unique positions in sports today. No other popular, organized sport has a position that stands up to the QB. They are the team leader, on-field coach, coordinator and the captain all rolled into one. It takes a special intellect and attitude to play the position. Some are good at it. Some are great at it. Some…well not so much. The qualities of a great quarterback are intangible. A lot of what separates a good QB from a great QB and allows a substandard QB to settle at the bottom is the leadership of a good, offensive minded coach and good work ethic by the player. The quarterback needs to be the first one in the building in the morning and they should be turning out the lights when they leave. They need to work harder and be smarter than everyone on the team. That’s where the two Smiths seem to separate.

“(Geno Smith is) not a student of the game. Nonchalant field presence — does not command respect from teammates and cannot inspire. Mild practice demeanor — no urgency. Not committed or focused — marginal work ethic. Interviewed poorly at the combine and did not show an understanding of concepts on the white board. Opted not to compete at the Senior Bowl and has approached offseason training as if he has already arrived, and it shows in his body with minimal muscle definition or strength. …

– Nolan Nawrocki

Those are harsh words coming from a respected draft scout. Watch him, though. Don’t settle for a 17 minute “Geno Smith’s Greatest Hits” video. Watch some real tape on him. He’s not a fighter. He’s not a leader. Do you think his stats would have been so inflated if his team wasn’t playing from behind half the season?

There is a power vacuum in the Chiefs’ locker room this year. Alex Smith has already stepped up and filled the void. It’s as simple as that. It takes more than a big arm and inflated stats to be a quarterback in this league. Look at JaMarcus Russel. Look at Ryan Leaf. These two were great, huge-stat, quarterbacks in college who tanked in the NFL because they had no leadership or poise.

The key to all of this is, Dorsey and Reid wanted to find a winning quarterback. Not only that, but Reid wanted a quarterback who can lead his team to victory, especially in the face of adversity. In 2011, Alex Smith led his team to a 13-3 record. In the post season, he proved it wasn’t a fluke by winning the divisional round game against the New Orleans Saints in true clutch fashion. He didn’t hand the ball off to running back, Frank Gore and hope for the best. He didn’t rely on someone else to win the game. He went out, took charge of his team and won it.

In case you don’t remember, it went like this:

The 49ers received the ball with 1:37 on the clock and down by three points. Alex Smith snapped his chinstrap, bit down on his mouth-guard and led his team on an 85 yard drive that was capped off with Smith hitting tight end Vernon Davis in the end-zone for a touchdown with :09 seconds left on the clock. On that drive, Smith threw seven passes (one attempt was a spike to stop the clock) and completed five of them, including the 14 yard strike to Davis to win the game.

During that game – hell, during that season — Alex Smith never said quit and never said die. He led his team. He was clutch when he needed to be clutch. That’s the kind of quarterback I want on this team. It’s a trait that’s been missing from around here for a long time. It’s a trait Geno Smith has never shown.

Reid and Dorsey are on the clock, and I’m not talking about the one at the draft. The drought since a playoff win has now hit 20 seasons. The Chiefs’ fans want to win, the Hunt family wants to win, the players who are here want to win and Alex Smith absolutely gives them the best chance to do that. I’m convinced of it. The only question is, are you? Let me know what you think.

Until next time, Addicts!

Apr 26, 2012; New York, NY, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell speaks at the start of the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013 NFL Draft will soon be upon us and the last time the first pick of the first round was this uncertain was the whole Eli Manning-to-the-Chargers debacle. For the last few years the team with the first pick has been open and vocal about who they would choose and there was absolutely no suspense leading up to the moment when Commissioner Roger Goodell approached the stage and uttered the famous words: “With the first pick of the NFL draft…”

This year, it’s all different. While the Kansas City Chiefs sit in the driver’s seat with the No. 1 overall pick, they’ve been very tight lipped about who exactly they have in mind for the pick. The only clue they’ve given the fans at large is the insight that head coach Andy Reid and GM John Dorsey are evaluating approximately ten players to pick with that opening selection. However, there are more picks than just the first one to worry about. Reid, Dorsey and their scouting staff have quite the job in evaluating players leading up to the big day on April 25^th. Currently, the Chiefs’ draft order looks like this:

Round 1: Pick 1

Round 3: Pick 63

Round 3: Pick 96

Round 4: Pick 99

Round 5: Pick 134

Round 6: Pick 170

Round 6: Pick 204

Round 7: Pick 207

If you didn’t feel like counting, that’s eight picks in all. The second third-round pick and the second sixth-round pick are compensatory picks awarded for the loss of Brandon Carr and… ahem… Barry “Turnstile” Richardson in free agency last year. Also, in case you’ve been living under a rock for the past three months and you didn’t know, the reason the Chiefs don’t have a second-round pick is because the duo of Reid and Dorsey have effectively already used that pick by trading it to the San Francisco 49ers for the services of new starting quarterback, Alex Smith.

However, the Chiefs aren’t resigned to this fate. In fact, there’s a very good possibility they might not even make the first pick at all. There are several teams picking in the top-ten of this year’s draft who have issues at the quarterback position. The Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets have all expressed some level of interest in moving on from their current signal caller. Some teams have shown higher levels of interest than others and are more desperate than their quarterback starved colleagues. The Bills are perhaps the worst-off in the bunch.

In the game of QB-Monte that has been the standard during this off-season, the Bills signed former Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, Kevin Kolb, to a two year deal worth around $12 to $13 million, depending on what source you listen to. While that is a step in the right direction of shoring up their QB depth chart, that contract is nowhere near “starter money.” The Raiders announced earlier this morning they have finalized a trade with the Seattle Seahawks for the services of quarterback, Matt Flynn. As with the other scenarios, Flynn’s large contract was an issue, which is why the finalization of the trade has taken so long. With Flynn giving up his neon green and blue for black and silver, the Cardinals and the Raiders just finalized a trade sending Carson Palmer to Arizona. Palmer is set to make $20 million in the next two years indicating the Cardinals are out of the QB sweepstakes. The point is, none of these teams are willing to overpay a guy who might not be the opening day starter under center. That makes them all possible landing spots for the undisputed “best QB in the draft,” Geno Smith.

This leaves Buffalo as the most likely landing spot for Geno Smith. The Bills have expressed interest in him and may be the most willing of the top-ten teams to make the plunge and trade up to the top of the pile in order to secure him before another team (like Oakland, Jacksonville or even the Chiefs) can get their hands on him. If that happened, the price would be hefty, but doable.

The cost of such a trade would most likely be a swap of first-round picks (Buffalo picks eighth) the Bills’ second-round pick and their 2014 first-round pick. This scenario is considerably cheaper than the big trade of last season in which the Washington Redskins surrendered three total first-round picks and a second-round pick to the St. Louis Rams in order to secure the No. 2 overall pick and the services of Robert Griffin III.

The next scenario regarding the Chiefs’ draft day strategy is the trade of franchised left tackle, Branden Albert. Things have heated up in this arena over the last couple of days as Albert has said publicly he wants to know if he’s being traded and won’t show up to voluntary workouts until he gets word of his status with the team. We know the Chiefs want at least a second-round pick this year and the next. We also know from previous reports that the Miami Dolphins expressed interest in Albert’s services and have mulled a possible trade. So, for the purposes of this “best case scenario” we’ll say that Miami is the most likely trade partner and they’re willing to part with both of their second-round picks in this year’s draft to replace the hole left by the departure of their left tackle, Jake Long.

These two trades could create a “perfect storm” of draft day magic for the Chiefs. Their draft order would now look like this:

Round 1: Pick 8 (From Buffalo)

Round 2: Pick 41 (From Buffalo)

Round 2: Pick 42 (From Miami)

Round 2: Pick 54 (From Miami)

Round 3: Pick 63

Round 3: Pick 96

Round 4: Pick 99

Round 5: Pick 134

Round 6: Pick 170

Round 6: Pick 204

Round 7: Pick 207

By doing this, the Chiefs would gain three second-round picks this year and a first rounder next year which would go to further the Reid/Dorsey philosophy of “building through the draft.”

But, what do the Chiefs do with these draft picks? There are ultimately a million different scenarios involving what players fall where, and what other teams do. Since we’re dealing with hypotheticals, I’ve done a mock draft using the Chiefs’ modified draft picks.

To set the stage for the first-round pick, I mocked out the seven teams picking before the Chiefs and the two teams after. For the rest of the Chiefs’ picks, I used the Big Draft Board at www.drafttek.com and used the rules of only moving “up” five positions but dropping down as far as I needed.

Here is my mock of the first ten overall picks:

1. Buffalo Bills

Geno Smith

QB, West Virginia

2. Jacksonville Jaguars

Dion Jordan

OLB, Oregon

3. Oakland Raiders

Shariff Floyd

DT, Florida

4. Philadelphia Eagles

Luke Joeckel

OT, Texas A & M

5. Detroit Lions

Ezekial “Ziggy” Ansah

DE, BYU

6. Cleveland Browns

Dee Milner

CB, Alabama

7. Arizona Cardinals

Eric Fisher

OT, Central Michigan

 8. Kansas City Chiefs

Lane Johnson

OT, Oklahoma

9. New York Jets

Jarvis Jones

OLB, Georgia

10. Tennessee Titans

Chance Warmack

OG, Alabama

I used the mock draft page at www.nfl.com and used the average of each of those mock drafts to pick the players for the other teams. I took into account, of course, the fact that the Chiefs and the Bills switched spots.

Now, here is my full Chiefs’ mock draft complete with short explanations of each pick:

Round 1: Pick 8 (From Buffalo)

Lane Johnson, OT – Oklahoma

With Joeckel falling to the Eagles to protect Michael Vick and Fisher going to Arizona to protect Drew Stanton or Carson Palmer (or whoever is calling plays in Sun Devil Stadium this year), the Chiefs are forced to take Lane Johnson. The last time three offensive tackles were taken in the top-ten picks of the draft was 2002, so it’s obvious that it doesn’t happen very often. The fact is, all three of this year’s top tackles are rated very high across the board by multiple draft experts (and I’m not talking about Scott Pioli) so that should tell you something. Johnson isn’t that far behind Joeckel and Fisher in skill and will work nicely with this former college teammate, Donald Stephenson, who could potentially start at right tackle next season if the Chiefs can’t sign a free agent to step in. Johnson is a day one starter and the clear replacement for Branden Albert.

Round 2: Pick 41 (From Buffalo)

Zach Ertz, TE – Stanford

The Chiefs have some talent already on the roster at the tight end position with fourth year man, Tony Moeaki and newly signed free agent, Anthony Fasano. Zach Ertz could come in and start day one over both of them. He’s a big, pass catching tight end who’s decent in the run-blocking game as well. One thing quarterback Alex Smith has struggled with in years past is scoring in the red zone. Having a big target like Ertz could only help the Chiefs score 6 instead of 3 inside the 20 yard line.

Round 2: Pick 42 (From Miami)

Arthur Brown, ILB – Kansas State

Probably the biggest need the Chiefs didn’t address during the free agency frenzy was the inside linebacker position next to Derrick Johnson. Last season the late Jovan Belcher filled the role. I’m not intending to speak ill of the dead, but he wasn’t that good. His replacement, Brandon Siler, wasn’t all that hot either. The Chiefs need a hard-thumping, quick-moving, run-stopper at this position who can also drop into pass coverage from time to time. I’ve watched some tape of Brown and he could be that guy.

Round 2: Pick 54 (From Miami)

William Gholston, DE – Michigan State

Say what you want about Glenn Dorsey, but losing him to the 49ers was a bit of a blow. I was really rooting for him to sign a long-term deal with the Chiefs and come back in red and gold in 2013. Having him walk has left a significant hole on the right side of the defensive line. If you combine that with the apparent lack of interest Reid and Dorsey have in re-signing Shaun “Big Perv” Smith and the fact that Ropati Pitoitua is relocating to the “Music City” after signing with the Tennessee Titans, the team needs a big defensive end to step in. At this draft position, Gholston could be a run-stopping day one starter.

Round 3: Pick 63

Kyle Long, OT – Oregon

When the Chiefs released Eric Winston in move based on a “difference of philosophy,” the team created a large hole for themselves. I said earlier that second year man, Donald Stephenson, could step in and start in the right tackle position, and I think he could. However, the competition of a good rookie in Long could only help drive the level of Stephenson’s play even higher. Long comes from the spread offense of Chip Kelly’s last gig, which means he would hold up a bit better as a pass-blocker than your average right tackle. I’m not saying he’s a day one starter, but he absolutely could be. Either way, it adds depth at perhaps the most important (and most uncertain) group in the Chiefs’ offense.

Round 3: Pick 96

Jonathon Bostic, ILB – Florida

If there’s one thing this year’s draft class has, it’s defensive depth. Whether a team is looking for defensive line, line backers or defensive secondary, there are plenty of young, above average talent to go around in the middle rounds. Jonathon Bostic is one of those men. Taking two inside linebackers within the first three rounds could be an unpopular decision. The Chiefs’ need at the inside linebacker position is likely the biggest need on their roster. This is a safe pick if for depth, if nothing else.

Round 4: Pick 99

Devin Taylor, DE – South Carolina

As the draft reaches the top end of 100 picks, most teams are picking for depth over hidden gem superstars. Rarely is a starting player found in the second of half of the draft. I already have the Chiefs taking a defensive end, but if Taylor falls to the Chiefs here, they should pick him up. At 6’7”, he is taller than most and by rotating him in on third down (likely passing situations) and having him extend his arms, he could be a ball swatter in the mold of J.J. Watt. I can dream, at least.

Round 5: Pick 134

Knile Davis, FB – Arkansas

Remember Tony Richardson and Kimble Anders? Me too. Those are about the last fullbacks on the Chiefs roster I could tell you by name. (That’s not entirely true, I know last year it was Patrick Di’Marco, but that’s not my point.) Fullbacks aren’t glamorous and generally you don’t hear the words “franchise” and “fullback” used in the same sentence. Jamaal Charles could really use a big bruiser to bust open a hole for him so he can break those 50 yard touchdown runs we all love to watch. I was hoping they would use Peyton Hillis in this capacity last year. I like Shaun Draughn and Cyrus Gray as back-ups to Charles, but the Chiefs need a bruiser who can maybe catch a pass out of the backfield on occasion. Davis is the guy for the job.

Round 6 Pick 170

Josh Evans, FS – Florida

If the Chiefs are looking for depth at round six, Josh Evans could come in and provide just that as well as some competition for Kendrick Lewis. I’ve read in a couple of different places that Reid possibly intends to use newly signed defensive back Dunta Robinson at free safety. This seems to be a pattern with him and moving around players to positions they aren’t used to playing (see offensive line) and Josh Evans is no Sabby Piscitelli, but I think he could be a good rotational and special teams player.

Round 6: Pick 204

Ace Sanders, WR – South Carolina

Honestly, the only reason I picked Ace Sanders is because he’s fast, and his name is Ace. How cool would it be to have a guy named Ace on the Chiefs? Especially if his number was 1. I would buy that jersey. Ace Sanders. I didn’t make that up.

It would be cool. Ok, that’s all I’ve really got to say about that.

Round 7: Pick 207

Spencer Nealy, DE – Texas A & M

Nealy is really a depth move and a guy that may or may not make the 53 man roster. He’s a big defensive end, and could provide some depth in some sub-package sets. Otherwise, he’s a project that could end up on the practice squad.

That’s it, Addicts! That’s my mock draft utilizing what I believe the best case scenario for the Chiefs on draft day. I’d love to see your mocks using these picks. Use the www.drafttek.com draft board and you can only reach up the board by five picks and you can go as deep as you want. Let’s see you put your GM hat on! Good luck!

The Kansas City Chiefs will throw the ball in 2013. If you don’t believe me, just ask the new head coach, Andy Reid. He’s a passing coach. He grooms quarterbacks and makes receivers into superstars. It’s what he does. Reid and new Chiefs GM, John Dorsey, have done everything they can on the offensive side of the ball to improve the Chiefs’ dismal passing attack during the 2012 season. They have secured the services of a starting caliber quarterback who has not only been to the playoffs, but has won in January. They’ve re-signed the Chiefs’ best receiver and paid him top dollar. Once the free agency period hit, Reid and Dorsey didn’t break the bank, but they had a plan and that included finding a fast receiver who can “take the top off the defense.” They believe they found that in newly signed wide receiver, Donnie Avery. The Chiefs will absolutely throw the ball in 2013. The question is, how well will they do it and will Reid’s offense work with the players on the Chiefs’ roster?

For the Chiefs to be successful, all the components have to fit together. Alex Smith must maintain the accuracy that everyone is talking about. Bowe has to catch the balls that are thrown his way and then do something with the pigskin to move it up field. This mysterious “best five” offensive line has to give Smith the time to get the ball to the right receiver. Finally, Jamaal Charles has to do what he does and break a 40 or 50 yard run every now and then to keep the opposing defenses honest. All that said, do the Chiefs really have the pieces it will take to pass the ball successfully this season? Let’s take a look at some of the major players in Reid’s new “passing offense.”

I would hardly call Dwayne Bowe a question mark. The man has shown in his six seasons with the Chiefs he is a versatile receiver. He has had passes thrown to him from seven different quarterbacks and still has managed to secure the Chiefs’ franchise record for touchdown receptions in a single season. That’s a pretty lofty feat for a team that used to count tight end Tony Gonzales as one of their players. The only question mark that plants itself squarely on Dwayne Bowe’s back is what will he do now that he has the big contract he’s been searching for. He’s getting paid top five receiver money. Will he show up and be a top five receiver?

Dexter McCluster was drafted to the Chiefs’ roster to be a playmaker. I don’t think Todd Haley and Scott Pioli truly knew what they were getting when they called the diminutive athlete’s number with the 36^th overall pick in the 2010 draft. While McCluster’s numbers haven’t been as stellar as many would think fitting for a high second round pick (984 receiving yards in 42 games with three touchdowns) many would attribute that to McCluster not being used properly. Reid seems to have a plan for #22 and spoke very highly of him in a recent interview.

I kind of like him. He’s not the biggest guy in the world, but he’s got a heart of a lion. He’s got that MO, tremendous quickness and can catch. He’s pretty good at running the football, so there is a place for him. You line him up everywhere. You can move him around and kind of do some unique things with him.

Andy Reid’s words bode well for DMC’s future with the Chiefs organization. I don’t see him being a late off-season cut or casualty of the new administration in Kansas City.

Newly acquired free agent Donnie Avery is a bit of a wildcard. Many Chiefs fans (me included) were scratching their heads after this signing was announced. I found myself searching up YouTube to find any tape I could on Reid and Dorsey’s new toy. I didn’t have to search any further than the Indianapolis Colts played vs. Detroit Lions game last December. Let me recap it for you. The Colts needed a touchdown to beat the Lions and as time expired, rookie quarterback Andrew Luck found Donnie Avery on a slant route. Avery pulled the ball in and hit the accelerator. With his speed, there was no way he would allow the Lions’ secondary to catch him. Game over. The Chiefs need that “clutch” player on their team. I’m hoping they found it. Time will tell, I suppose.

Perhaps the biggest question mark in the passing offense is third year receiver, Jon Baldwin. Last year during pre-season, as Dwayne Bowe was skipping training camp due to not having a contract in place, Baldwin got most of the reps with the first team. Blogs and tweets were running rampant with news of the amazing, one-handed, circus catches that Baldwin was making in camp. Everyone forgave the former first round pick for his disappointing rookie season. Fans blamed the lockout and the lack of an offseason for his less than stellar first year. Last year was going to be Baldwin’s year…or not. He fell flat and didn’t live up to even the most conservative of expectations. Baldwin cannot afford to have another year like the last two.

Andy Reid is ready to win now. In his offense, that means catching passes and scoring touchdowns. The entire mindset of the Chiefs team is about to change. Reid and Dorsey have proven in the short time they’ve been a part of this organization they’re willing to make tough decisions and do what it takes. To think Reid will change his entire offense because Kansas City has traditionally been a “run first” team is silly. I love Jamaal Charles and I love watching him hit the edge or find a seam and burn an opposing defense for a 50 or 60 yard touchdown run. But, there is nothing better than holding your breath when the game is on the line and a pass is in the air, waiting to see the spectacular catch and ultimate touchdown on the other end. The Chiefs will throw the ball this season…and I can’t wait.

That’s how I see it Addicts. What say you?

Feb 22, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey speaks at a press conference during the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

When the 2012 NFL season ended in a disappointing 2-14 record for the Kansas City Chiefs, the one silver lining was the fact they had earned the first overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. While the class of quarterbacks is significantly lower than recent years (read: Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Cam Newton, etc.) the Chiefs were certain that no matter who was running the show at One Arrowhead Drive, they would draft a quarterback. When the new head coach was introduced as Andy Reid, fans rejoiced at the news, knowing Reid’s history and what he could do with young quarterbacks (read: Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick.) When Clark Hunt introduced his new general manager as John Dorsey of Green Bay Packer fame, fans practically began salivating at the thought of Geno Smith in a Chiefs jersey. After all, this was the guy who drafted Aaron Rodgers. Right?

With news of the Alex Smith trade with the San Francisco 49ers, along with a Dorsey press conference where he downplayed the caliber of college quarterbacks in this year’s draft, the hopes that the Smith starting under center this season would be wearing #12, and not #11 were dashed. At that point, everyone was pretty certain what the Chiefs would be doing in the draft. Add this to the fact that the duo had signed Drew Brees’ understudy, Chase Daniel, to hold Alex Smith’s clipboard this season, and the chance of the Chiefs drafting a QB in any round higher than four are pretty much nil. While some still hold onto hope that Dorsey and Reid will call Smith’s (Geno that is) number on April 25^th, I think we can all call that a pipe-dream at this point.

The consensus from most draft experts on who will be picked number one has  focused mainly on the exceptional crop of offensive linemen in this year’s class. Most experts are convinced the Chiefs will either draft Luke Joeckel from Texas A & M, Eric Fisher from Central Michigan or Lane Johnson from Oklahoma. This theory has gained even more steam after the Chiefs released Eric Winston. However, in a surprising move, the Chiefs leadership signed offensive tackle Geoff Schwartz from the Vikings at the end of the week. This may have been a depth move as Schwartz hasn’t been a full-time starter in the NFL as of yet, or perhaps the duo of Dorsey and Reid may see something in him that other teams haven’t and have him pegged as their “day one” starter at the right tackle position. With the young talent already on the offensive line in Kansas City, it would seem a waste to bring in another lineman, regardless of the talent level in the draft.

So as the free agency period has gone from shopping at Macy’s to shopping at K-Mart in the level of talent and value, the ultimate question remains. What do the Chiefs do with the coveted number one overall pick? While many think the Chiefs will draft the best player available, signs seem to be pointing more and more to the Chiefs trading out of the number one slot. Who should they trade with and what could that trade bring? Let’s take a look at some possibilities.

In examining possible trade scenarios one would have to think that unless the deal was overinflated and too good not to pass up, the Chiefs would probably not want to trade out of the top ten picks. Looking at the teams in the top ten, there are a few who have a significant need at quarterback. While it’s been said again and again Geno Smith isn’t worth the number one pick, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To a team without a starting caliber quarterback, it would seem that not picking up a signal caller is more risky than over-reaching and drafting one with the top pick. Of the teams in the top ten, four teams (Jacksonville, Oakland, Arizona and Buffalo) have a significant need at quarterback and a fifth team (Philadelphia) has expressed great interest in Geno Smith.

The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted signal caller Blaine Gabbert two years ago, in 2011, with the tenth overall pick in the draft. His performance has been less than inspiring. As such, they may be ready to scrap the Gabbert experiment and move on to another quarterback. As the Jaguars draft in the number two position, the only way they would trade to move up is if they were that desperate to dump Gabbert (which I’m not 100 percent sold on) and if they seriously thought the Chiefs might draft Smith away from them. The eventuality of both of these scenarios is slim, not making them a likely trade partner.

The next team with a quarterback need is the Oakland Raiders drafting in the third position. I will only say that if Reid and Dorsey trade with the Raiders and allow them to get Smith, their career in Kansas City will most likely end before it starts. The goal here should be to keep Smith away from Oakland as much as anything else.

The Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback woes have been about as well publicized as the Kansas City Chiefs’. Just like the Chiefs, they had more than one starter at quarterback last year. Just like the Chiefs, they just released one of those starters from last season, Kevin Kolb. And, just like the Chiefs, they used the off-season to bring in another quarterback. The free agent they signed is Drew Stanton, former back up to the rookie phenomenon Andrew Luck in Indianapolis. Whether or not Stanton is to be the future of the Arizona franchise remains to be seen. However, the team has indicated Stanton was brought in to start, especially considering the ties Stanton has with new Cardinals’ head coach, Bruce Arians whose previous job was offensive coordinator with the Colts. All in all, the Cardinals don’t seem willing to give up the farm to trade into the number one position.

There have been reports this last week, that the Philadelphia Eagles were not only present at the West Virginia pro-day, but put Geno Smith through a “grueling” workout. The Eagles, under new leadership of Chip Kelly, seem to be collecting quarterbacks. Previous starter, Michael Vick is still under contract as is second year man Nick Foles who was drafted by the Chiefs’ own Andy Reid during his tenure there. Additionally, the Eagles signed quarterback Dennis Dixson, a former Kelly protégé, indicating they are full at the QB position. All these factors point to the fact that their pro-day interest in Smith is nothing more than a bluff, as they likely won’t spend a high, first round pick on a quarterback.

A trade with the Buffalo Bills offers a mutually beneficial scenario. In case you aren’t glued to Twitter and the NFL Network like I’ve been the last week (much to my wife’s chagrin, by the way) you may not know that the Bills cut their starting quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The move leaves the Bills with Tarvaris Jackson as their starting quarterback. In a QB starved market the Bills will likely be looking to the draft to find their hope. The only problem is, currently they’re scheduled to draft eighth overall. This could create a problem for them in getting the best QB available, which I think at this point everyone universally agrees is Geno Smith, because Jacksonville, Oakland, Philadelphia and Arizona draft in front of them and all three could potentially have interest in and draft Geno Smith.

The Bills are desperate at this point and could potentially be the most likely trade partner with the Chiefs in order to snag their franchise QB. In doing this, the Chiefs could stand to gain a substantial amount of picks. If you use last year’s trade for the #2 overall pick between the St. Louis Rams and the Washington Redskins as a guide, the teams swapped picks in the first round and the Redskins gave up their second round pick as well as their 2013 first rounder and their 2014 first rounder.

Now, I don’t think the Bills are quite as desperate to get Geno Smith as the Skins were to draft RGIII, but I don’t think swapping first rounders, a second rounder this year and next year’s second round pick are completely out of the question. That could put the Chiefs in a pretty good spot moving forward. Dorsey and Reid have both said they intend to build this team through the draft. This would be the way to do it. As an added benefit, the sting many fans are feeling from the two picks spent on Alex Smith would be significantly lessened if we gained these picks back in a trade out of the top spot.

If the Chiefs pulled off this trade, they would still most likely be able to get one of the linemen they’ve had their eye on throughout this process. Lane Johnson is projected to go at around the 11^th pick, so they would be able to get their hands on him, at least. Depending on how the rest of the board fell, they might even be able to swing Fisher. Regardless, it would be the best possible scenario for the team to fall into.

I know there are potentially dozens of scenarios that could play out in the month and a half leading up to the draft. If there’s one you think more likely than outlined here, please let me know. I’d love to hear some of the ideas that are floating around out there.

Whichever way this shakes out, it’s going to be interesting to watch. It’s not even April yet and I already can’t wait to smell wings cooking and taste ice cold beer on a Sunday afternoon. I went crazy with my predictions last year and how I thought the Chiefs were going to perform after what I thought was a great free agency. I’m cautiously optimistic this year, but I’m not declaring us Superbowl bound quite yet. I’ve come to learn, as many of you have, that the truth is in winning football games. We haven’t had a whole lot of truth around here in a while. Here’s hoping this year we don’t get lied to again.

That’s how I see it Addicts. What say you?

At the middle of last season, Clark Hunt’s name was not very popular around Chiefs Kingdom. Many fans (myself included) thought that the CEO of the Kansas City Chiefs was stingy, uninvolved and generally didn’t care about the franchise. Many were questioning the late, great Lamar Hunt’s wisdom in leaving his most prized possession, the Kansas City Chiefs, in the hands of spoiled children. I mean, Clark didn’t have the greatest track record. In the 35 years that Lamar Hunt was the owner and chairman of the Kansas City Chiefs, they had 18 winning seasons (starting when the AFL officially merged with the NFL in 1970 and not counting seasons where they had a .500 record.) Since Clark took over the reins from his father in 2006, the Chiefs have had two winning seasons. Those aren’t good odds, and it doesn’t speak well for Clark Hunt.

King Carl Peterson was hired by the father of the AFL to be the general manager and team president of the Kansas City Chiefs franchise in 1989. During that time, he hired four head coaches and drove the ship through the ups and downs. When Lamar died in December 2006, Clark decided to keep his father’s choice for GM on board. That was his first mistake as the chairman and CEO of the Chiefs. Peterson went on to hire the man we like to refer to as “Harm” Edwards, arguably one of the worst coaches in the history of the franchise. Romeo Crennel may actually come close to that title, but he only had one season to under-perform. Peterson and Clark Hunt gave Harm three whole seasons to dig the Chiefs into a hole.

Clark’s next biggest mistake, was the hiring of the “Smooth Talker from New England,” Scott Pioli. After 20 years under the King Carl era, Chiefs fans were ready for a change. Sayings like “In Pioli we trust” permeated the Chiefs’ fandom. We didn’t bat an eye (or at least most of us didn’t) when he brought in the gruff, unorthodox offensive coordinator from the previous year’s NFC Champion, Arizona Cardinals, to be the new head coach. Todd Haley brought with him an attitude the Chiefs hadn’t seen in sometime. Further, we didn’t even flinch (again,  most of us didn’t) when the team traded the 34^th overall pick (déjà vu, anyone?) to the Patriots for Matt Cassel and Mike “Intangibles” Vrabel. Under Haley’s leadership and Cassel’s QB play, during the 2010 season the team took home something they hadn’t in seven years, the AFC West Championship.

However, when the Chiefs came out flat in their first playoff appearance since 2006, it didn’t take a degree in psychology to see there was a rift between the GM and head coach. That rift widened the following season when, instead of making a run at repeating their 2010 season, the Chiefs lost the first three games, or in the words of Todd Haley, went 1-3 in the first quarter of the season. The all-out train wreck that was the 2011 Kansas City Chiefs continued to fly down the track when starting QB Matt Cassel (who had the made the Pro Bowl the year prior, albeit as an alternate,) was placed on injured reserve. The best QB the disheveled coach could field was Tyler Palko. That failed experiment ended in the firing of Haley and the emergence of Crennel as the Chiefs’ interim head coach. Crennel quickly replaced Palko with QB Kyle Orton, who the Chiefs had picked up off the waiver wire when “Tebow Time” was first starting. Thankfully, Palko never took a professional snap again. Although it was reported that after the 2011 season when he was released by the Chiefs he started a career at Payless Shoe Source, there is no validity to the rumor. An internet search of “where is Palko” returned no results, indicating not even Google cares where this guy is. But, I digress.

At the beginning of last season, there were high hopes once again. Scott Pioli removed the “interim” tag from Romeo Crennel’s head coach title. The players seemed re-invigorated and there was almost a “ding dong, the witch is dead” mentality surrounding the abrupt departure of Todd Haley. Although Pioli didn’t “go big” in free agency, he signed some talent to help provide depth at some positions of need. Again, during the draft, no huge splash was made, but depth was added to what was considered by most to be a talented roster. Around the league, the Kansas City Chiefs were the trendy pick to win the AFC West, despite Peyton Manning’s arrival in the Mile High City.

Then the bottom fell out. I won’t waste more words telling you what happened next. Even the youngest fan has the image of loss after humiliating loss burned into their memory. It was probably the worst season the Chiefs have ever put together. (The Chiefs have had three, two-win seasons in the lifetime of the franchise: 1977, 2008 and 2012.)Scott Pioli continued to spout sound bites for ESPN and the NFL Network that consisted of his go-to catchphrases. We heard that “it’s a process” and things would level out, but they never did. They just kept going downhill. Fast. Enter the “Save Our Chiefs” movement. Still Pioli continued to smooth talk the reporters. The Chiefs didn’t hold a lead in regulation play for the first seven games of the season. A plane was flown over Arrowhead Stadium declaring what the Chiefs fans thought of the GM and the starting QB. Nothing. In fact, it took a tragedy to spark enough emotion in the players to pull out their second and final win of the season. It was terrible. Romeo Crennel was, thankfully, the first casualty of “Black Monday” and many thought Pioli would quickly follow.

We are all Chiefs fans here. Why did I just use over 800 words to tell you the recent history of the Kansas City Chiefs when many of you know it as well or better than I do? To make my point. Through all of this, Clark Hunt did nothing. Absolutely nothing. It took some dedicated Chief fans to pay their money out of their own pockets to fly a plane over the stadium for him to even slightly take notice.

Then, something amazing happened. The debacle that was the 2012 season came to end; Crennel’s coaching tenure came to an end and Clark Hunt stood up and made himself heard. He flew to Philly and met with then, just-deposed Eagle head coach, Andy Reid. We all know what happened next. Clark got his guy. However, Clark didn’t stop there. Next, he held a press conference and said he was taking a more active role in the team. Chiefs fans took in a collective breath, not knowing how this would play out. Putting the head coach and the general manager on the same level in your corporate structure isn’t generally heard of. Clark was making a point.

Next came the signings. One of the major complaints Chiefs fans have had about Clark Hunt is the tight grip he holds on his checkbook. There was much speculation last season on why Dwayne Bowe wasn’t signed to a long-term contract. Many thought it was a personality conflict between Bowe and Pioli. Others thought it was Hunt’s grip on his checkbook and not wanting to pay Bowe the “big money.” I personally believe it was Pioli telling Hunt that Bowe wasn’t worth it. It’s interesting the difference a year makes.

Football is a business, pure and simple; at least to those involved in it. Clark Hunt finally figured out that his business isn’t doing well, and it was time get out of the corporate office in Dallas and check out the operation in Kansas City. I believe we’ll be quite surprised come next week when the free agent frenzy begins in earnest. There are some big name players who will be demanding some big pay days. While I’m not necessarily for over-paying players, I think that if you want to win, sometimes you have to pay for it.

There are several levels of owners in the NFL. The Green Bay Packers have over 100,000 owners. The Pack is the NFL’s only publicly owned team. They are run by a board of directors, but not one single owner. On the opposite end of the spectrum would be the Dallas Cowboys with owner/general manager/wannabe coach/all-around meddler, Jerry Jones. I would say Clark Hunt and the Kansas City Chiefs fall somewhere in between. I’m not say I want Clark Hunt to be Jerry Jones, but the increased level of involvement points to good things ahead.

Thus far this season, I’m impressed with the moves Hunt has made. He has obviously realized his customer base is unhappy. He knows he needs to change it. Win now and we’re happy. Continue down this path of ineptitude and he won’t be able to give away tickets to Arrowhead. It’s that simple. We’ve got a long way to go. This is the part of the offseason where optimism is at its highest. No games have been played but we’re far enough removed from the stink of the season to have faded away. There’s hope in the Chiefs Kingdom once again. It’s clear Clark is involved and, so far at least, it seems he’s got the right guys calling the shots. Lamar Hunt loved this football franchise and the world of football loved him. He is gone, but not forgotten. It’s about time his spawn stepped up and tried to start filling those Shaq-sized shoes his father left.

Time will tell if this “new and improved” Clark Hunt will be the difference in the 2-14 team we suffered through last year or the 13-3 team that should take the field this year. I’m not saying for certain, but it should be one hell of a ride getting there.

We took a collective breath in when Clark stood up for his franchise. We’re all still waiting to exhale.

That’s how I see it, Addicts. What say you?

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Monday evening, I had the pleasure to sit down with Kansas City Chiefs starting right offensive tackle, Eric Winston. Although Eric informed me that the players have been instructed by the front office to not discuss the pending Alex Smith trade until in becomes final, we had plenty to talk about with everything else going on in the Sea of Red.

The first issue we discussed was the huge news that broke just after 3 p.m. on Monday. That news, of course, heralded the return of Dwayne Bowe and Dustin Colquitt to the ranks of “under contract” players and placed the franchise tag on Eric’s left-side counterpart, Branden Albert. I asked Eric what his reaction was to the news of Bowe and Colquitt’s contracts and Albert being named the 2013 franchise player.

“I think it’s great. They have all been Chiefs from day one. I think when you’re building the team, you have to reward the guys who have been there and been through the struggle. You can’t underscore what that does for the locker room. The other guys take notice that [the Chiefs organization] are taking care of other guys. Anytime you do that, it bodes well for you down the road.”

Since Eric brought up the new Chiefs leadership, I asked him what he thought about them. It’s obvious Andy Reid and John Dorsey had a plan when they arrived in Kansas City, and they are executing it with near military precision. I asked Eric if he’d met the new “general,” Andy Reid.

“He seems like a guy who had a plan and he’s going to enjoy the fresh start. He’s going to do a lot of good things here.”

On that same vein, I asked Eric if he thought his new head coach’s playbook would involve a significantly different blocking scheme than he was used to. Remember, Eric was brought on last year, in part, because of his familiarity with the zone-blocking scheme. Although Eric said he hadn’t seen an actual playbook yet, he did have this to say about Reid’s offense:

“In Philly they did a lot of zone blocking there as well having LeSean McCoy. Sometimes they went to power blocking, but that was just out of necessity. It’s all about knowing your personnel and it will be interesting to see what they come up with and what fits the best for us.”

The next question I posed to Eric is one that is on everybody’s mind right now. Many fans thought the Chiefs would draft Geno Smith with the #1 pick. Then the Chiefs traded for Alex Smith. Then everybody thought the pick would be LT Luke Joeckel out of Texas A&M. Now the Chiefs have tagged Branden Albert. At this point, nobody really knows who the Chiefs are going to draft come April 25^th. I asked Eric, if he was the general manager, whose name he would send up to Roger Goodell on the stage in New York City.

“You know, it’s a very hard question in the sense that you know it’s going to cost your buddies one of their jobs. So it’s very tough for me to say oh, let’s go take a DB or let’s go take a left tackle or let’s go take a running back, because you know what that means. There’s only 53 spots so that means someone’s out of here.”

This is something that fans don’t really think about, but these men are a team. They are a unit from year to year, season to season and when new faces come in, others fade away. Eric put it best when he said that he doesn’t really like to get caught up in it.

“It’s our job to just blend together well and work together.”

This brought us to talking about young talent on the team. One thing that most Chiefs fans can agree on is, while it seems that Scott Pioli didn’t draft defensive linemen very well, the offensive linemen he drafted seem to be picking up the game and playing well rather quickly. One in particular is Donald Stephenson. He started the year as Branden Albert and Eric Winston’s understudy at offensive tackle, but was thrust into a starting role with Albert’s late season injury. I asked Eric how he thought Stephenson was coming along as pro.

“I think your first year is a huge learning curve. You have to learn how to practice; you have to learn how to be a pro. That’s not just year one, but that’s year two and three. You can see his skills come along. He’s got a lot of great skills. He could be a heck of a player in this league, but I think at the same time he’s going to have to keep developing.”

Eric went on to say that the “biggest jump would be from year one to year two,” and I’m inclined to agree with him. In not just talking about offensive linemen, but professional football players in general, how many times have we witnessed that “sophomore slump?”

“I think what kind of work he puts in the off season, what kind of work he puts in at OTAs and camp this year will probably determine what kind of player he’s going to be in his career.”

Along those same lines I wanted to hear Eric’s thoughts on the rest of the offensive line. I asked him what kind of future he saw for the Chiefs’ front five; if it was bright or dismal. He had only optimism for the direction the line was headed. He started off praising two of the younger members of the line in center, Rodney Hudson and guard/tackle, Jeff Allen.

“I didn’t get a whole lot of time to watch Rodney [Hudson] because he got hurt, but the guy has a great anchor, but he’s still mobile enough to move around and do things he’s got to do, but he can get down and pick up the pass rush.  I think Jeff Allen’s got a lot of talent. You’re looking at a guy that the sky’s the limit. He’s got a nasty attitude, but in a good way.”

His highest praise though, was reserved for right guard, Jon Asamoah.

“Jon Asamoah is a guy who is very underrated in this league. He’s going to be a heck of a right guard for a long time. He’s got everything you want from toughness to smarts and he can strike. He’s going to get better and that’s saying something, because I already think he’s pretty damn good.”

These words were quite encouraging coming from someone who plays next to these young and upcoming stars every game. In fact, I told Eric this was refreshing to hear, especially for Chiefs fans who remember the days of Willie Roaf, Casey Wiegeman, Will Shields and Brian Waters. Eric laughed and then said in all seriousness that “that was probably the best offensive line in the history of football.” And he meant it. We know the current Chiefs’ O-Line isn’t there yet, but if the young talent is as good as the veteran right tackle thinks, who knows. To use his words, “the sky’s the limit.”

Our conversation next turned to AFC West opponents. I was curious who Eric thought was the toughest division rival to block against. Without hesitation, he told me it was the Denver Broncos.

“As a tackle having to go against Von Miller and [Elvis] Dumerville all day is tough. It’s like going against the Colts when I played for Houston.”

In talking about his time at Houston, we discussed the fact that he’s blocked for two of the most explosive and arguably the best running backs in the NFL in Arian Foster with Texans and now our beloved Jamaal Charles with the Chiefs. I asked him to compare the two backs in running styles and describe the difference.

“Jamaal is a speedster and he’s so explosive. When he hits the open field, he hits it and he is gone. A lot of those guys [running backs] with this body type don’t like the contact. He does a great job of if there are only four yards to get, he goes and gets those four yards.”

Eric then spoke about Arian Foster in contrast to Jamaal Charles, describing him as a bigger, more fluid back and a strider. Regardless, and he may be biased, but he went on to say he didn’t think there was “anyone as fast as [Charles] in the league.”

Next, I tried to go all controversial and asked Eric about a statement, directed towards Branden Albert, made by general manager John Dorsey saying:

“Who’s to say both of those guys are locked in to playing left tackle? Maybe one plays left guard, center, right guard, right tackle. You put your best five offensive linemen out there. There are so many options out there right now. Anything is possible.’’

I wanted to get Eric’s take on this. His answer was exactly what I thought it would be.

“I think that’s easier said than done. It all looks good on paper, but some of us don’t play well at those positions.”

I got the distinct impression from him that it was a matter of pride with him and his fellow linemen. Tackles are tackles and guards are guards and unless your hand is forced, you don’t move around. I guess we’ll see what happens with the draft on April 25^th.

Our conversation then turned to Eric’s friend, the much maligned Matt Cassel. Although Eric wasn’t allowed to discuss the impending trade, he can see the same writing on the wall as everyone else. Matt most likely won’t be in Kansas City next year; at least not as a Chief. For that matter, Brady Quinn who was “the other” starting quarterback last year likely won’t be in a Chiefs jersey either as he becomes an unrestricted free agent next Tuesday. A team losing one leader is one thing, but this team will probably be starting from scratch as far as on-field leadership goes. I asked Eric how that can affect a team and the dynamic involved.

“Ideally you always want to draft a guy or get a guy early on, like we did in Houston with Schaub. Sometimes it doesn’t work that way and guys have to rally around whoever’s out there. I think it’s Coach Reid’s and John Dorsey’s job to go find that guy and it’s our job to rally around him and be there for him.”

At this point, I felt like I had drilled Eric enough. He was gracious enough to call me at my home and take time out of his life to talk to me. I figured I would end the interview with a question from my daughter. She wanted to know Eric’s favorite color. The kid loves the Ray Lewis commercial and thought it was cool that I was interviewing a football player. It’s maroon, by the way.

Eric and I finished our phone conversation with him asking me about my military service and where I had been stationed. He was part of the NFL branch of the USO tour last year and he traveled to Afghanistan to visit my deployed brothers and sisters in arms. Even more than taking time to give me an interview, the fact that he took time out of his life to travel to the other side of the world gave him even more ”status” in my eyes. From start to finish with this interview process, Eric Winston has been a 100 percent class act.

I’m not sure where the Chiefs are headed this year. After everything the team has been through in the last few years, who knows what’s in store. I predicted an 11-5 season last year with one playoff win and we see where that got me. One thing I do know is that with “the old Warhorses” like Eric Winston and Branden Albert holding down the offensive line with all the upcoming stars inbetween, the Chiefs do indeed have a bright future. My optimism is rapidly rising. It is clear that Andy Reid and John Dorsey have a plan and they are executing. It is a “win now” versus “build for later” attitude.  Regardless, this season should be very interesting to watch, and our Chiefs may just win a few games along the way. The Sea of Red is back, the warriors out front are led by Eric Winston and Branden Albert and I’m good with that.

That’s how I see it Addicts. What say you?

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Continuing my look at where the Kansas City Chiefs are headed this season, I would like to turn my attention to the defense. Despite the several blowout games the Chiefs suffered last season, the defense unit is actually much better off than the offense. Of the six Chiefs pro-bowlers last year, four were from the defense (Eric Berry – S, Derrick Johnson – MLB, Tamba Hali – OLB and alternate Justin Houston – OLB). However, the defense could have some serious issues if not addressed either through free agency or the draft.

In working this column, I took the same approach with the defense as I did with the offense in my column “What’s Next for the Chiefs’ Offense?”  I researched the Chiefs’ roster through several sources, player contracts and amount due to players to determine where the team is at and potentially where they’re headed. I’ll break down the defense section by section and we’ll figure out where the holes are.

We’re all still letting the dust settle from the Alex Smith trade, but the impact of that decision will be felt across the NFL on both offense and defense. I say this because of the way teams will draft based on the fact that the Chiefs won’t be taking a QB in the first or second round of the draft this year. We all know that this year’s draft class is deep with cornerbacks, defensive linemen and offensive linemen. It’s not your typical draft class to say the least.

The first main area of concern is the defensive line. This position group has been a hot topic since Scotty Pioli first took over from His Highness Carl Peterson in 2009. His first round draft pick in two of four drafts were defensive linemen (Tyson Jackson – DE and Dontari Poe – DT), and thus far, neither one of them has delivered the way a first rounder should. Let’s not leave Glenn Dorsey out of the mix. He was the last first rounder picked by Herm Edwards and Carl Peterson. The good news is, Dorsey played his last down as a Chief last season before being placed on IR. His contract has expired and there is no indication that the Chiefs’ new front office has any interest in resigning him. The bad news is, there is not a clear cut replacement for Dorsey. I really like Ropati Pitoitua (mainly because I like saying his name, but also because I like big Samoan dudes on the line.) I thought Ropati performed pretty well last year when he was forced to step in for an injured Dorsey. He’s also a free agent this offseason, but would come much cheaper than resigning the ineffective Dorsey.

The other side of our line is a problem as well. The year after Herm and Carl drafted Dorsey, Pioli took Tyson Jackson, Dorsey’s LSU team mate, with the third overall pick.  The result was about the same:  An ineffective, non-pass rusher with a ridiculously inflated contract.  That contract is so inflated, in fact, that he is slated to be the highest paid Chief this season…by more than $2 million.  That’s right, the Chiefs are scheduled to pay  Tyson Jackson $14 million for the 2013 season.  The only things that John Dorsey  can do in this situation is either cut Jackson, or see if the DE will restructure, which might not be such a bad idea. Keeping Jackson on the team for a considerable pay cut would probably be quite palpable to most fans.

In the middle of the line, the Chiefs are no closer to an answer either. We all remember the groans and gripes when Pioli and Crazy Crennel drafted Dontari Poe last year with the 11^th overall pick. I was hoping he would go all “beast mode” last year, but sadly that never materialized. I know it had something to do with the 2 and 3 and 5 technique, carry the one…and whatever, we’ve eaten another pick. I see those three positions as a huge need for our Chiefs.

Moving into the defensive backfield, KC is a bit better off. Three of the four defensive pro-bowlers came from the linebacking corps. Players like Hali, Houston and Johnson force opposing offenses to game plan around them. One gaping hole is the fourth linebacker. With the tragedy surrounding Jovan Belcher, the Chiefs need to find a replacement.

It’s been reported that the Chiefs’ new defensive coordinator, Bob Sutton, intends on playing the 3-4 with more aggressive blitz packages. This increases the urgency of filling this void.  Are there any viable free agent options or should Dorsey and Reid look to the draft to fill this hole? There’s talent in the middle rounds (3-4) of this year’s class, the Chiefs  just need to seek it out.

Moving to the secondary, things get a bit better than the front end of the defense. The Chiefs have an excellent corner in Brandon Flowers and a two time pro-bowl safety in Eric Berry.  Kendrick Lewis can hold his own pretty well at the free safety position, but there are some injury concerns there with his shoulder. The two biggest question in the Chiefs secondary, are who lines up opposite of Flowers and who can the Chiefs bring in to provide some depth at the positions?

Going into this off-season, nearly every Chiefs fan agreed that quarterback was the team’s biggest need.  With the Alex Smith trade, that entire scenario has been thrown on its ear. The silver lining in this scenario is the draft is very deep with defensive linemen and defensive back talent, which are two positions the Chiefs need.

That’s how I see it, Addicts. What say you?

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The dust is still settling regarding the monumental trade between the Chiefs and the 49ers involving Alex Smith. The impact and fallout from this trade won’t truly be felt until well after the free agency period and the NFL draft. This trade has changed the entire scope of the NFL off-season. But that’s not what this column is about. I want to talk about “What’s Next?”  for our Chiefs’ offense.

In researching this week’s article, I broke down the Chiefs’ roster player by player. I went to several different sources and found their contract lengths and how much we owe them this year. In doing that research I found some rather gaping holes in our team that certainly need to be addressed this off-season. If you thought quarterback was our only need, you’re sorely mistaken. I’d like to break down our offense first.

Beginning with the QB position, the Chiefs currently hold four signal callers under contract (or will as soon as the Alex Smith trade is finalized on March 12^th.) Those four are Matt Cassel, Alex Smith, Ricky Stanzi and Alex Tanney. The fifth quarterback on the roster, Brady Quinn, was only with the team on a one year contract, and thus becomes a free agent with everyone else in just fewer than two weeks. It is almost a certainty that with the Smith trade, Cassel will have his pink slip taped to his locker. (Is that still how they fire players?) But don’t fret, Cassel supporters: reports indicate he may land on his feet in Arizona as part of the Kolb/Skelton love triangle. Still another rumor has surfaced indicating the Chiefs may be shopping their former starter to the New York Football Jets for a fifth rounder. If Dorsey could pull this off, he would have gotten more production out of Cassel than the last two years combinded. Either way, the Chiefs’ leadership would be silly to leave Cassel on the roster as they would owe him $7.5 million if his jersey still says “Chiefs” on April 1^st. Regardless, the other two passers remaining aren’t a good combination as a number two and three. Thus, in addition to going out and securing Alex Smith, Reid and Dorsey may be forced to bring in another name to compete with the wonder twins (Stanzi and Tanney) for a backup role. I don’t think Quinn’s up to the job. Perhaps one of our two third round picks will be spent on a quarterback to come and fill this role. I hope I didn’t just strike a nerve.

Moving down the depth chart, our next stop is the wide receiver position. Obviously the biggest question mark here is Dwayne Bowe. We all remember the pins and needles we were on last season after Pioli handed him the franchise tag and Bowe sat out of training camp. While I was impressed with the football shape Bowe was in when he did arrive back in the BBQ City, I wasn’t impressed with how he played in a new offensive system after only having the playbook for a few days. As we come ever closer to the franchise tag deadline, I see that same predicament in our future. However, this isn’t Pioli and Crennel. Perhaps Dorsey and Reid don’t see a future for number 82 on the “new Chiefs” and decide neither to resign nor tag him. I think this is an unlikely scenario, as all indications are that the Chiefs are heavily entrenched in contract talks with Bowe’s agent. The holding point seems to be guaranteed money (isn’t it always?) as the Chiefs are offering 5 years with $24M guaranteed and Bowe’s agent wants 4 years with $30M guaranteed. I have to believe that Bowe and the Chiefs will come to a common ground, but his release is possible all the same.

A bigger question than all of this, though, is who lines up on the opposite side of the field from the D-Bowe Show? We haven’t really had a legitimate receiver combo in this town in a very long time. I was hoping that J.B. (Jon Baldwin) would step up and fill that role last year. While we can’t blame it all on him with the merry-go-round quarterback system Crazy Crennel adopted, he still didn’t perform when he needed to. We heard about all of these “circus stunt catches” he made in training camp and then when it counted we got nothing. I would love to see a veteran free agent like a Greg Jennings or Mike Wallace come in and take up that WR2 spot.

The next position I would like to examine is tight end. Last year, I was excited with the signing of Kevin Boss. With Tony Moeaki coming back from knee surgery and his fate uncertain, I was happy to see us sign a big, pass catching tight end. Then Kevin got smacked in the head really hard, he was cut from the team and it’s really uncertain if the guy will or even should ever play again because of the amount of concussions he’s had. I feel for Kevin, but that’s left a gaping hole in our offense. The leadership really needs to take a look at this because as of now, the Chiefs only have Tony and Kevin Brock under contract. I don’t expect Andy Reid’s offense to mimick the four tight end sets that have made Bill Bellicheck famous, but I would like to see a bit of depth added to the pass catching tackles. I would love to see us pry Dustin Keller away from the Jets or even Thomas Crabtree from the Packers during the free agency period. In my dreams, Tony G (who is also a free agent) would come back for one more season in the Sea of Red, but I think I’m just dreaming there.

The last position group I’d like to address on offense is our warriors in the trenches. (Please don’t tell Eric Winston I referred to him as a warrior. He might think I expect him to be a gladiator and fight a lion with a spear.) All jokes aside, I think Winston did a commendable job holding down the right side of the line last year. Of all the free agent moves that Scotty made in his last year at the helm, I think Winston was the most solid. In addition to Winston, we’ve got some great young talent there as well in Asmoah, Stephenson, Hudson and Allen. Actually, looking back, Pioli did pretty well drafting offensive linemen. It was the D-Linemen where he needed a seeing eye dog, but that’s a whole other post. I digress. For me, the biggest question mark here is Brandon Albert.

If you can’t read the writing on the wall, Albert is perhaps on his way out of Arrowhead. I don’t buy any of this smoke that Dorsey has been floating about “you put your best five linemen on the field.”  Anybody that thinks Albert is going to resign only to be moved to right guard is smoking the good stuff. He has flat out said that he is a left tackle and that’s what he’ll play. If he’s not playing for us, it will be for somebody else. The biggest issue I have with the guy is his back. I think B.A. has played very well for us and only allowing one sack last season with a pair of quarterbacks that refused to get rid of the ball is extremely commendable. But back problems for linemen spell disaster, and I’d have a hard time applauding a deal that kept Albert in KC long term if it meant we had to deal with his nagging injury.  As unpopular of a decision as it is, I would almost rather they draft this Joeckel kid with the first pick and let Albert walk. I know Brandon is proven and the rookie hasn’t played a down of pro ball yet, but to me it just makes the most sense.

Finally, I’d like to give a quick mention to running backs. Obviously, we have one of the most talented backs in the league in our beloved number 25, Jamaal Charles. The stable of young runners behind him did pretty well last year, I thought. Peyton Hillis’ contract is up and I say let him walk. I had high hopes for a thunder and lightning combo last season and it fizzled into a minor rain storm. If the leadership wants to run a two-back system, they could possibly find a power back in the later rounds of the draft, but with Draughn, Gray and Eachus I think we’re sitting ok on that front.

So that’s it, Addicts. That’s my take on the state of our offense as it stands right now. Am I off the mark or am I in the ball park? What say you?