Tradeoffs (sigh).

I haven’t seen the 2011 charting stat numbers yet, but I can tell you that in 2010, Stanford Routt, when paired up with Nmandi Asomugha, was a top shelf pass defender. Football Outsiders, for example, ranked him with the 3rd highest success rate, with 66% of passes defended. Carr ranked 10th in that department with 61% of passes defended. In fact, both scored better than Brandon Flowers, for what it’s worth. Also worth noting is that Routt only gave up 5.7 yards per pass to Carr’s 7.1 yd/pass. Given all that, I don’t think it’s at all unreasonable to expect Routt’s production to parallel his 2010 situation playing alongside Flowers.

There are also rumors circulating in the media that Routt was somebody for whom Romeo Crennel actively lobbied. If true, I think that’s also pretty significant in terms of scheme fit. For a really well-written, compelling look into the player we’re getting in Stanford Routt, I recommend Doug Farrar’s (Yahoo! Sports) recent piece on him. Long story short, I personally feel this is a really good signing no matter how you slice it.

Now that Routt is inked, it seems that the popular assumption, or expectation if you will, is that all this means is that Pioli got himself a guy with skills very comparable to those of Carr for what we think could be 2 or 3 million less per year. Cynically put, Pioli avoided some unnecessary negotation stress by landing a comparable replacement for Carr who, oh by the way, just so happens to be cheaper to pay. Given that, one is then further tempted to think that the safe, conservative move now is to simply franchise Bowe and let Carr walk. CB dilemma solved, franchise tag dilemma solved, all good.

Well guess what? I’m going to go against the grain and offer an even better strategy. Scotty, I hope you’re reading this (I also hope that after reading this, you’ll finally start responding to those thousands of suggestion letters I’ve sent you dammit!).

Bowe, while inconsistent at times, has shown the potential to be a gamechanger. That’s worth something in the NFL. I think he can also be considered a foundational player for the Chiefs. Also worth something. Still, I believe that Bowe, rather than being tagged, ought to be locked up into a long-term deal before free agency hits. Unless you’re planning to shop him– in and of itself a risky strategy on many fronts– I see no reason not to just sign him to a comfortable, reasonable, market value contract.

So why no tag for Bowe you ask? Well, first off because if you really want him, and you’ve come up with a good backup plan for Carr, then there’s really no reason whatsoever for not focusing all of your attention and energy on getting a deal done to make Bowe’s long-term presence as a Chief into reality. Not just that, but doesn’t it also help to further underscore that whole PR pledgy thingy to develop and retain core players?

As promising and exciting and foundational as Bowe might seem, it is also important to recognize that he simply has not proven himself to be among of the 5 best receivers in the league which, in a certain sense, is what the franchise tag kind of suggests. Pro Football Focus ranks him as the 12th best WR going into 2012 and 19th best among their Dynasty Rankings. Similarly, Football Outsiders ranked Bowe 51st in DVOA and 31st in DYAR for 2011. Not exactly what you’d call eye-popping production.

We all know that Bowe every once in awhile makes for some fun highlight reel footage, but does he honestly merit franchise tag money? Especially when you’re most likely not going to find many teams willing to exchange a high value pick for him? I think you see my point. Bottom line, paying Bowe like he’s a top 5 WR really doesn’t sound all that Clark-like to me. Lest we forget, Bowe was a 1st round draft pick– just how likely is it that we can get that for him now? ROI people, ROI.

Moving on, if Pioli can sign Bowe to a long-term deal before free agency hits, he’ll still have a franchise tag at his disposal, right? Well, please tell me then what would be the folly in using that tag on Carr? In fact, franchising Carr seems to me like the best of all possible moves at this point and I’m going to offer some reasons as to why that is so.

It’s a proverbial seller’s market for top tier CBs and this year is no different. Justifiable or not, Carr is almost certain to command an elite CB level of monetary respect out on the open market. What’s more, it seems there could be some healthy competition for a CB of Carr’s caliber. I can think of at least a couple of teams out there that are desperately needing major secondary talent who, oh by the way, also happen to have some pretty interesting draft pick horsepower to make a lucrative deal happen for the Chiefs. For example, both the Patriots and the Bengals are in need of quality CB help and both are holding on to spare 1st round picks. Just imagine all of the tantalizing draft possibilities that would suddenly open up for the Chiefs if that were to happen?

Move up and get a franchise QB? Check.
Pick up a couple of first round offensive linemen? Check.
Control the draft by moving down? Check.

So you say, “well Double D, suppose nobody is willing to pony up a high draft pick for Carr? Aren’t you then stuck with an overpaid secondary that you’re underutilizing most of the time because, well, as everybody knows, you really only need 2 good corners? Very, very risky. Very expensive (i.e., unClark-like). Not good. Or as my AA colleague Big Matt might say ‘Mattie no likey.’”

Not good? How about not so fast?

Merlin and I were texting back and forth on this whole deal the other day and he brought to my attention a pretty interesting fact of which I was previously unaware. To wit, an NFL nickel plays about 50% of all snaps currently. That is a lot. On top of that, the more success you have at containing teams on 1st down, the more likely it is that you’ll see the nickel utilized on successive downs. In fact, I think with the right personnel, a pretty compelling argument can be made for having the nickel formation as your base D.

When I think of Flowers, Carr, and Routt being on the field all at the same time, I start thinking “two’s company, but hey, three’s a party!” Arenas might excel at wrapping up receivers pretty quickly after the catch but he’s not exactly setting the world on fire when it comes to preventing that catch from happening in the first place. Just sayin.

As many on the message boards here have already suggested, the Routt signing may indeed turn out to be a very forward thinking approach on the part of Crennel and Pioli. In fact, passing against a defensive backfield comprised primarily of Flowers, Carr and Routt would be close to impossible. In this increasingly pass-friendly league, I have to think that that level of secondary presence would basically relegate opposing offenses to beating you with their running game, and maybe tossing in a few dink and dunks for good measure (which painfully brings to mind a certain low-scoring, rather flaccid offense with which I happen to be pretty familiar).

The only practical alternative to going with the run would be to simultaneously risk a lot of coverage sacks. Unless your QB can progress through his reads quickly and also get rid of the ball in a hurry, you’re gonna be in a heap of trouble. If a team goes run, we’ll have DJ, Berry, and perhaps Belcher up in there to contain it. If a team opts to pass, their dealing with a DB set of Flowers, Routt, Carr, and Berry with maybe DJ in coverage while Hali & Houston, along with either an ILB, S, or CB, are all breathing fire in your backfield.

Next– just stay with me here– we grab a very gettable guy in the form of one Paul Soliai as our NT. Tell me, how can that cannot be considered a run stuffing, block eating, shutdown, ballhawking, nightmare defense?

So, armed on defense, we head into the draft to start filling holes on offense.

Final (crazy?) thought. While neither has any experience at the position (at least none of which I’m aware), both Carr and Routt possess prototypical size and speed to play Safety, Routt perhaps moreso because of his physicality. Might this signing, combined with the retention Carr, offer more options and much needed depth at that position as well? I know, stupid idea, probably makes more sense to just plug Sabby Piscatelli whenever the need arises, right? I’m sure we’ll be just fine should Eric Berry happen to miss any games.

That’s my Double Take.

Sound off Addicts!

Double D’s 2011 Arrowhead Tailgate Mix:

1) Sirius – Alan Parsons Project
2) Generator – Foo Fighters
3) Shake Ya Tailfeather – Nelly
4) Communication Breakdown – Led Zeppelin
5) Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold – Steve Earle
6) Crosstown Traffic – Jimi Hendrix
7) Bulls On Parade – Rage Against The Machine
8 ) Eminence Front – The Who
9) Song #2 – Blur
10) Lose Yourself – Eminem
11) Gel – Collective Soul
12) Protect Ya Neck – Wu Tang Clan
13) Kansas City Shuffle – Tech N9ne
14) Fire Water Burn – Bloodhound Gang
15) Can’t Stop Partying – Weezer
16) Helter Skelter – The Beatles
17) National Anthem – Jimi Hendrix

Second verse, some thoughts on Todd Haley’s 2011 job performance expectations, beyond the jump.
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Suggested reading, further insights, intriguing stats, and maybe a popular assumption or two challenged beyond the jump.

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This story was originally posted on AA way back in September of 2008, long before I was working here. Back then, Adam and Zach Best (our blogfathers) were running the show here at Addict. I wanted to re-post this for a couple of different reasons.

First, I wanted to show you all that Arrowhead Addict has always been and always will be, about writers providing strong opinions whether they are popular or not. We go on the record here, even if we are seen as foolish. The Fansided Network is a place for the fans.

Lastly, we don’t forget here at AA and we wanted to give a big, fat I TOLD YOU SO to the folks at NFL Network. Adam doesn’t sound so crazy now, does he? Could you imagine how good the Eagles might be with Cowher as their coach as opposed the the always bumbling, one more doughnut away from his heart exploding, Andy Reid? Enjoy.

As you may have read, Arrowhead Addict was mentioned in some detail on the NFL Network‘s NFL GameDay Morning this morning. Before mentioning the Addict–along with the website GetBradyNow.com–Alex Flanagan called Chiefs fans desperate and delusional. Um, did you expect us to be comfortable and content right about now? Then she went on to discuss the Brady Quinn rumors before moving on to the following discussion…

AF: “This one even better now…another fan there is campaigning for (Bill) Cowher and Michael Vick in 2009. They want him in Kansas City. That on ArrowheadAddict.com. Michael Vick, of course, expected to get out of prison sometime in 2009, maybe between May and October. So, he could be ready.”

Marshall Faulk: “I’m happy to see that somebody wants Michael Vick. That’s good to know. Even if it’s Kansas City right now, knowing they can’t get him.”

Warren Sapp: “Does this person who wrote, does he now got a team or something, cause blah blah blah…”

(Sorry, 99, I honestly couldn’t understand that gibberish you mumbled at the end there.)

AF: “Cowher and Vick could be quite an interesting match-up, right?”

WS: “Cowher and Vick–oh yeah.”

Spero Dedes: “Is that how bad, though, it’s gotten in K.C.? I mean, they’re waiting for Mike Vick in 2009?”

MF: “It’s not good. It’s not good.”

WS: “It can’t be good.”

First off, it’s pretty to cool to have our site mentioned on the NFLN. Second, Flanny’s gotta be the hottest chick who’s ever read one of my pieces. Third, it’s not every day two Hall of Famers crack up over your post. Fourth, I wanted to get the fans and media (preferably mainstream) talking about how bad things are in K.C., and that we’re already ready to move on to a new coach and quarterback. Mission accomplished.

Thanks to our readers for helping us get noticed! If anyone can find this online or has it taped, shoot us an e-mail and you’ll instantly become our personal hero.

Pro Football Talk

The Cleveland Browns have already traded one defensive lineman this off-season, shipping Corey Williams to the Detroit Lions. Could they trade another?

Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that they could and Shaun Rogers could be gone.

Pluto doesn’t name a source for the report, but writes that the Browns’ coaching staff dislikes Rogers’ tendency to freelance, rather than cover the area he is assigned.

What draft picks would you give in trade for him? I would be willing to give our third round pick for him. Our 2B would be hard to give up, but I would think about it. What do you think? Do you want him? What would you give in trade for him?

There may be nothing to this but it is interesting coming off the recent purchase of the St. Louis Rams.

The Donkeys are pretty popular, so I doubt they would ever be moved away from Denver, though you never know. My father thought the same thing about his beloved Browns and the *Poof*. We’ll have more when if this story develops.

Hat tip to Arrowhead Pride for covering this.

Here are my thoughts. First off I am convinced this is true because of the fact that Herm had to step in and do damage control on Pollard’s behalf. No other explanation makes sense. Secondly, the fact that apparently no one of stature within the Chiefs’ new regime came to Pollard’s defense speaks volumes. Thirdly, because Pioli calls all the shots in such matters, I believe he is the one who needs to be held accountable for this.

The punishment should fit the crime. First, Pioli needs to be fired immediately for this. Next, Roger Goodell needs to ban Pioli from ever holding another job in the NFL. It’s the right message.

Do you think I am over-reacting?

Forget about what I think the NFL should do and just consider how much damage this has done to Chiefs reputation as a quality organization? Suppose you were a FA considering a change of scenery?

Would relocating to KC appeal to you after hearing this story?

Right now, Thiggy is at a high point in trade value. Now is the time to move him. With a more conventional QB, I would be tempted to hang onto him and wait for a desperate team that lost their QB to pay through the nose for him. Thigpen’s skill set doesn’t really lend to that approach. He is a bit of an unconventional QB who makes many of his best plays during broken plays. He can help another team, but that team needs to get him in soon and not during mid-season.

Pioli asking for a 3rd round pick back seems like a good starting point. It’s  high, but not outrageous. Could teams like Jacksonville, Tampa, Carolina or the Ravens pony up a 3rd to get Thiggy? I am not sure, but the more teams in the bidding the better. Personally, I would take a 4th at worst, not the rumored 5th round pick. If I needed to, I would send a 6th round back to get the 3rd round pick back. Failing that, I would keep all four QB’s and look to move one during the season.

OK, Addicts, how do you see Thigpen’s trade value? If you can’t trade a QB, would you carry all four QB’s?

1. Edge is a much better blocker and receiver than L.J., which makes him far more valuable in Todd Haley’s pass-happy offense.

2. Edge already knows Haley’s system.

3. The abovementioned financial reason, and that’s assuming Edge would get paid less than the nearly $4 million L.J. is due to make this year. I think that’s a fair assumption.

4. Get Larry Johnson’s malcontent ass out of the locker room, which would cost us nothing after the Chiefs won their grievance against him. This would send a warning shot to the players and a positive message to Chiefs fans.

Are we interested in signing Edge and cutting Larry? According to Kent Somers of AZCentral.com, some teams definitely are interested in James. Then again, this could just be Drew Rosenhaus inflating his client’s value.

I exchanged some text messages with Drew Rosenhaus, Edgerrin James’ agent, today and he thinks Edge won’t be a free agent for long.

“So far several teams have expressed interest and we may have a deal in place in the very near future,” Rosenhaus said.

Signing Edge to a one-year contract — which would make next year a contract year for Edge — is a smart move. The same kind (Jamal Lewis) of move carried the Cleveland Browns to their best season in recent history two years ago. Additionally, I think Edge is more versatile than Jam with better wheels. Edge could help us be competitive this year, and then both parties could sit down afterward and see if bringing him back makes sense.

Addicts, sound off on the thought of Edge to K.C.?

The Seattle Seahawks have reportedly removed the franchise tag on Leroy Hill, allowing the outside linebacker to become an unrestricted free agent and test the market.

I absolutely love Leroy Hill and the talent he brings to the table, but this is an excellent move. A very shrewd and efficient decision, if you ask me.

Leroy Hill, who was coming off of a poor, injury-riddled season (join the club), demonstrated poor judgment in the off-season and probably didn’t warrant a franchise tag – he is a talented linebacker, but definitely not worthy of a contract similar to that of James Harrison’s. Harrison was the defensive player of the year and played a huge role in winning the Super Bowl; Leroy Hill didn’t make the Pro Bowl and was found unconscious behind the wheel with marijuana in his possession.

Now, he has some character concerns, but he’s far and away best young free agent out there right now. Might be worth it for our Chiefs. Hey, we have the money and I’m guessing Hill will take a somewhat reasonable deal to get out of Seattle after what I’m sure his camp will perceive as a slap in the face.

(hat tip to Redbeard for the idea)

• Seahawks Remove Franchise Tag On Hill – 12th Man Rising
  

Did you predict this outcome for the Chiefs? You could have made that prediction into cash on www.gamebookers.com. Then, the Chiefs pick would have at least meant something to you.

On a day where the Chiefs were expected to be smack dab in the middle of all the action, all they did was draft some dude named Jackson. I joked around about Scott Pioli napping and me hanging myself with all of my old Chiefs jerseys, but more than anything it was just a boring day for Chiefs fans. Especially after last year’s wild draft and the whirlwind offseason we’ve been through thus far. Roughly 25 minutes into the draft, the Chiefs picked Tyson Jackson. Afterward? They didn’t do jack, son.

Why were the Chiefs so inactive? My guess is that Pioli and coach Todd Haley feel this is a poor draft class. Or at least deeper than it is top heavy. They must have believed that trading up wouldn’t have been worth the cost. Look at the Broncos; they traded a 2010 first-rounder for the second coming of Mighty Mouse — 5-foot-nine-in-stripper-heels Alphonso Smith.

Sure, we could have moved up and drafted a guy like Connor Barwin, Eben Britton, Everette Brown or William Beatty in round two. But what would have been the cost of such a move? That 2010 second we got from the Falcons plus another pick. Why give up a second-rounder in a better draft plus another pick for a second-rounder in this weaker draft? Better be sure. In the end, I’m guessing the Pioli Trinity wasn’t sold enough on any particular player to move up via trade.

The one mistake that could haunt the Chiefs is not trading up to get Michael Crabtree. The player who I feel is the best player in this draft was still available at No. 10. That’s absurd. I would have sent Tyler Thigpen, next year’s first-rounder and a third to the Niners in a heartbeat in exchange for that pick. Who knows? Maybe there was just no way in hell the Niners were going to flush their good fortune down the toilet after Crabtree unexpectedly fell to them?

Other than that, I really didn’t see a “must have” prospect at any point, even though Eben Britton became very intriguing as the second round advanced and he was still available.

I’m guessing that Pioli and Co. are working the phones right now, and will be until the wee hours of the morning. Remember, Pioli and the rest of the Patriots brain trust got the big Randy Moss trade at like 4 AM between draft days one and two. At this point, teams are coming to terms with the fact that the draft will not address all of their holes. This will likely rev up the trade market one last time.

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I’m also hearing that we might be able to move Glenn Dorsey to Atlanta for their first-rounder.

We’ll know more soon, but things are heating up…

Yes, I actually just wrote that. Crazy, I know. But is it really that crazy?

Steve Wyche came on the NFLN last night and said that Smith will not slip past the Bengals at No. 6. Apparently, teams are starting to chalk up his late-season and combine mishaps to immaturity — not an attitude problem. Apparently, he has awed teams in his workouts and interviewed well after screwing up his combine. If that is true, could Andre Smith be the best player in this draft? I’m not saying he is, but before he got in trouble before Alabama’s bowl game a lot of people would have labeled him just that.

Then again, I can’t go on without mentioning that this could just be another case of the Bengals ignoring serious character concerns.

Then again, Scott Pioli has never been afraid of making up his own mind when it comes to prospects, both bucking consensus and convention. He’s also taken on divas like Corey Dillon and Randy Moss in the past, confident the Patriot Pioli Way would whip them into shape. Maybe he feels the same way about Smith?

Hey, I acknowledge that it’s a longshot — but there is a shot. Since nobody’s talking about it, I wanted to throw it out there. That way if Andre Smith is the third pick none of you will go into cardiac arrest. Hopefully, anyway.

I handicap Andre Smith at 20-1.

• Aaron Curry 3-1
• Eugene Monroe 3-1
• Tyson Jackson 4-1
• Trade 5-1
• Brian Orakpo 6-1
• Michael Crabtree 10-1
• Everette Brown 20-1
• Field 50-1

Those are just my thoughts based on what I have been reading and hearing. Personally, I don’t think the Chiefs will take Curry. I think the pick will be either Jackson or Monroe, or a trade out of that spot. I guess we’ll know pretty damn soon. I think our spot has now become the trade-up destination for Mark Sanchez enthusiasts (Jets, Redskins, etc…).

Addicts, how do you handicap the Chiefs’ draft possibilities?

Buffalo Bills receive:

G Brian Waters, No. 3 overall pick

Kansas City Chiefs receive:

RS/WR Roscoe Parrish, No. 11 overall pick, No. 28 overall pick

I am now convinced that either Jeremy Maclin, Michael Crabtree or Tyson Jackson will be there at 11. If we go WR at 11, we draft someone like Larry English or Michael Johnson at 28. If we go DE at 11, we go with a WR like Darrius Heyward-Bey at 28. We also get a kick returner in this deal, and a proven one at that. We help our pass rush, help replace Tony Gonzalez and give our special teams a boast with just one trade. Granted, we would have a hole on the offensive line, but we could make other moves or address that later in the draft (round three or four).

Buffalo does this because they replace their offensive line losses (Derrick Dockery and Jason Peters) in one fell swoop with Waters and either Eugene Monroe or Jason Smith. It would pretty much be an offer too good to refuse for the Bills, a team determined to win now, as well.

Addicts, if you are the Chiefs do you do this deal?

The Lions are close to agreeing on a deal with Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford to be the No. 1 overall pick.

Lions president Tom Lewand met with owner William Clay Ford for final approval earlier today, and the two sides could finalize a contract as soon as today. One source said a “catastrophe” would have to happen for the Lions not to draft Stafford at this point.

Can’t say this thrills me, but it does make the No. 3 pick a more valuable trade commodity. Hopefully, someone will trade up with us to leapfrog the Seahawks and draft Mark Sanchez. Otherwise, I think we could pick Aaron Curry. But here’s another name I’ll throw out there — Tyson Jackson.

Everyone loves to yap about how Scott Pioli selected a Curryesque linebacker 10th overall just a year ago. But what about when he picked 3-4 defensive end Richard Seymour sixth overall? Some people thought that was a reach, well, at least before all the Pro Bowl trips they did. Maybe Jackson — the best 3-4 DE in this draft, probably hands down — is not a reach at No. 3. Especially if he is willing to give us a discount in order to become the third pick.

Addicts, what does Stafford to the Lions mean for the Chiefs?

The Detroit economy is in absolute shambles. The Lions have a plush new stadium they are trying to fill, and we’ve recently found out that ownership wasn’t built as “Ford tough” as they once thought they were. Additionally, I’d be willing to guess that the Lions have the lowest fan base favorability score of any NFL team. Going 0-16 after drafting one draft bust after another will do that.

Motor City football fans are having night terrors about the organization’s luck bringing in franchise quarterbacks. “Andre Ware! … Scott Mitchell! … Joey Harrington! Make it stop! I just want some sleep.”

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Selected WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech

After unsuccessfully trying to trade the No. 3 overall pick, the Chiefs select the only guaranteed superstar in this draft class — WR Michael Crabtree. The Chiefs offered the No. 3 pick and Tony Gonzalez to the Panthers, but the Panthers ultimately decided against the move. The Peppers trade would have made a statement, but keeping Gonzalez and adding Crabtree gives both Matt Cassel and Todd Haley the weapons they need in order to succeed. With Crabtree in the fold, Jay Cutler in the Windy City and LaDanainian Tomlinson over the hill, the Chiefs now have more offensive firepower than any other AFC West team.

The Kansas City Chiefs trade TE Tony Gonzalez and the 67th overall pick (round three) to the Buffalo Bills for RS/WR Roscoe Parrish and the 42nd overall pick (round two).

The Chiefs will miss Tony, and it will be hard for us to see him in another team’s uniform when he visits Arrowhead late in the season, but this was a move that had to be made. Tony wanted out, and we shipped him out to a contender. Meanwhile, we brought in a dynamic kick returner and regained our second-round pick. This should be a 2-for-1 deal as far as starters are concerned, and tight ends aren’t featured in Todd Haley’s system anyway. Drafting Michael Crabtree earlier in the afternoon paved the way for the Chiefs to make this move.

My thoughts…

I would then go on to sign DE/OLB Jason Taylor to fill our pass-rushing void, then draft OT William Beatty, UCONN  or someone comparable with the 42nd overall pick. With these four moves, all of our most glaring holes would be addressed heading into the fourth round, allowing the Chiefs to roll the dice a little bit.

We’re doing this to give NFL fans a somewhat realistic look at what could go down next weekend. I tried to use Tony G as bait to get Julius Peppers, but essentially moved him for a second-rounder. For all intents and purposes, I moved a third-rounder for Roscoe Parrish. Considering the emphasis Scott Pioli is putting on special teams, I don’t see this as a stretch at all. I also think the Chiefs will be as active as I have been on draft weekend, which is why I have been so active, if that makes sense?

Addicts, sound off on my efforts in this mock — what would you have done the same or differently?

So the news has hit the Intertwebs that Anquan Boldin wouldn’t mind playing for the Chiefs. The price for the Cardinals is apparently a first and a third. I wonder if the No. 3 pick and a 2010 conditional would get it done (high third, low fifth)? If so, I would pull the trigger. As much as I love Crabtree, Boldin has proven that he is a Pro Bowl player and a tough-as-nails one at that.

This would also clear the way for us to trade Tony Gonzalez if we wanted to in exchange for second-rounder, where we could snag a linebacker. After all, one fundamental belief I have is that teams overvalue their draft picks because they believe they can assess talent better than they truly can. Definitely food for thought.

Addicts, would you trade our firt-rounder and change for Anquan Boldin?

Personally, I don’t think the Chiefs would reject a second-rounder, but I could be wrong. If the Chiefs do pull the trigger, they should draft Michael Crabtree to replace Gonzalez and pick a pass rusher in round two. Matt Cassel, Scott Pioli and Todd Haley are all coming from systems where they had two Pro Bowl receiving options. To not give them the same kind of tools they excelled with in the past would be plain stupid on our part. After all, if those three fail, then the Chiefs fail. End of story.

We could also draft a pass rusher early, say Brian Orakpo (who we just worked out), and pick a receiver in round two. I think that would be a riskier move for both positions, though. There is only one top-flight receiver in this draft. Meanwhile, there are a lot of highly skilled pass rushers, but no Lawrence Taylors, no Derrick Thomases. Crabtree could be the next Larry Fitzgerald.

My other thought is that maybe the Falcons low-balled us and offered a third. I don’t think the Chiefs are going to move Tony G for a second-day pick. Not when Cassel needs a supporting cast that can help speed up his maturation process as a quarterback. Plus, Tony getting moved for anything less than a second would be hard for the fan base to stomach. Even Pioli’s political football capital might not be able to withstand that.

More on this story to come…

Addicts, sound off on Tony G potentially heading to Atlanta for a second-rounder…

Personally, I think the drama is going to come later in the week, but a lot of people are projecting that we will have some answers regarding the Chiefs’ disgruntled vets — Brian Waters, Larry Johnson and Tony Gonzalez — when voluntary workouts kick off tomorrow. I guess we’ll have to wait and find out. Until then…

Addicts, what do you think will go down tomorrow, if anything?

By now, you’ve heard the news about Larry Johnson. You’ve heard that he can’t sip bubbly any more. You’ve heard that he can’t go to Blonde or any other bar or club after 9 PM. You’ve heard that he plans to report when the Chiefs kick off their voluntary workouts come Monday. You’ve heard that the Chiefs are filling a breach-of-contract grievance with the NFL to try to free themselves of the $3.75 million they owe wannabe Scarface Andre Rison  Jr.

What you haven’t read is this: Larry Johnson will not be wearing red on Sundays this fall…in Kansas City, anyway.

Say goodbye to the bad guy? No. Say goodbye to the Larry in red.

He might don red as Tiger Wood’s caddy. He might sport the red jersey of the Bucs, Cardinals, Falcons, Niners, Texans or Giants. But he will never rock his red No. 27 Chiefs jersey again. Well, not on Sunday for pay. If he wants to wear it with a pink watch, a trucker hat and camo pants to the club on his own time, hey, that’s his business.

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In the midst of reports that a work stoppage could be coming at the Truman Sports Complex, a Chiefs official tells us that the situation will not disrupt the team’s home schedule.

Arrowhead Stadium currently is being renovated. The labor contract between the builder and its union expires next week. Absent a new contract, the employees could refuse to work.

“We’re aware of a potential strike,” the official said, “but we’re confident that we’ll play ten homes games at Arrowhead and hopefully more.”

The Chiefs will never let this happen and neither would the NFL. Trust me. Besides, the worst-case scenario would probably result in the Chiefs playing in nearby Lawrence, KS or something. There is no way in hell an NFL team would ever agree to play 16 games on the road. It’s utterly ridiculous to even suggest the possibility.

• Matt Stafford scored a 38. I’m not his biggest fan, but this score paired with a standout pro day has gotten even my attention. Mark Sanchez and Josh Freeman also fared pretty well, scoring 28 and 27 respectively. Matt Ryan scored a 32 last year. We at least know that if any of the three drop, it won’t be because of their Wonderlic scores.

• Andre Smith scored a 17, which raises yet another red flag for the ginormous Alabama prospect.

• Rey Maualuga scored a 15. Yikes! No thanks to him being the QB of our new defense. Fellow Trojan backers Clay Matthews and Brian Cushing recorded a 27 and a 23, respectively.

• Meanwhile, Michael Crabtree’s 15 isn’t a big deal, as receivers typically don’t do well or need to do well. On the other hand, Jeremy Maclin’s 25, especially considering his age, is still quite an impressive score.

• As for the big boys up front, Eugene Monroe (24) and Jason Smith (23) did fine, but it was Arizona OT Eben Britton who really turned some heads with his (31). This is why I don’t want us to draft a tackle at No. 3. Because every year a player like Britton goes in the late first (Sam Baker) or early second (Tony Ugoh), and ends up being essentially just as good as the Jake Longs and Joe Thomases of the draft. Britton’s score bodes well for a prospect who’s stock was already rising.

• No scores for Aaron Curry, Brian Orakpo or Everette Brown…yet. But since presumably all the scores leaked, no news is good news.

Fellow addicts, sound off on the Wonderlic score results…

Our good friends over at Arrowhead Pride are reporting, via KFFL, that the Lions will select Jason Smith first overall in next month’s NFL Draft. From KFFL:

Lions | To take J. Smith with first pick?
Sun, 22 Mar 2009 18:38:30 -0700

KFFL has learned the Detroit Lions will take Baylor OT Jason Smith with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

If this is true, my guess is that the Lions are going the cheap route. After all, the Ford family can’t exactly throw around the cash it used to. Meanwhile, Smith probably settled on a much smaller deal than either Aaron Curry or Matt Stafford would have in order to be the No. 1 overall pick. And why not? After all, houses in Detroit are going for a used waffle maker and a bagful of Camel points.

What does this mean for the Chiefs? Curry? Maybe. It could also increase the likelihood of a trade down, as teams more than likely are going to be interested in trading up for Matt Stafford. Remember, the first quarterback went at No. 3 last year. It does look almost for certain that both Curry and Michael Crabtree will be on the board when our Chiefs pick, not to mention Brian Orakpo and Everette Brown as well. So, let the debate rage on…

If the first two picks are indeed Smith and Eugene Monroe, who should the Chiefs select third?

The talks are only preliminary and the real target has yet to be identified, but the Detroit Lions are already in the process of negotiating a contract with their first-round draft pick. Lions president Tom Lewand said the team could move very quickly in getting a deal done, adding that “By the rules, we could agree to terms with somebody tomorrow if we wanted to.”

If we get the news that Aaron Curry or Matt Stafford will be the Lions’ pick this far out, that will really change the speculation game quite a bit as far as the Chiefs are concerned. I think it’s one of those two guys, but don’t rule out Jason Smith either. Maybe they like several guys and the actual pick will depend on who is willing to sign the cheapest deal? Stay tuned, as this could be huge news…

The Chiefs have some horses on offense. Tony Gonzalez. Dwayne Bowe. Matt Cassel. Maybe even Larry Johnson. But something is missing. That something is Torry Holt.

If the Chiefs picked up Holt, they could pass on Michael Crabtree at No.3. They could instead use that pick to draft a DeMarcus Ware-type pass rusher like Brian Orakpo, followed by linebackers and offensive lineman later in the draft.

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One could argue that despite this being T.O.’s third divorce, he’s more attractive than after his second one. It’s no secret that Jerry Jones and his Dallas Cowboys are a mess, and that Jason Witten, Pacman Jones, Tony Romo, etc…were just as much to blame as T.O. T.O. is just an easy scapegoat for the BOTOX Billionaire and his quarterback. Sure, he definitely played his part in this mess, but by almost all accounts T.O. was on his best behavior for most of his time in Big D.

Now, T.O., like Randy Moss, will have to both take a pay cut and be a model citizen for a contender to have any chance of entering the Hall of Fame. With his legacy now on the line, I’d say there is a good chance he reacts the same way Randy has. Considering that Jerry’s Kids still owe him $10 million, he might go somewhere and play for peanuts. With most players this might not be the case, but Owens cares more about the T.O. brand than he does money. I guarantee it.

If T.O. does decide that his legacy is more important than money or stats, it could work out. Then again, signing T.O. could also wind up being a disaster for the team that decides to roll the dice on him.

The Candidates:

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Here’s a thought; the Chiefs and Cardinals exchange problems by trading Edgerrin James for Larry Johnson, or one problem for another. Both players obviously need a change of scenery, and both teams would be better off without the distractions.

The Chiefs get a versatile feature back who knows Todd Haley’s offense and is more reasonably priced. The addition of Edge would keep the Chiefs competitive while they search for their feature back of the future. Jamal Charles is best suited as a third-down back, so this allows him to play a more natural role. Edge also performed very well during the Cards’ Super Bowl run, and is a much better blocker than L.J. He not only can see incoming blitzers, he actually makes an effort to pick them up.

The Cardinals get a younger back who’s potential upside gives them a better shot at making another Super Bowl run. With J.J. Arrington out of AZ and the Cards waiting to cut Edge to keep him from landing in the wrong hands, it’s apparent they will need more than just Tim Hightower. Johnson could be that guy.

Considering that neither player has any trade value right now, this deal makes a lot of sense to me. Otherwise, both teams could just end up cutting their former star running backs. Plus, the Chiefs have already shown a willingness to deal with the new brain trust’s former teams. With all the problems these two franchises are dealing with, it would make a lot of sense for both teams to solve one by making this swap.

Am I taking crazy pills, or does this make sense to everybody else?

When healthy, Engram has just about the best set of hands of any receiver in the NFL. He’s not fast, big or dominant, but he runs perfect routes, gets open and catches everything. Better not get a cold or STD within five feet of him, because he’d come down with it. Two years ago, he posted 94 receptions, 1,147 yards and 6 touchdowns. He’s not as good as either T.J. Houshmandzadeh or Wes Welker, and he’s 36, but he’s a similar kind of player.

From Adam Schefter, NFL.com:

Free-agent wide receiver Bobby Engram is in Kansas City today visiting with the Chiefs.

The visit makes sense on two fronts. Back when Engram played in Chicago, he spent one season working with a young assistant coach, Todd Haley, who now is the Chiefs’ head coach. Also, the Seattle Seahawks moved on a receiver Monday when they signed T.J. Houshmandzadeh, leaving much less playing time for Engram, a 13-year NFL veteran.

Engram has produced at his two previous stops – five seasons in Chicago and the last eight in Seattle. Now he could have the chance to do the same in Kansas City.

Engram doesn’t have blazing speed, so he’s not going to stretch the field. But Todd Haley never really had that in Arizona either, as neither Anquan Boldin nor Larry Fitzgerald are really considered “burners.” I know this much; he’d make a helluva second security blanket for Matt Cassel for a few years. You know who the first security blanket is, provided he remains a Chief. The key here is Engram’s health. He’s missed 18 games over the past five years.

If we think he’s got a decent chance at playing 13 games after conducting his physical — like he has four of the past five years — then we sign him. Look, would you rather have Laveranues Coles at $6 million or Engram at $2 M? Especially when Coles is just as injury prone. Easy decision, right? It’s not just about him being a good bargain either. By importing Cassel and Haley, Scott Pioli has tied the future of this organization to the passing game. If the Chiefs do not give Cassel and Haley everything they need to be successful, then the new regime will fail in its attempt to rebuild the Chiefs into a winner. Wide receiver is currently on of the biggest needs on this roster as a result of the direction Pioli decided to take. End. Of. Story.

Speaking of Bobbys, it’s pretty funny that people are still bringing up something as trivial as Bobby Sippio all the time. Yeah, I was wrong. I was wrong about an AFL receiver becoming a supporting receiver for our Chiefs. I admit that. Big deal. Let’s not do revisionist history and act like Herm Edwards didn’t have a major chubby for his son’s best friend Jeff Web, though.

If we had to discuss every time ol’ Merlin Haggard was wrong, we’d have to publish an A.A. encyclopedia of goofs. Dude struck out on the Brodie Croyle-and-Herm Edwards comedy duo, before striking out again with a proposed nucleus of Eric DeCosta, Jon Kitna/Tyler Thigpen and Rex Ryan. And we all remember this money quote from Merl the Pearl:

I do not see Matt Ryan as a franchise QB, so I would not even look at him.

I know it’s hard being Pippen to my Jordan, Flava Flav to my Chuck D, Robin to my Batman. But you’re the best sidekick I could find, Merlin. Did I say Robin? Whoops, I meant Alfred the Butler, because homeboy is 137 years old. He’s right about this all being in good fun — it always is, always will be. I enjoyed his post, and I think we all did. But he knew my retribution would be swift. Had to of known.

Anyway, Addicts, yes or no on Bobby Engram?

First, there’s some suspense and build-up. Then something smaller happens (the Mike Vrabel trade) that makes you think things have gotten as crazy as they will get. That’s when the calm before the storm hits. You know, the part of the movie where you finally let your guard down enough to get hit with the biggest shocker of all.

Masters of the suspense genres — horror, mystery and thriller — know you have to both buck convention and use misdirection to pull off a masterpiece. Legendary film director Alfred Hitchcock perfected these techniques. But Hitchcock did one thing better than anybody. He always kept his audience in the dark. The audience never knew what was going to happen until the characters in the films did. Hitchcock never made it easy on his audience by revealing anything until he absolutely had to. He knew that this approach would wind up being better for both him and fans of his movies.

Kind of sounds like someone we were recently introduced to, right? Like Hitch, he’s also bald. He wears glasses. He sits in King Carl’s vacated throne. He once even had to deal with what his cameras were doing.

That’s right; the new director of the Chiefs, GM Scott Pioli.

In his first offseason with our beloved Red and Gold, Pioli has turned the Chiefs into the most secretive franchise in the league. Not even the Patriots can touch this level of secrecy. That’s bucking convention.

His hiring process was long and secretive. Then the head coach search which ended with the Todd Haley hire, was equally long and secretive. The defensive coordinator search? Long and secretive, and that’s if it’s even over. We knew free agency was going to be a bit like this, even if we tricked ourselves (especially yours truly) because we hoped it would be different. We wanted instant gratification. That’s not how building a masterpiece works.

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We showed interest in Bart Scott. He decided to play for his old defensive coordinator in the country’s biggest media market, not to mention a team closer to being a contender.

Stacy Andrews went to the Eagles. It’s obvious that he wanted to play with his brother in Philly.

It looks like the Giants, Seahawks and Titans are interested in Antonio Smith. If we aren’t among his first group of suitors with Todd Haley as our new coach, then I don’t want him.

We even went after Albert Haynesworth!

Now, I’m not going to be a Bob Gretzesque “yes man” for The Pioli Trinity, but at least we know they are out there. Honestly, I’m glad we didn’t land Haynesworth. I’m worried both of his best years were contract years. At the same time, it’s good to know we are willing to go out and spend some big money to get a special player. Here’s the scoop, from PFT:

The fact that the Chiefs got into the game is surprising, given that Haynesworth doesn’t seem to fit the high-character template that the team surely is applying under G.M. Scott Pioli.  Also, the Chiefs run at 3-4; Haynesworth presumably would have been used as a Richard Seymour-style defensive end in that system.

Then again, maybe the Chiefs got into the action simply to ensure that someone would overpay for Haynesworth.

Question is, did we leak this information to boost his value and jack up the Redskins’ (although it could have been the Bucs) cap? Or did we have legitimate interest in him? Well, considering that we were one of seven teams Michael Smith mentioned when it came to the most-interested suitors, and considering that John Clayton said more than half the league was interested last night, yeah, I’d say we were interested.

The big question now: where the hell do we go from here? I’m actually tentative to do another Blueprint, as they seem to jinx us. Then again, as I said yesterday, there are 31 teams who can also pursue these standout players.

Here’s what I would do.  With Haynesworth and Scott off of the board and too much money to sit on the sidelines, there are three standout players that are not being pursued as actively as they should be:

1. WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh

2. RB Derrick Ward

3. G Derrick Dockery

Housmandzadeh has been outplaying Chad “Ocho Stinko” Johnson for years. He and Dwayne Bowe could team up to be the next best thing to Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. I wouldn’t mind it at all if we paid Housh No. 1 WR money. He’s more proven as a No. 1 than D-Bowe, and we have money we have to burn. This would allow us to pass on Michael Crabtree and address other major needs in the draft (like pass rusher or quarterback). For a receiver, Housh is also a blue collar player who the fans in K.C. would adore. All the Aaron Curry people talk about safe. Well, this signing is safe, too, but it could also be spectacular.

Ward averaged 5.6. yards per carry and according to the Football Outsiders was the most efficient back in the game. He can simply do it all and isn’t a small back at 235 pounds. I think he could be a Chester Taylor/Thomas Jones-type player. At the price he is commanding, he would be a steal.The Bengals and Lions are after him right now. Think he wouldn’t rather come to K.C.? Screw lowering Larry Johnson’s value. It’s already low, and the Patriots just signed Fred Taylor. L.J. won’t be going there. This would allow us to cut Larry if we needed to.

Dockery is still one of the best guards in the league. The Bills are obviously just cutting costs, which makes sense since some people think they could eventually end up in Los Angeles. Hell, they are already desperate enough to play one game in Toronto. With Waters wanting out, we could use a younger guard of his caliber as insurance. Dockery fits the bill.

Considering their services haven’t provoked any Haynesworth-type bidding wars, we should bid for these players’ services.There are also plenty of defensive ends (Igor Olshansky) and tackles (Ray Willis) available to focus on those three players, not to mention other guards (Brandon Moore, Kendell Simmons) and receivers (Nate Washington) if we whiff on Dockery and Housh. If you ask me, Ward is the only major running back target worth pursuing. He’s only 28 years old, and has very low mileage on his tires for that age. That’s why I have him listed above Dockery on the priority scale.

Now, I know some people are thinking, whoa, what about the defense? I clearly state that we can get a defensive end after we pursue these three players. Same thing with a linebacker for the most part. Plus, this draft is loaded with backers. Larry English in round two? Could happen. Remember, our defense may have been 29th in points allowed, but our offense was 26th in points scored. Also remember that we have an offensive-minded coach. Offense is just as big of a need as defense.

Now that the Bucs just traded for Kellen Winslow, I think it’s time for The Pioli Trinity to make their own splash. I’ve been a loyal fan all year and right now all I have is coal in my stocking. I’m trying to be patient, but it’s hard — isn’t it?

This is what I think happened. I think Brian Waters tried to pull a little power play and test out the new management, and the new management wasn’t having it. Like Scott Pioli has said about Larry Johnson, if you’re currently under contract then you’re a Chief and there’s nothing else to talk about. Period. That’s why I think Pioli wouldn’t meet with him.

I also think The Pioli Trinity is fully united. Looks like Haley sided with the Pioli, as well as Clark Hunt, and not the disgruntled veteran on this one. Good to see that those guys are on the same page — they’ll need to be for this thing to work.

It also looks like Waters got offended, got angry and had his camp dish some dirt up on Pioli and especially Haley. Hell hath no fury like an All-Pro elder statesman scorned, I suppose. Waters may have been the head honcho in the old locker room, but this is a new era. Apparently, Pioli wasn’t about to let the veteran push him around. Good for him — that would have set a bad precedent. These guys need to know that there is a new sheriff in town. Again, I have no inside knowledge of the situation and all of this is purely speculation, but that’s my initial read.

From the Jason Whitlock, Kansas City Star:

Chiefs Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters asked the organization Thursday to release or trade him this offseason, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Waters asked for his release two days after a brief meeting with new head coach Todd Haley and after being told by first-time general manager Scott Pioli that he had no interest in meeting with Waters, the source said.

Waters, according to the source, was offended and shocked by the arrogance of Haley and Pioli. Waters’ meeting with Haley and follow-up phone conversations confirmed in the nine-year vet’s mind that the negative reports about Haley that he heard from Arizona Cardinals players while at the Pro Bowl were accurate, according to the source.

I hate to jump to conclusions here, but Brian Waters is making good money and Hunt has imported the best available football brain trust in football in Haley and Pioli. The Chiefs remain committed to Waters and have renewed their commitment to winning. What is there to talk about, Brian? Can’t you make up your own mind, our do some of the alleged “guys from the Cardinals” have to do it for you? And I’m sure Haley does seem like a bit of a prick to him. After all, Chiefs players have been babysitted and coddled by Dick Vermiel and Edwards for most of the decade. Those days are over.

For now, I will give B-Dub the benefit of the doubt because he’s been a great player, a model citizen and a consummate pro ever since arriving in Kansas City. I think we owe him that much. At the same time, it’s hard to see how he is right on this one. Personally, I don’t think he is with the information I’m getting right now. We’ll keep an eye on this.

Oh, and 22 players off the street probably could win two games. Haley has a good point there. Then again, 22 players off the street with Harm coaching? Yikes. That sounds like a Hollywood comedy in the making.

Thanks to the salary capologists over at Arrowhead Pride, we now know that the Chiefs have $57 million in cap space and even more now that the salary cap has jumped up $4 M. In fact, the Chiefs will have to burn at least $30-plus M to make the league minimum for salaries. I think that the Chiefs will bring back Jarrad Page, even though the hour is growing late, so I’m operating under that assumption. Now that we have money we have to burn, let’s get busy spending…

1. Sign ILB Bart Scott - He’s a Pro Bowl-caliber player that I wouldn’t mind seeing us even overpaying for. We are desperate for a leader at linebacker, and he fits the bill. Plus, he’s proven, young, athletic and has a mean streak Derrick Johnson couldn’t even come close to in his dreams.

2. Figure out the quarterback situation – As much as I like Mark Sanchez, I would still rather have Matt Cassel for sure, and probably even Matt Leinart. Hey, just because Aaron Rodgers sat behind Brett Favre for years, does that make him a bust now? I lump Leinart into that same category. If The Pioli Trilogy decides against bringing in either of the Matts, then I’ll be OK with their decision. After all, they know those guys well. But we will still have to bring in another quarterback to compete with Tyler Thigpen (and presumably start) and to allow us to bring along any potential rookie QB we draft slowly. My pick is Byron Leftwich. He’s only 29, and is a tough, gritty leader who has a lot of the tools you want to see in a QB. Hey, the Pittsburgh Steelers bringing him in says a lot. They also didn’t seem too freaked out when Big Ben went down, showing a good deal of faith in Leftwich.

3. Sign RT Stacy Andrews – Since Khalif Barnes is a left tackle who’s likely to get big bucks, I’d go with Stacy Andrews (27), first, or Jon Stinchcomb (29), second, here. Both players play right tackle and won’t likely be re-upped. Branden Albert could stay at LT under this scenario.

4. Sign G/C Jason Brown - Jason Brown would be great, and he’s my top choice, but Derrick Dockery also has to be considered here. Dockery, however, might be out of our price range.

5. Sign DE Antonio Smith – An up-and-coming defensive end who can play in the 3-4 or 4-3. Had two sacks and really made his presence felt during the Cardinals’ Super Bowl run. The obvious Todd Haley connection makes this an ideal fit and something we should be able to get done. I don’t think inking Smith would break the bank either.

6. Sign WR Nate Washington - I prefer Lance Moore as a player, but not by enough to sacrifice a future second-rounder. I really like Washington’s on-field ability to separate, and feel like he could be a breakout player opposite Dwayne Bowe on a team that passes more than the Steelers have during his tenure. He’s also still only 25. Michael Jenkins would be the next guy in line, in my opinion. If we draft Michael Crabtree, hey, we’ve seen Washington excel as that third guy, too.

7. Sign Derrick Ward -I covet this guy, but signing him would tip our hand and absolutely destroy Larry Johnson’s plummeting, but maybe surging again, trade value.

There you have it. Six somewhat major moves. Just six moves for our Chiefs, who have over $50 M in cap space, and only trail the Bucs in that department. If we make these moves, then we can go BPA in almost every round in the draft. Scott and Smith can both play in both the 3-4 or 4-3, so that also gives us flexibility there.

Sure, I heard Clark Hunt’s lip service, but I will be extremely disappointed in The Pioli Trilogy, and especially Hunt, if I don’t hear that we’re working on getting some deals done at the stroke of midnight. None of these guys are going to get Albert Haynesworth-type deals. We could afford to do all of this. Easily.

Addicts, sound of on this Blueprint and let us hear your own…

According to Adam Caplan of Scout.com, the Saints have extended a tender of $1.545 million to receiver Lance Moore.  If the Saints elect not to match any offer sheet signed by Moore, they’ll receive a second-round draft pick as compensation.Appearing in all 16 games and starting six of them, Moore caught 79 passes for 928 yards and ten touchdowns. As a result, we wouldn’t be surprised if another team makes a serious play for his services.

• With Kurt Warner coming back to the Cardinals — c’mon, it looks like it is a done deal — will Matt Leinart want out? If so, would Haley have interest in the former first-round quarterback who knows his system? Something to think about. Especially since keeping Boldin, Karlos Dansby and Warner in the fold will take quite a toll on the Card’s cap.

• If we move to the 3-4, could Bernard Pollard bulk up and play outside backer? Kind of like a bigger version of Adrian Wilson, I’m thinking. It’s at least worth some discussion. Especially with DaJaun Morgan waiting in the wings.

• With Vernon Carey off the board, we absolutely have to look at Khalif Barnes. He’s available and would pair with Branden Albert to give us bookend tackles. Jon Stinchcomb is also available. He’s a bit older, but he will be less sought after and plays RT. Barnes plays LT. Stinchcomb probably won’t get a big offer from the Saints, who have been cheap so far this offseason.

That’s it for tonight. I’ll be back tomorrow with more combine coverage.

The Miami Dolphins on Friday signed right tackle Vernon Carey to a six-year contract.

Of Miami’s five unrestricted free agents, Carey and safety Yeremiah Bell were the most significant. The Dolphins on Thursday opted not to place the franchise tag on either of them, increasing the likelihood they would hit the open market on Feb. 27.

But the Dolphins locked up Carey less than 24 hours later.

Carey, the 19th overall selection in the 2004 draft, has started 59 straight games for the Dolphins.

So much for the Chiefs going after Vernon Carey. Thanks a lot, Dolphins. Nice aqua and coral unis. Is this Project Runway or the NFL? Yes, I’m getting my hate on. Not happy. Not at all.

Darren Sproles, Julius Peppers and Terrell Suggs. Add three more names to the list of high-profile free agents the Chiefs won’t be signing. All three were franchise tagged by their current teams earlier today.

Oh yeah, Anquan Boldin is now also saying that he’s open to a long-term deal with the Cardinals. So much for bringing in ‘Quan. Jordan Gross also re-signed with the Panthers. Add Karlos Dansby, and that’s six players who could have been targets for the Chiefs this offseason that are no longer going to be available.

The only silver lining here is that since the Ravens have used their franchise tag designation, we can now go after linebacker Bart Scott with reckless abandon. He’s pretty much a must-sign free agent target for the Chiefs at this point. That’s my opinion, at least.

Addicts, what’s your take on Tag Thursday?

The whole media-chasing-its-tail thing we’ve witnessed over the past few weeks which featured the likes of Jack Harry, Chris Mortenson, Adam Schefter, Nick Athan, Mike Florio, Jason Whitlock, and on and on got me to thinking. Is it possible that Pioli, et al was simply introducing the media to the new regime’s version of The Art of War? There seems to be some evidence for thinking so.

Exhibit A: Jack Harry’s blathering “scoop” on Shanahan’s imminent arrival which was subsequently regurgitated by Chris Mortensen and a few others. The first thing I have to ask is  specifically who at One Arrowhead took on the role of Deep Throat for old Jackie boy? Seriously, Harry was 1000% convinced this was going down and that he had the exclusive on it – hook, line, and sinker.

Other than the void exposed in JH’s journalistic talents and his usual buffoonery, there may be something further to be gleaned from this episode and ensuing events.  In light of that news catastrophy, one has to wonder how and why he was bestowed with the privilege of landing a much touted (though totally non-substantive) 12-minute “exclusive” with Clark Hunt shortly thereafter?

Something tells me these two episodes were not mere coincidence. If I were to guess, I would say that the quid pro quo for Harry’s “exclusive” with Hunt (and perhaps his hope for any future interviews?) came at the expense of Harry having to deliver his source(s) on the Shanahan story. Seriously, what other explanation can there be? And to go completely Grassy Knoll on y’all, my nose tells me that this Shanny story was plain ol’ dis-information deliberately leaked to find out who could be trusted within the organization — and to make an example of the rat. Attaboy Jack.

As I am sure we all know, Pioli comes from an organization where loyalty and secrecy are considered paramount and where the media gets involved pretty much only when the information being presented in some way furthers the Patriots’ organizational interests. Think about it; the wrong information can compromise important things like player negotiations, ticket sales, game day strategy, and sometimes even first-round draft picks (see spygate). Conversely, being selective about what information you release to the media and choosing when you let them be your megaphone can be a very cost-effective form of marketing.

Not exactly “embedded media” but maybe you get the picture.

What’s your take on this Addicts? Do you consider “Hannibal” Pioli’s Silence For The Fans approach an effective strategy?

If we are indeed shifting to a 3-4 defense, and we haven’t officially hired a defensive coordinator…then Scott Pioli bringing in his old buddy Romeo Crennel to be the Chiefs’ new D.C. is still a possibility, right? When thinking about the 3-4 and Romeo, several questions come to mind:

• What will we do with Glenn Dorsey? Can he bulk up and play the nose position? Is he even tall enough to be an effective 3-4 defensive lineman at any position?
• Would we be interested in Albert Haynesworth, as it looks like he will be available?
• Julius Peppers. Would he be interested in us and vice versa? It doesn’t look like we are currently one of his four preferred destinations.
• Would Crennel even want the job?
• If Crennel doesn’t end up being our D.C., can Clancy Pendergast and Gary Gibbs, two D-coordinators who never ran the 3-4, install it successfully?

There’s certainly a lot to ponder when it comes to both the rumored 3-4 switch and the TBD D.C. situation, so…

Addicts, sound off on the 3-4 and Romeo Rumors…

The Cardinals made their move in the playoffs. Their next move will involve LB Karlos Dansby.

Arizona is expected to make Dansby its franchise player by Wednesday, meaning QB Kurt Warner will not receive the tag and can test the free-agent market if he doesn’t re-sign with the team before then.

But the Cardinals likely feel good about their chances of retaining Warner. Otherwise, they wouldn’t make the move with Dansby and their lone franchise tag.

Well, there goes a free agent target we would have almost certainly of brought in. Next!

Gary Gibbs is the Chiefs’ new linebackers coach.

Gary Gibbs is just a candidate for these jobs.

Gary Gibbs is the new associate head coach and defensive coordinator of the Bucs.

Gary Gibbs is just a candidate for that job.

Argh! Who the hell is Gary Gibbs and what the hell is going on?

No, despite the way his name sounds, Gibbs is neither an adult or B-film star. He’s the recently fired D.C. of the Saints. For the full scoop on Gibbs, check at this post from Arrowhead Pride.

As for the news, until I hear something more concrete I have no choice but to ignore the rumors. Right now everybody is just too all over the map when it comes to Gibbs news. Sure, Gibbs could end up with the Chiefs, but let’s not all have massive coronaries over this situation…yet, anyway. I am a little worried about hearing he never blitzes and isn’t exactly a defensive line guru, but let’s wait and see what shakes out.

If you have credible updates, feel free to leave them in the comments…

Let’s start off by looking at the last 10 drafts and the linebackers and wide receivers who have gone in the top five. Players who made the Pro Bowl will have an asterisk by their name.

1999 NFL Draft:

NONE

2000 NFL Draft:

LBs LaVar Arrington* (2nd)

WRs: Peter Warrick (4th)

2001 NFL Draft:

NONE

2002 NFL Draft:

NONE

2003 NFL Draft:

WRs: Charles Rogers (2nd), Andre Johnson* (3rd)

2004 NFL Draft:

WRs: Larry Fitzgerald* (4th)

2005 NFL Draft:

WRs: Braylon Edwards* (3rd)

2006 NFL Draft:

LBs: A.J. Hawk (5th)

2007 NFL Draft:

WRs: Calvin Johnson (2nd)

2008 NFL Draft:

NONE

So, we have six wide receivers to two linebackers, and a whole lot to discuss…

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Boldin requested a trade following the 2007 season when his fellow wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald signed a four-year, $40 million contract extension with Arizona [2] and the Cardinals declined to renegotiate Boldin’s contract. He has two years with $12 million remaining on his current contract.

So, Boldin will not  be coming with Todd Haley to the Chiefs. If we want to add another elite receiver, our only two options are really either drafting Michael Crabtree or signing T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who in my opinion is a lot like Dwayne Bowe.

Jason Whitlock went a little but further than what I’m willing to, absolutely crushing Athan via IM to Mike Florio. From PFT:

Our concerns became even more pointed upon receiving moments ago the following IM from Jason Whitlock: “LEAVE NICK ATHAN ALONE. . . total assclown. ASSCLOWN.”

(You know, Whitlock’s career would really take off if he’d quit being so damned wishy-washy about his opinions.)

“Feel free to quote me by name,” Whitlock said, “belittling you for even responding to that assclown’s e-mail. He’s the guy who sent NFL Network an e-mail saying the Chiefs’ deal for Shanahan was DONE and that Schefter was wrong. Athan is an assclown.”

Wow. Athan definitely hit the canvas on that one. Ouch. Sorry, Nick, gotta call ‘em like I see ‘em.

Now we’re once again left to wonder whether or not the Chiefs have actually fulfilled the Rooney Rule requirement after it looks like Athan’s earlier rebort might have been conjured out of thin air. Great.

Tony Gonzalez is simply putting pressure on the Chiefs through the media. First off, he basically put a gun to Scott Pioli’s head and said hire Kirk Ferentz and see what happens. From Yahoo!:

“I want to see who they name as head coach,” Gonzalez said. “Yeah, I hear they’re talking to Todd Haley, but then there’s this coach [Ferentz] from Iowa State, some [expletive] like that and I don’t want to deal with that. It seems like we’re rebuilding anyway, and I don’t want to do that. I don’t know that I want to do that any more than I already have been.”

Reading between the lines there, I believe Tony is saying that hiring Haley would be cool, while hiring Ferentz would be very uncool. I think he doesn’t want Kirk Ferentz as our head coach, and as the elder stateman of the Chiefs he’s sending a warning shot out to the front office. Good for him. In my humble opinion, hiring Ferentz to be our head coach would be an even bigger disaster than hiring Chan Gailey.

He doesn’t stop there either. And if you read the subtext, he’s basically saying: A.) The Chiefs need to start going in the other direction and actually winning games, and fast; B.) Star talent needs to be imported — not exported. From Yahoo!:

“I love Kansas City. I really do. If I could stay there, I would. That’s why this is going to be a tough decision,” Gonzalez said. “We’ve been rebuilding. It hasn’t really seemed to go well. We won four [in 2007] and two this year. It’s getting tough. … I don’t want to make it seem to the fans in Kansas City and to my teammates that I’m abandoning them. I hope, I think, they’ll understand.”

“We traded away our best defensive player [Allen], by far. A game changer and you trade him away,” Gonzalez said. That’s just too much, and that’s sending a message to the guys on the team.”

Tony G is a veteran’s vet and a master of the media. I warned everybody that they were putting too much stock in Tony’s (paraphrasing) “if Thigpen isn’t the starter, then I go” comments. I always thought that was actually quite funny. First off, that he expected people to actually believe that. Second, that people actually did — hook, line and sinker. Now he’s just putting a little pressure on Pioli to make some big moves this offseason. The right moves, too. Moves that will make the Chiefs playoff contenders next year.

So, please, don’t read too much into Tony’s lip service. Like a young boy with a new step daddy, he’s simply testing the new sheriff in town. If Pioli makes the right moves — and I believe he will — Gonzo won’t be gonzo any time soon. For now, just ignore Tony’s venting down in Hawaii. He needed it.

First, it looks like the Rooney Rule has been addressed:

In fact, yesterday Chiefs Chairman of the Board Clark Hunt told a local radio station that he was pleased with the candidates that had been interviewed so far, and that the Chiefs were in compliance with the Rooney Rule. That was the first indication that any candidate had actually met with Pioli.

I hear and read a lot of bitching about this rule, but, personally, I’m glad it exists. I don’t want my beloved NFL to end up like D1 college football. I’d say that black NCAA players comprise 60% of D1 rosters. Despite that, only three coaches out of 117 are black? That’s .03 percent! In an era where two of the past three Super Bowl Champion’s coaches have been black, that’s an embarrassment.

Herman Edwards was a bad coach, but bad coaches come in all shapes, sizes and colors. .03 percent when we have a black President? I mean, college football is behind the rest of the country. No doubt about it. I’m glad the Rooney Rule is still intact. We don’t want the NFL to end up with the lack of diversity currently displayed by the NCAA.

Now on to bigger news. Athan also discussed Chan Gailey staying on as offensive coordinator.

If reports are accurate that Pioli wants Chan Gailey to remain offensive coordinator, then Haley would also have to accept the fact that most of his offensive coaching staff is already in place. To our knowledge, none of the Chiefs’ offensive coaches have interviewed for other positions outside of quarterbacks coach Dick Curl, who was hired by the Rams last week.

This is speculative, and even if it is true we’re still not sure if it’s a dealbreaker and Pioli is demanding it, or if it is just an option he is keeping open.

Contrary to popular belief around these parts, I don’t hate Chan. I love my Chiefs, so I fight for my Chiefs with all my heart. That being said, both my brain and my gut tell me that Gailey getting hired as our head coach would be doomsday for our beloved Red and Gold. I just don’t believe he has the temperament to come in here, kick ass, inspire these kiddies and lead them in a new direction.

Also, sure, he made chicken salad out of chicken sh** last year (even though the Arrowspread only won him one game). But he could never quite make a five-star meal out of the finest ingredients back when he was head coach of the Cowboys. I want a head chef, Chief rather, in our kitchen who can whip those ingredients together and cook a meal that would make even Emeril show his “O face.” Not sure Todd Haley can deliver that, but I believe he’s got a great shot. Just judging by history, I’m 90% Gailey wouldn’t be able to.

Much more to come…

The Chiefs have received permission from the Arizona Cardinals to interview Todd Haley for their head coaching vacancy, sources said.

It was unclear when or where the meeting between Haley and Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli will take place…

Music to my ears. All we need is a Rooney Rule candidate. I wish we could interview Leslie Frazier and make him associate head coach along with defensive coordinator, but I’m not sure that has any chance of happening. Kind of a lateral move for him when he’s close to being a head coach. Same with Ron Rivera. With Winston Moss not yet a coordinator, maybe we could pull off that trick with him? It’s a thought.

Stay tuned for more news on the seemingly imminent Haley hiring. Big thanks to long-time reader Jeremy for posting this in the comments so quickly.

Recently, myself and Primetime of Arrowhead Pride had an interesting debate — conducted via e-mail — over whether Chain Gailey or Todd Haley should be the Chiefs’ next coach. In the Pride corner, Chan “The Man” Gailey! In the Addict corner, Todd “The Bod” Haley! Ding, ding, ding!…

Primetime:

Chan Gailey should be the next head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.  Yeah, he’s not the sexy choice that so many Chiefs fans have been clamoring for since names like Bill Cowher, MIke Shanahan and Marty Schottenheimer have been floating around.  But, he is a coach with a proven track record and gives the Chiefs the best chance for success in 2009.

• Offensive coordinator of the Steelers: Super Bowl
• Offensive coordinator of the Dolphins: 11 wins per year
• Head coach of the Cowboys: 2 playoff appearances in 2 years

The Chiefs are the youngest team in the league.  They need a head coach that is familiar with the players and their development, especially the quarterback position..  Tyler Thigpen owes his success to Gailey.  Being the most important position in professional sports. the development of a quarterback should be placed at the forefront of any rebuilding session.  Gailey took Thigpen and made him a competent quarterback.  His work with Thigpen can not be understated in any way, shape or form.

The turnaround job he did with the Chiefs is nearly enough to make me give him consideration for the head coaching job.  But combine that with his previous success as a head coach in which Jerry Jones admitted he fired him prematurely and he’s a no-brainer.  Once we can get over the young, up-and-coming coordinator obsession and take note of his resume, Chan Gailey is a solid choice for the Chiefs next head coach.

Adam:

It’s not about making the sexy choice. It’s about aiming for greatness. As solid as he’s been as a coordinator over the years — and winning one gimme game with the Arrowspread last year was not one of those times — he’s been a pedestrian head coach. Other than what seems like a millennium ago at Troy (when it was still Troy State), he’s never won more than 10 games as a head coach. Most years he’s hovered right around .500. That’s settling for the crumbs when we should be shooting for the stars. That’s why I simply do not understand the Chandemonium that has hit Chiefs Nation.

Todd Haley’s résumé speaks for itself. Not only has he risen about as quickly as you can in the NFL, some of the brightest football minds in the game — Bill Parcells and Ken Whisenhunt — have recently hired him. I’ll take a Parcells hire over a Herman Edwards one eight days a week. Besides, what Haley has done in Arizona has been astonishing. Whisenhunt is a damn fine young head coach, but it’s been Haley’s offense that has taken the Cardinals to the Super Bowl. The Cardinals to the Super Bowl! That’s as astonishing as us putting a man on the moon. As Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point and 20,000-women conquests. As Seth Rogen becoming an A-lister. And Haley is the man responsible.

The Chiefs are the youngest team in the league, and it would suit them well to have a young coach who can communicate with the new generation of players effectively. Look at the two coaches in this year’s Super Bowl. Their average age is 41. Chan Gailey is 57. Additionally, Gailey was part of a coaching staff that coddled our young players and didn’t get the best out of them. As we saw with Anquan Boldin two weeks ago, Haley is a “no nonsense” kind of coach. In order for the promise of our youth to amount to something, we need balls — not a babysitter.

To top all of that off, Haley even has a strong working relationship with new GM Scott Pioli. Speaking of Pioli, wih him in and Carl Peterson out, it’s time to look forward. Haley is the right coach for this new era in Chiefs football.

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