I feel way more confident in Matt Cassel than I did last year.  The fact that he has matured, played well, and now has better weapons is a definite plus.  The coaches now know him real well, and even more important is the fact that he knows himself even better.  Over the last three years he has received more snaps than at any time in his entire QB career.

But you have to wonder, do the Chiefs bring in a more experienced signal caller to back up Matt Cassel or do they go with Tyler Palko and Ricki Stanzi for the rest of the year? Both back up QBs have little to no NFL experience, and with all the talent and money the Chiefs have in players like, Charles, Bowe, Baldwin, Hali, Moeaki, and Flowers, you don’t want to waste a year should something happen to your starting QB.  You most certainly should have a better back up plan than the one the Chiefs currently have.

 More after the jump…

(more…)

Yesterday I was talking to a fellow Chiefs fan who asked me whether or not our Kansas City Chiefs had the best offense in the AFC West.  We both quickly came to the same conclusion: yes. 

Looking at the other teams in the AFC West it is clear that the Chiefs offense is more “well rounded” than the other teams for the following reasons:

First, it is absolutely undeniable that we have the best running back and running game in the AFC West.  Both the Chargers and the Broncos are reportedly having difficulty with their recent number one picks: Ryan Matthews, and Knowshown Moreno.  While the Raiders certainly have the potential to be great at RB, Darren McFadden and Michael Bush have battled injuries and yet to put up consistently good numbers.  The Raiders clearly have the second best running game in the AFC West.

More after the jump… (more…)

To say the Kansas City Chiefs’ fullback position is full would be an understatement.  It is not unusual for any NFL team to carry just one fullback (or even no fullback a la Detroit Lions/Barry Sanders).  Last year the Chiefs carried two; Mike Cox and Tim Castille.  (It could be argued they carried three (3) if you count big Jackie Battle who has played fullback in the past).  

Since last year, The Kansas City Chiefs have drafted another fullback: 7^th round pick Shane Bannon.  As it stands now (presumably) we have 3 fullbacks on the roster (four (4) if you count Mr. Battle).  There’s not much room on the roster for these boys.

More after the jump…

  (more…)

Please be advised that the following article is made in jest (sort of)

Don’t get me wrong.  I love Todd Haley.  He is the best coach that the Kansas City Chiefs have had in a while.  If I was the coach of the team, I would run it the same way.  I would have the same intensity that he has.  I would have the same passion that he has; the same control that he has; rule by the same principles that he does; and cuss like a f@#$ing sailor like he does.  I love what he has done for, and with, the team.  However, I would probably give a little more effort in the personal appearance portion of the job.

 More photos and comments after the  jump…

(more…)

Hey! What in the heck are you guys doing without me?

Matt Cassel, Dwayne Bowe, Jamaal Charles, Brian Waters, Branden Albert, etc. all know the offense.

Eric Berry, Derrick Johnson, Brandon Flowers, Ron Edwards, etc., all know the defense too.

In fact these players have been involved in football for so long, (most of their lives), I am absolutely sure they can design and implement a few, or maybe even a lot of, plays on their own.  They can coach, and apparently are coaching, themselves.  And they should…

More after the jump…

(more…)

First let me apologize for not posting in over a month.  In the last month I got married in Hawaii and flew off to Europe for a three week honeymoon.  I came back to a boatload of work. (It’s been a really hard month; your sympathy would be appreciated).   During that time, I refused any internet access, and as such, I am not up on our current beloved Chiefs’ news.  The good thing is there really hasn’t been any, (other than here at AA of course).  But I digress.

The word on the street is that the Owners and Players have 85% of an agreement in place and the lockout will be over soon enough.  As I have said on previous occasions, the lockout to me has been, well, kind of trivial.  They were always going to play football.  The decision is simple: gripe about how you do not make enough money and then in fact not make any money at all, or gripe about how you do not make any money, work out a better deal (even if it is not exactly what you want), and then make money.  It is common sense.  But I digress again.

Everyone knows that I have been clamoring for a true NT for the last couple of years.  In the 2010 draft, I wanted the Chiefs to select Cam Thomas, in fact during AA’s 2010 draft chat, Merlin, myself and everyone chatting that year wanted the Chiefs to draft a true NT, especially Cam Thomas.  That did not happen.  (Cam Thomas was then selected by our rivals the Chargers in the 6^th round.  He played in 6 games, had 7 tackles and two sacks).  I thought the Chiefs must know what they are doing; they must have done their homework and not liked what they saw out of any of the true NT prospects in the 2010 Draft.  I knew the 2011 draft would be different. They had to get their true big bodied NT in order to shore up our run defense, and they had to make it priority  number one.  However, they did not.

More after the jump…

(more…)

(First, let me get this out of the way:  If you are anything like me you don’t even care about the lockout anymore.  The last couple of months I try to ignore it.  I act like it is not even going on.  Why?  Because I know it is just a sham.  There will be football this year because the same greed that is causing the players and owners to fight over money will compel them to play when the time comes so that they do not lose any money.  It is simple math. It is impossible for you to disagree.  I dare you.  ) 

In any event…

I was perplexed when the Kansas City Chiefs took Miami DE Allen Bailey in the third round of the 2011 draft.  Don’t we already have depth at DE?  We have a stud in Glen Dorsey, a serviceable (and expensive) DE in Tyson Jackson, a stud in Shaun Smith, and a developing stud in Wallace Gilberry.  Do we even have room for the 285 pound 6’3 Bailey?  Sure, you can never have enough depth, right?   But to use a third round on a possible third stringer seems high, doesn’t it?  Unless….

 More after the jump…

(more…)

Warning: What you are about to read contains an unusual amount of pessimism from a Homer.

I love the Kansas City Chiefs; I love the NFL; and I usually love the NFL Draft.  I cannot remember a time when I did not watch the Draft in its entirety.  However, that will most likely change this year.

Don’t get me wrong, I will probably catch a few minutes of it, but other than that I am really apathetic about the draft because of the lockout.  I hope the Kansas City Chiefs get some great players when our time comes to turn in those cards, but if the NFL lockout costs us mini-camps and training camps, those NFL rookies will essentially be useless.  Since the NFL lockout looks like it will be heading into mid to late August, then those poor rookies won’t see much practice time let alone playing time. 

Where did I come up with the mid-August time frame? 

More after the jump…

  (more…)

Off the top of your head can you name a Chiefs player who statistically regressed and played worse than the year before?  I know it is difficult to do so considering the fact that the Chiefs played beyond all expectations in 2010, but this player did not.  I will give you a hint.  He is not irrelevant anymore.    He is:

The answer after the jump…

(more…)

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what positions the Chiefs need to address during the draft and eventual free agency and that is a good thing.

In years past, the Chiefs could have taken on any position and found a need.  Such is not necessarily the case anymore.  We have talent on this team, and just a few spots that need upgrading. Those spots, however, are glaring.  You would have to be an idiot not to see them. (Are you reading this Scott Pioli?)

A Second Wide Receiver

In my humble football opinion, it would be absolute professional malpractice for the Chiefs not to sign a free agent wide receiver or at least spend a top pick (first or second round pick) on a wide receiver.

A quick run down of the second wide receiver position tells you why.  Chris Chambers is toast; Terrance Cooper is a special teamer; Verran Tucker a fourth receiver at best; save one or two plays, Dexter Mccluster was unimpressive in his time (definitely not a second receiver);  Quinten Lawrence (why is he still on this team?), and Kevin Curtis (aging, slowing and injury prone). Dwayne Bowe is the only real deal we have, and without help he tends to disappear in games.

More after the jump…

(more…)

Is your interest in football diminishing?

I, (presumably just like you), and the other writers that write for this blog, are blood thirsty die hard Chiefs fans who drink up every single drop, or even whiff, of blood.  We have been thirsting for Chiefs news and action for so many years that we cannot remember a time in our lives where our obsessed rabid fanhood was tempered by any sense of normalcy.  That is, until now.

The lockout has caused a normal, healthy, (or unhealthy), flow of information, opinion and news to completely dry up and wither away.  The lockout is rehab for the NFL addicted masses and the entire NFL (players and owners) are making a big mistake.  Instead of causing its fan base to become more obsessed, the NFL and its players association, is sending millions and millions of us (reluctantly, as always) to rehab.  (… and that is not necessarily a good thing if you are Dr. Feelgood).

I am not going to pick sides in the lockout debate.  I don’t care who is right or who is wrong.  I have no say in the battle.  But it is painfully obvious to anyone who peruses NFL blogs, websites, chart rooms, and the like, that the fan interest is not just down, it’s out!  Comments on this site and other major blogs (PFT) are considerably dormant. Even the top NFL writers are boring me to death with their scarce information. (Sorry Peter King)

More after the jump…

(more…)

As depicted in this old photo, Brian Waters should be the Center of attention.

Some of you may have read Adam Teicher’s article recently suggesting that Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Todd Haley thinks that the play of Brian Waters is slipping.  (Maybe Waters made the Pro Bowl on reputation alone he suggests). Whether that is true or not is debatable.  But what is not debatable is that some changes to the O-line are bound to happen, if not this year, for sure next year.

Casey Wiegmann has not declared whether or not he is going to return for another year.  Even if he does, Todd Haley has reiterated numerous times, that every position is open for competition.  I have suggested this option previously, and will do so again.  We should Move Brian Waters to Center. 

Casey Wiegmann is a better choice than Rudy Niswonger at Center, but his play is slipping, as evidenced by the big nose tackles who pushed him around some last year.  Brian Waters play is debatably slipping at LG, yet he has some good years left on his plate, arguably at Center (where he gets some help form both guards).  At this point I do believe that Waters is a better option at Center than say both Niswonger or Wiegmann.  Please don’t forget that Jon Asamoah (G) played admirably last year in relief duty and by all accounts is a star in the making.

 More after the jump…

(more…)

Will the lockout dictate which way the Kansas City Chiefs go in the first round or even the second?  Should it? Let’s face it, although the Kansas City Chiefs returned to relevancy in 2010, the Chiefs still have big needs on both sides of the ball (WR, OL, FB & NT, OLB, and FS).  It is no secret that NFL offenses are very complex.  In my opinion, our two biggest needs are WR and NT.  Having said that, if the lockout continues and we lose OTAs, mini-camps, training camps, and even pre-season games, would choosing a wide receiver or offensive skill player with our first pick be counter productive? 

Would we be better off going with a defensive player, specifically a NT, who presumably has simpler assignments and could pick up the defense so much faster than say a wide receiver?  Would you still do so, even if the offensive player is just slightly rated higher than the defensive player? Isn’t it a lot easier to be disruptive on defense than synergistically productive on offense?  I say yes, if you believe the lock out will persist into training camp time; the Chiefs should take a defensive player with their first and second picks.  Am I being short sided and simple minded, or is this a concern?    

What do you think?

Kansas City Chiefs’ Dwayne Bowe had his best season ever as an NFL player.  He more than doubled his single season record for TDs in 2010 and broke the infamous 1000 yard receiving barrier for the second time in his young career.  Which made me ponder the following question: what are the odds of Dwayne Bowe repeating his 2010 great statistical season?  If you have followed football over the years, you know that the odds are not necessarily in his favor.   The following is a list of current and past NFL wide receivers’ statistically best years followed by the next year for comparison:

Braylon Edwards:

Year 2007        Receptions 80              Yards 1,289     TDs 16

Year 2008        Receptions 55              Yards 873        TDs 3

Randy Moss:

Year 2007        Receptions 98              Yards 1,493     TDs 23

Year 2008        Receptions 69              Yards 1,008     TDs 11

 More after the jump….

(more…)

All week I have heard Chiefs fans stating something akin to this “The Kansas City Chiefs would be crazy not to give Tamba Hali whatever he wants”.  I know that I may be alone on this point, but I disagree.  I spoke briefly of this a couple of days ago in a comment on one of Pat’s posts and I believe it is worth mentioning once more.

First, let me state that I love Tamba Hali.  He is my favorite Kansas City Chiefs player.  His history coupled with his work ethic and character make him the best person in all of the NFL.  I truly mean that.  He is a monster on the field and an exemplary teammate off of it.

He is absolutely great at what he does, he is very good, but is he the best?  Is he the best OLB in a 3-4 scheme?   Is he better than Demarcus Ware (20 sacks in one season), James Harrison (Defensive Player of the year 2009), Elvis Dumerville (10.75 sacks per season), Clay Matthews (13.5 sacks in 2010, and 10 sacks in 2009), or Terrell Suggs (averages 8.5 sacks per year).   Is he worth a hefty contract in the neighborhood of 10 to 15 million a year? Maybe he is and maybe he is not.

More after the jump…

(more…)

The Chiefs Could Really Use James Jones

The Kansas City Chiefs need a second wide receiver.  The Chiefs pick 21^st in the draft this year and according to most draft pundits it is an unfavorable spot to pick a wide receiver.  This coupled with the fact that most rookie wide receivers are not that productive in their first couple of years lends proof that the Chiefs should dip into the wide receiver free agency pool.

For the first time in a long time the Kansas City Chiefs look like an attractive option for free agents, this holds especially true for a free agent wide receiver.  Who would not want to play opposite Dwayne Bowe who will most likely get double covered most of the time? 

With the threat of lockouts, franchise tags, and contract extensions looming, we will not know for sure how the list of free agent receivers will pan out but we can surely speculate. So without further adieu here is a list of possible wide receiver free agents (in no particular order):

More after the jump…

(more…)

January 11, 1970 was the last time the Kansas City Chiefs were in the Super Bowl (they won).  That was the 1969 season and that was 41 years ago.

I was born in Kansas in October of 1971.  I am 39 years old.  My entire life, (for as long as I can remember), I have been a Chiefs fan.  These last few years, thanks to the internet and specifically this site, I, presumably like you, have become a very rabid Chiefs fan.  Sadly, I go to Super Bowl parties year in and year out and have to watch other teams and their “fair weather fans” enjoy themselves.  They proudly beat their chest and boldly proclaim how they love their current team when they do not even know who their back-up quarterback is.  I am not proud to admit it, but it kind of pisses me off.  Seeing an acquaintance’s wife spew wildly that she loves player “so and so” and that “no one can stop him” when she does not even know what a “false start” penalty is really chaps my hide.  Hearing a supposedly devout fan mispronounce the name of his star player makes me sick too (true story).  Even better is the fair weather fan who asks “Why isn’t so and so playing?” when that player retired last season or went to another team.  It makes a true devout fan just plain sick. So when you see one of these fans at your Super Bowl party, please know your are not alone in your disgust.

A little more after the jump…

(more…)

There has been a lot of Haley bashing recently, and I think it is grossly misplaced.  Getting the Kansas City Chiefs, a perennial losing team, into the playoffs in your second year as a head coach is quite impressive.  I know you all agree with that, but I just wanted to remind you of that fact.

Has there ever been a Kansas City Chief Head Coach more polarizing than Haley?  I can’t think of one.  If I recall, of the most recent coaches, everyone loved Marty and everyone liked Vermeil too.  Generally speaking everyone disliked Edwards.  Am I wrong?  

Haley is different.  You either love him or hate him.  However, whether you like Todd Haley or not, is not important.  He does not have to answer to you.   He has to answer to his win and loss record.  If, or when, the hammer falls, it will fall squarely on him, and because of that Haley should be able to do whatever he wants to. 

More after the jump…

  (more…)

I’m ashamed to admit it.  I’m an emotional fan and quite frankly losing to the Raiders hurt real bad.  I did not go through my usual Monday morning routine of perusing through every football site, and all things Chiefs related, because, well… I was mad and depressed. I bet you were too.  The Raiders beat us, they deserve some credit, and we have won some crazy ones against them as well.   But the Chiefs beat themselves too.  We definitely did on Sunday, and we squandered a huge chance to take a big lead in the division and that is what makes me so sick.

Admit it, you, as have I, have loved the recent media adoration.  We have loved the recent: “how bout them Chiefs” comments from our friends and co-workers.  It has been many years since our beloved Chiefs have had any respect, and rightfully so.  Despite how crazy it may seem, and it is, and I’m not, I associate myself with the Chiefs (I write for a blog called Arrowheadaddict for God’s sake).  I, (like you), bleed red and gold and have done so even during the Chiefs’ deepest darkest hours.   (See the 2009 movie “Big Fan” for an example of my Chiefs obsession, well not really that extreme). Everyone wants to back a winner, and we have been backing a loser (yes, I said that) for so long that losing to the Raiders on the cusp of taking over, (more like dominating), the division hurt.  

More after the jump…

  (more…)

It cannot be ignored any longer.  There is a new Tony in town and he is quite promising.  Despite what some of you might think it is not blasphemy to point out the following: 

Tony Moeaki is on pace to shatter Tony Gonzalez’s rookies stats. 

More after the jump…

  (more…)

Matt Cassel has been under a lot of pressure over the last couple of weeks and on Sunday against the Texans he looked great.  He looked good in the first quarter, good in the second quarter, great in the third quarter, and was looking great in the fourth quarter until it mattered. 

The point is when we absolutely positively had to have the completions; Matt Cassel severely overthrew his receivers.  Specifically, late in the game on third down he overthrew Tony Moeaki who had position on the defender who was actually behind him.  If Matt delivered the ball lower towards his knees, stomach or even his head, there was no way the defender was going to keep Moeaki from the ball without a pass interference call.  Instead the ball was thrown way too high.  Later during the last drive, Matt overthrew Copper, and Horne, all when we needed the completions desperately.  Am I the only one who saw that, and should we be worried?

We all complain.  We complain when we are stuck in traffic.  We complain when our waiter provides bad service.  We complain when our cell phones cut out.  We complain when our favorite team, the Chiefs, lose. 

All the complaining stems from one thing:  a failure of expectations.

Take traffic.  It’s a funny thing; traffic.  There is absolutely nothing you can do about it.  If I need to be somewhere and “unexpected traffic” slows me down then I am totally pissed and can literally have a meltdown.  If however, I plan on being somewhere and expect to have traffic, (even if it adds two hours to my travel time), I don’t even bat an eye.  

I have noticed that no one is complaining about our Defense, and special teams, and for good reason.  They are great, and quite frankly, we were not expecting them to do so well. (Hence the “no complaining” about them; despite the fact that they are truly not flawless).

However, everyone is complaining about Matt Cassel, (including me), but as I take a look at it more closely, what are we complaining about?  Not to be facetious, but were we really expecting better?

More after the jump…

  (more…)

This year I have reservations.  It stems from the fact that the last few years have been emotionally draining for me.  As some of you know, last year, while in the deepest darkest throes of losing, I still kept my cool, still kept my optimism, but it was very, very difficult.  (Double D and Randy can attest).  It was hard to find the optimistic words needed to write a blog about the Chiefs on Monday after losing what seemed like every game on Sunday.  The last thing I wanted to do was have our die hard Chiefs fans that have already been battered and bruised over the weekend, come to Arrowhead Addict and read even more negative stuff.   I still don’t like writing negative stuff and I am not trying to be negative.  I just have my reservations.

more after the jump…

  (more…)

The last thing Eric Berry needs is more pressure; which is why I am saying to all of you, that we must not expect our new beloved safety to be anything other than an above average rookie in his first year.  The NFL has one hell of a learning curve, and not many rookies get out of the gate running full speed.

So what can we expect from Eric Berry in his rookie year? Only time will tell.  However, we can look to the past for some hints.  (I think you will see from the following stats that the bar is not that high).  Here is a list of current safeties (*save Sean Taylor) and their rookie stats:

More after the jump:

(more…)

My choice after the jump:

  (more…)

Prior to the recent OTA, it was assumed that Brian Waters and Mike Vrabel would not be in attendance.  They usually never are.  Last year their “no shows” made me upset, especially Vrabel’s.  Why?  Vrabel was new to the team, obviously unhappy about his trade, and his leadership and experience was needed to help the youngsters implement the new 3-4 Defense.  This year; ehhh not so much.  I was actually hoping he would miss the OTA.  Why?

More after the jump.

  (more…)

 We had the 31^st ranked rushing defense last year and what have we done to remedy the situation?  Not much at all.  Is Scott Pioli in denial?  Is he seriously going to go into next season with the same players as last (save Shaun Smith)?  The same rushing defensive players who ranked next to last a year ago and the year before that?  He really wants to tie his legacy to Derrick Johnson, Corey Mays, Ron Edwards and the like?  It is like a bad dysfunctional relationship that you hope will get better but never does; which brings me to the topic of your girlfriend(s):

 ILB Derrick Johnson reminds me of the girlfriend who is a tease.  Year in and year out, she flashes potential, but is never consistent, and sometimes even fails to show up.  You keep telling yourself to let her go, and when you do, that is when she shows you her best.  You bring her back, only to find that she really is not that great; you let her go again and boom she surprises you once more, you bring her back, and she fails you again. Rinse and repeat you might say.  This girlfriend drives you crazy.

More after the jump.

(more…)

How many rookie holdouts can you recall where the player turned out to be a bust?  Now, that is a different story.  How about Jamarcus Russell, Brady Quinn, Derrick Harvey, and Aaron Maybin to name a few recent examples?

“Any player who misses more than three days of camp is taking a serious risk,” said Gil Brandt, long-time personnel director for the Cowboys who now is an analyst with NFL.com. “What rookies see at OTAs and minicamps doesn’t compare to what they see at training camp. Everything is accelerated 100 percent.” “Historically, rookie holdouts have a hard time playing well and they often suffer injuries after they show up.” (See Andre Smith for recent proof).

Holding out not only hurts the player, it hurts the coaches, the team and the fans.  How, you ask?  Well, the player misses valuable training and practice time; the coach loses out on evaluation of personnel; scheme implementation and instruction; the team loses out on cohesiveness and chemistry, and us fans, well it just pisses us poor people off. 

More after the jump.

(more…)

I trust that some of you are die hard Madden Football fans.  I also am sure that of those who claim to be, most of you are of the “”Franchise Mode” type.  So, some of you will remember the “position battles” list of the Franchise Modes’ of recent past.  You recall the part of the game where prior to camp you are given a list of certain positions where players are competing for a starting position.  The game would compare two or three sometimes four closely rated players and usually give slight favoritism to the younger rated player. Well, as you know Madden’s Franchise Mode no longer has that aspect of the game, but it got me to thinking.  What would your position battle list look like?  Here is mine:

 More after the jump:

(more…)

Apparently Scott Pioli and Todd Haley could not and did not either.  That is why, by recent accounts, they drafted players, (and are signing UDFAs), who were captains of their squads (6 of the 7 drafted were captains of their squad; the only exception being Cameron Sheffield).  Scott Pioli and Todd Haley know that not only do they need great players, but they need great leaders, captains, and “Chiefs” (not just Indians). These types of “Chiefs” uplift and motivate the players, and we all know that momentum is the name of the game in the NFL.  Right?

More after the jump.

(more…)

Finally, it is here! What a great week this is going to be for Arrowheadaddict.  The NFL schedule is coming (or has come) out; a prime time NFL draft is in order, and our very own, hard working, Patrick Allen will be at the actual draft with the live inside scoop. 

If you’re like me, (a true freaking Chief fan and NFL fan), you watch the draft, every single minute of it, all day, all weekend and have done so for years.  I started watching every minute of the NFL draft back in 1999 when we drafted John Tait at number 14.  Remember 1999?  I haven’t missed one draft in the last 10 years; (how many total hours is that?)

I have to say that over the years watching the draft, (especially when we picked late), was excruciatingly exciting.  It was so very difficult to predict who would be there when we selected.  The last couple of years have been different since we have been selecting so early (ugh!). But no matter where we selected, or who we selected, one thing rang true for this “out of market Chief fan” (and it might sound familiar to you): I watched it alone.   

(more…)

I can’t help but feel energized over the recent acquisitions the Chiefs have made; Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel, Thomas Jones, Shaun Smith, Jerheme Urban, Ryan Lilja, Casey Weigman, etc.  It appears that we are already a better team even before the draft.   But I have felt this way before only to be punched in the gut; really hard.

What made the 4-12 2009 season so difficult for me was the promise of a new beginning.  We had hired the best GM in football, hired a new offensive minded coach who was tough as nails, brought in a few veteran free agents, and traded for a potential franchise QB.  Gone were the old regime and the previous 4-12 and 2-14 seasons.  We were going to be winners again.  The focus was on winning and not developing. We were going to win.  Isn’t that what they said?  Well that did not happen, as you all are painfully aware.

  (more…)

You want further proof that you have to be a passing team in order to win in the NFL?  The top two RBs this season, Chris Johnson (Titans) 2006 rushing yards, and Steven Jackson (Rams) 1416 rushing yards, did not even make the playoffs despite stellar rushing statistics.  In fact, the Titans won eight (8) games and St. Louis won only one (1) behind their league high rushers.  Moreover, the two teams in the Superbowl, The Colts and Saints, were clearly passing type teams with elite QBs and very deep WR talent.

Jamal Charles may currently be our best weapon on offense, but we absolutely, positively should not build our offense around him.  He played very tough this year, but he is no bruiser, and durability has to be a concern going forward.  Jamal Charles has turned out to be quite the stud, (a poor man’s Chris Johnson, if you will) but he should be “icing on the cake” so to speak rather than the cake itself.  You should look no further than to Tennessee’s league leading rusher and their mediocre record for proof.

  (more…)

We all know that Jarrad was a steal when he was taken in the 7^th Round of the 2006 draft (the production from this 7^th round starter is undeniable).  Nicknamed “The Raider Killer” by Chiefs fans, Page has intercepted four balls against the Oakland Raiders dating back to his 2006 rookie season. Three of them have been in the red zone, and three of them have been game-winners, saving the Chiefs from a potential game-winning/tying drive.

His stats were quite impressive for a seventh rounder:

2006        Tackles:  35  Ints 3  Games Played:  16

2007        Tackles:  59  Ints 3  Games Played:  16

2008        Tackles:  85  Ints 4  Games Played:  16

2009        Tackles:  19  Ints 0  Games Played:    5

As you can see 2009 was a very down year for the young free safety.  His season was cut short by injury and at one point he lost his starting job to Jon McGraw (He was a healthy scratch against the Chargers).  So apparently he was in someone’s dog house for whatever reason.  (There were rumors that Haley was unhappy with the fact that Page was “doggin it” or would not play through injury, actually Haley said so after the Chargers game when speaking about Jon McGraw starting the Chargers game.  Page may have even been placed on IR as a result.  It is a safe assumption considering he was listed as a healthy scratch and then on IR soon thereafter).

In any event, Jarrad Page has shown some glimpses of greatness (ie.. against the Raiders) and some glimpses of badness (ie… missing tackles, blowing coverage, being out of position.)  He has been the starting FS on a team that has ranked next to dead last in the NFL for his entire stay in Kansas City.  Which begs the questions, should Scott Pioli sign Jarrad Page to a long term contract?  What is he worth?  Should he be our starting FS? Does Jarrad Page even want to stay in KC?

Jarrad Page places Scott Pioli in a precarious position.  Jarrad is young at 26 years old. As a GM, you hate to let young starters go to another team and become great. However, even though the talent of Page flashes brightly, it doesn’t flash more than his inconsistency.  If you do sign him; at what price do you pay?  How long? Could you spend the same money on another free agent who has performed better or who you believe will play better.  Would you be better off drafting a FS or signing a college free agent?  How much more does/did Jarrad Page add to the Chiefs defense?  Are the rumors true that was Jarrad “doggin it”? 

Personally, if we can sign him for cheap then do so. Offer him no guarantee, and find him some stiff starting competition.  One thing is for sure, there are only 32 starting free safety jobs in the NFL and yet there are literally thousands of players seeking one.  If I was Jarrad Page I would let Mr. Pioli know that I am on board 100% for the upcoming year, and get into a new contract as soon as possible.  Why?  What team in the NFL is going to sign Jarrad Page and make him a starter?  Just one right now:  The Chiefs and I would bet that Scott Pioli is not too enamored with Jarrad Page.  What do you think?

First let me start by saying that Dwayne Bowe is a great talent and plays hard.  He is young (age 25) and has so much potential on his side.  But is he squandering that talent?  After registering 70 receptions, 995 yards and 5 TDs in 2007, then 86 receptions and 1,022 yards and 7 TDs in 2008 was Dwayne Bowe resting upon his laurels?  Yes, and it is not far fetched to believe so.

Maybe he was so impressed with his skill and his first two seasons’ statistics that he made no effort in the offseason to improve himself.  The greats always do: for example, Jerry Rice was notorious about working out in the offseason well after he was considered the greatest of all time (Tony Gonzalez’ good work ethic is notorious too).  According to unrefuted reports, Dwayne Bowe showed up to training camp, (after being told well in advance that he needed to be in shape), 20-25 pounds overweight.  That would put him at approximately 240 to 245 pounds as a WR!  What kind of training was he doing in the offseason to accomplish that?   He obviously did absolutely no training at all other than partying with the likes of Jamarcus Russell.  This put him in the Haley dog house.  That coupled with his intermittent case of the “dropsies” caused him to lose his starting position for a short time.

(more…)