I noticed after we broke the news that the Oakland Raiders had traded for Aaron Curry that a few folks were upset that the Chiefs didn’t make a play for the former first-round pick.

While I am usually one to call for Pioli to make aggressive moves to improve the KC’s depth, the fact that he didn’t go after Curry really comes as no surprise.

The most obvious reason is, of course, that Pioli must not have been all that impressed with Curry when he was coming out of college. After all, the Chiefs had need at linebacker in 2009 and Pioli instead decided to draft Tyson Jackson. Curry was selected immediately after Jackson by the Seahawks.

If Pioli passed on Curry when he was supposed to be one of the safest picks in the draft, why would he give up future draft picks for him now after he has failed to live up to expectations for a couple of years?

(more…)

Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com is reporting that the Seattle Seahawks have traded former first-round draft pick Aaron Curry to the Oakland Raiders for two undisclosed draft picks. One pick will be from 2012 and the other from 2013.

Curry has been a huge disappointment since entering the NFL. Back in 2009, he was a popular choice amongst KC fans who really wanted to bolster the teams linebacking core. In 25 NFL games he has 156 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and no interceptions.

It seems to me the Seahawks are giving up on Curry a bit early. I would give a first-round pick at least three years before getting rid of him. Then again, if Curry continued to play poorly for another season, Seattle may not have gotten anything for him.

Now Curry is a Raider. It is good to know that though Al Davis is gone, the team continues to make questionable personnel decisions in his honor. Oakland has already traded away their 2nd-4th round picks in 2012. It looks like they probably sent a 6th or 7th to the Seahawks, along with a 2013 pick for Curry.

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?

Just about every mock draft I see has the Chiefs taking Curry with the number three (3) pick. However, is Curry really going to be the number three (3) pick? Is Curry truly a 3-4 linebacker? Are we better suited by finding a 3-4 linebacker in later rounds?

I have been reading a couple of articles about potential 3-4 linebackers in this draft (see below). Specifically, they focus on, and rank, the linebackers best suited for a 3-4 scheme. Whether or not these authors are correct, I find it surprising that they all have a common denominator. Curry is NOT listed.

The entire Internet claims that Curry is the best linebacker in the draft. It also says he is the safest, but is he really the best pick for the Chiefs and their soon to be 3-4 scheme? The Chiefs may need a linebacker, but don’t’ they need a specific kind of linebacker? As good as he is, is Curry really that guy? As Pioli puts it: “its not the best players but the right ones”.

Maybe the Chiefs should be focusing on these 3-4 linebackers: Clint Sintim (Virginia), Lawrence Sidbury (Clemson), Cody Brown (Connecticut), and David Veikune (Hawaii). These players all expected to be available in the later rounds.

• 3-4 Outside Linebacker Rankings -New Era Scouting
  
• Feeling the Draft ’09: 3-4 Linebackers – House of Georges
• 3-4 Outside Linebacker Prospects from the 2009 Draft – Bolts from the Blue
  

What the hell am I blabbing about?

Last season, the Chiefs set an all-time NFL record low with 13 sacks. This offseason, they hired a first-time head coach who made his  mark as an offensive coordinator who leaned heavily on his two Pro Bowl receivers. The Chiefs currently only have a borderline No. 1 WR in Dwayne Bowe, and no clear-cut solution when it comes to the No. 2 WR (Bobby Engram will play out of the slot). So, they are going to either pick a pass-rushing specialist or a WR with the No. 3 overall pick, right?

I’d like to think so, but a lot of the so-called experts project us to pick linebacker Aaron Curry out of Wake Forest.

That’s right, a linebacker who isn’t a pass rusher third overall. That kind of player has only been picked in the top five once this decade (A.J. Hawk), and before that there were flops like Kevin Hardy, LaVar Arrington and Quentin Coryatt. Sure, Jerod Mayo worked out last year, but he was picked 10th and many experts still thought he was a reach. Coverage linebackers just don’t hold that kind of value in this league.

If the Chiefs aren’t going to draft the only “can’t miss” superstar in this draft, WR Micheal Crabtree, or the pass rusher with the most potential, Brian Orakpo, I’d like to see us “pull a Minnesota” and allow teams to leapfrog us in the draft order.

(more…)

1. Quarterback
2. Left Tackle
3. Pass-rushing Outside Linebacker
4. No. 1 Wide Receiver
5. Nose Tackle
6. Shutdown Cornerback
7. Inside Linebackers
8. No. 2 Wide Receiver
9. Right Tackle
10. Strong Safety
11. Right Defensive End
12. Left Guard
13. Tight End
14. Center
15. Right Guard
16. No. 2 Cornerback
17. Left Defensive End
18. Featured Running Back
19. Coverage Outside Linebacker
20. Free Safety
21. Slot Receiver
22. Nickel Corner
23. Third down/Change-of-pace Running Back
24. Fullback/H-Back
25. No. 4 WR
26. Dime Corner

This chart makes it obvious why I would pick Brian Orakpo (projected 3, but could also play 11) or Michael Crabtree (projected 4) over Eugene Monroe (projected 2, but would be a 9 for us) or Aaron Curry (projected 7 or 19). Pretty difficult exercise, but I am sure the Chiefs have a positional ranking system themselves. I even had inside linebacker higher than I originally wanted to rank it due to some comments from coaches about the 3-4.

Addicts, how would you rank the positions?

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…

Torture Rack – The rack is commonly considered the most painful form of medieval torture.

This method was mostly used to extract confessions, as not confessing meant that the torturer could stretch more. Sometimes, torturers forced their victim to watch other people be tortured with this device to implant psychological fear.

Sometimes this method was limited to dislocating a few bones, but the torturer often went too far and rendered the legs or arms (sometimes both) useless. – Medievality.com

Now that the Chiefs have imported both Matt Cassel and Todd Haley, they’re married to their passing game. The Chiefs’ success now hinges on the success of their aerial attack. The good news is the NFL is increasingly becoming more and more of a passing league. Which is precisely why I think the Chiefs could go “all in” and select wide receiver Michael Crabtree, who’s the best prospect in this draft class if you ask me.

Crabtree is my option 1A when it comes to the Chiefs’ No. 3 pick in April’s draft.

My option 1B? DE/OLB Brian Orakpo.

(more…)

I’ve tried to wrap my brain around it, but…I just can’t. I can’t. It. Doesn’t. Make. Any. Sense. None whatsoever.

Look, linebackers who primarily rack up tackles and drop back into coverage just aren’t worthy of a top-three pick. Don’t believe me? Well, NFL general managers side with me. They have decided that the position isn’t as crucial as say quarterback, offensive tackle and, yes, wide receiver. That’s why the only player of this description to be picked in the past decade is LaVar Arrington. More on that from Walter Football:

The only linebacker chosen in the top three since 1998 was LaVarr Arrington in 2000. And it has to be noted that the man who took Arrington was none other than Daniel Snyder — an owner with a horrendous track record when making NFL personnel decisions…

Now, is Curry a better prospect than DeMarcus Ware, LaVarr Arrington, A.J. Hawk and Brian Urlacher? According to the Detroit-Curry speculation, some think so. Curry’s weight-40 combo rank up there with that of Arrington, Urlacher, Hawk and Ware, yet only one of those guys cracked the top three…

I’m not saying Curry is going to be a bust. I’m just pointing out that NFL front offices have since realized that linebacker isn’t one of the most valuable positions.

The reason a linebacker hasn’t been chosen first overall since 1988 is because NFL general managers and scouts have become wiser as the draft process has evolved.

(more…)

Draft Results:

1. Detroit Lions – QB Matthew Stafford, Georgia

2. St. Louis Rams – OT Jason Smith, Baylor

3. Kansas City Chiefs – LB Aaron Curry, Wake Forest

There was no need to do an offcial tally to see who you all picked for the Chiefs at No. 3. Linebacker Aaron Curry ran away with the voting early and never looked back. I prefer Michael Crabtree (even though my budding bromance with Torry Holt could change that) or even a true pass rusher like Brian Orakpo or Everette Brown, but I digress. Chiefs Nation has Curry Fever, and he’s a helluva player. He could very well be a Chief come late April.

Here is how we are going to do this. We are going to do a poll based on what position each team should pick, and then a subsequent poll of players who play the position you vote as each team’s biggest need. That being said, the Seahawks are on the clock…

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Sometimes you have to go to great lengths to make sure a message registers, I suppose. Following up on that message, here’s a quote I heard today from Mel Kiper that I couldn’t agree with more:

This notion that you are going to find Tom Brady or Matt Cassel late — good luck. That’s catching lightening in a bottle.

Even for Scott Pioli, the football executive who helped discover those two quarterbacks, the odds against him pulling that off again are astronomical. 10:1 at best, I’d say, if not 50:1. Besides, we think Pioli discovered these guys, but who really knows what went down behind closed doors. It could have been all Pioli. It could have been all Bill Belichick. It could have all been some maestro of a quarterback scout we’re paying no attention to.

We’re rebuilding our franchise. Period. Anyone who argues that is stuck in a state of denial. Any rebuilding effort that’s worth a damn in the NFL starts with a QB.

I keep hearing this “defense wins championships” stuff ad nauseum. Well, if that’s true, then why was it the Steelers’ offense who bailed out its defense in the Big Game? If that’s true, then why have the past four Super Bowl winners been led by a first-round quarterback? If that’s true, then why have the past three Super Bowl winners featured at least one former first-round wide receiver (the Colts had two)?

All of those points are important ones to keep in mind. But the most important one is the first-round quarterback point. Defense wins championships? Maybe, but first-round and franchise quarterbacks definitely win championships.

Over the past six years, you have three first-round quarterbacks and possibly a guy who’s on his way to becoming the best QB of all time, Tom Brady. With the recent rule changes that benefit receivers and in an indirect way QBs (You know, the rule changes that were a direct result of that Colts-Patriots game where Ty Law was reenacting The Deliverance “squeal like a pig scene” on Marvin Harrison), quarterbacks have never been more valuable than they are today. NFL players are also just so big, fast, strong and physical nowadays that the NFL feature back is becoming a dinosaur. A dodo bird. A Siberian tiger. It’s almost an extinct breed, folks. I’ve just figured that out in the past year. The NFL is a passing league now.

The aforementioned reasons are why I believe that we aren’t destined to see another Trent Dilfer any time soon.

(more…)

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…

(more…)

Not only does Kiper have our Chiefs taking Mark Sanchez — one of Adam’s Draft Apple fo sho — but Brian Orakpo barely cracks the top 15 and Michael Oher doesn’t. It also very well looks like Andre Smith and Matt Stafford could be off the board when our Red and Gold make their selection at No. 3. Our choice could come down to Aaaron Curry, Michael Crabtree and Sanchez, which is what most of us here at the Addict have been thinking for a little while now. Drafting a defensive end there is out of the question, but offensive tackle could still be a possibility. We’re going to have to keep an eye on Eugene Monroe and Jason Smith. Any Big 12ers see Smith play this season?