Last Friday, a shot rang out through Chiefs nation – one that meant hope, credibility and a lot of change.

By firing GM Scott Pioli and bringing in head coach Andy Reid, Clark Hunt has set the franchise on an entirely new path.

Firstly, he has done away with the team’s traditional hierarchical structure that seats a powerful general manager above the coaching staff. Make no mistake, going forward, for better or worse, Reid is going to be calling the shots during the offseason, the draft, et cetera.

Four years ago, the Chiefs hired a highly reputed front office wiz from the New England Patriots. Although everyone knows that Bill Belichick is the mastermind behind New England’s success, this guy was a vital cog in his machine and it was believed that the numbers guy could be brought in to reproduce it. That failed, and Hunt learned his lesson. This time around, by hiring Andy Reid, he didn’t get Pioli, he got Belichick.

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Having secured a lucrative contract that gives him wide-sweeping authority, make no mistake, Reid is going to make a lot of changes. He comes with a distinct philosophy, working style and mold for a successful team.

Reid is definitely going to make his imprint on this team during this offseason, which means several players are going to get their walking papers while others are going to see their role increase. We still don’t know exactly who Reid will take on with his staff or whether or not he will be keeping the Chiefs’ 3-4 defense, but judging by the way he built the Eagles, I think we can say which players should be happy and which should be nervous.

Offense

Extremely Happy:

WR’s Steve Breaston, Dexter McCluster and Devon Wylie

Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Andy Reid loves small receivers that are great route-runners. McCluster has come on has an effective slot guy and I have a feeling that Reid will find something to do with Breaston who was criminally underused this season. Meanwhile, Wylie showed up late as another developing tool in the Chiefs passing game.

Happy:

RB Jamaal Charles, LT Brandon Albert

It’s been widely said that Reid doesn’t like to run the ball, but that’s not really true. The Eagles were 19^th in rushing attempts per game this year, 12^th last year and 15^th in 2010. In other words, they’re pretty much in the middle of the pack. Charles will still be getting fewer touches on runs out of the backfield (largely because the Chiefs have been one of the most run-happy teams in the league), but he will make up for that with more screens and quick passes thrown his way per game. Charles is a good route runner and could easily become a faster version of Brian Westbrook.

Reid also highly values the offensive line and doesn’t mind spending big to keep it shored up. This is good news for Albert, whose contract is up.

Extremely Worried:

RB Peyton Hillis and WR’s Jonathan Baldwin and Dwayne Bowe

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Hillis is gone. His fantastic game against the Colts notwithstanding, Hillis was a disappointment, only rushing for 309 yards this season for a 3.6-yard average. Like Hillis, Baldwin and Bowe also don’t really fit Reid’s scheme. Bowe is a great outside, move-the-chains threat, but Reid doesn’t typically utilize such receivers. He prefers getting the ball into the hands of smaller, more dynamic players in the middle that have the chance to make big plays. Baldwin has done next to nothing in the league and doesn’t fit this new mold. Bowe will probably be allowed to walk this offseason in favor of a free agent like Mike Wallace. Baldwin will probably get his last chance to prove his worth in the 2013 preseason.

Defense

Extremely Happy:

S Eric Berry

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Reid made great use of safety Brian Dawkins early in his time in Philadelphia as a jack-of-all-trades blitzer, run stuffer and cover guy. Berry has the physical tools to do the same, and I can’t wait to see the creative ways Reid decides to use him.

Happy:

OLB’s Tamba Hali and Justin Houston

Although nothing is certain at this point, it is likely that Reid will want to move back to a 4-3 defense and use both Hali and Houston as edge rushers on the line. Hali is originally a defensive end and will likely be happy to return. Although Houston has done admirably in picking up coverage skills, I personally think it is a waste to make him drop back on passing downs when he truly excels at getting after the quarterback. In a Reid defense, he likely to be able focus on doing just that.

Worried:

The rest of the front seven

Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Especially if the team abandons the 3-4, DE’s Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson are likely toast. Both are overpaid and underwhelming and I don’t see Reid wanting to keep reinvesting in those projects. Poe will likely stay a bit longer because he is still developing and would likely be effective in a 4-3 as well.

Unfortunately for the guys behind them, Reid has never heavily prized the linebacker position. In his years in Philly, he always invested high picks and free agent signings in defensive linemen and DBs while allowing the linebacking corps to be filled by a revolving door of journeymen.

Although we know Derrick Johnson can excel in the role of a 4-3 middle linebacker, it is still unclear whether Reid will want to pay him big money to continue to do so when his contract is up.

This list will change as we find out more about what Reid plans to do with this team, and I’ll try to keep you all updated as we all find out more.

Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

Kansas City Chiefs WR Jonathan Baldwin continues to turn heads on a daily basis in training camp.

Baldwin has been the offseason rock star in Kansas City since way back during OTAs. The big WR had a very disappointing rookie season but it would appear he is ready to put that behind him. Baldwin kept his head down this offseason and returned to the team looking like a different person. He’s noticeably bigger. Whereas last season he looked thin and gangly, now he appears much more physically imposing.

But it isn’t just the weight room where Baldwin has put in work. It is clear he has been working on his route running and hands as well. AA’s camp reporters have been raving about Baldwin and our own Mike Gooding swears he can’t recall seeing Baldwin drop a pass yet.

With #1 WR Dwayne Bowe staying away from the team, Baldwin is seizing the opportunity to take over as KC’s lead receiver. If Baldwin looks as good in the preseason games as he has in practice and then translates that into regular season success, Bowe could find himself knocked down the depth chart when he does return.

For a little background on the catch below, check out a collection of tweets our friend Joel Thorman put together over at Arrowhead Pride. This pass was a sure interception until Baldwin went over the top and took it away. Just. Awesome.

Ok, yes. As some of you may remember, a couple of months ago I posted a piece called “The Top 5 Stories You’ll Be Sick Of By August” and included among them was whether or not Bowe would get an extended deal before preseason. But, since we know that final decision today, there was no way around commenting on it.

The deadline for Bowe to sign a long-term deal has now passed. Unless the Chiefs are holding off on making an announcement, Bowe will be signing the one-year franchise tag and this is the best-case scenario for the team.

Although the signing indicates that there will be no more negotiations on extending Bowe this season, it also makes perfect sense for a number of reasons.

1.) The Chiefs Hold All the Cards

First and foremost, from a business perspective, one simple rule is that you don’t guarantee money deep into the future unless you have to – we’re not the Oakland freakin’ Raiders. Currently, the Chiefs hold all the cards and cannot be pressured to deal. Although we don’t yet know what Bowe is asking, unless it is an amazingly humble offer, the Chiefs have every reason to walk away from it. Although the Chiefs desperately need Bowe’s production on the field, they know that Bowe can’t afford to hold out into the season if he has any hopes of a big free agency payday. Bowe hasn’t totally shaken his reputation as a troublemaker with a bit of a freelancing streak. If Todd Haley did one good thing for this team, it was reining in Bowe’s ego, but if Dwayne starts going all Ochocinco on the Chiefs, his value will plummet. Obviously, the Chiefs know this.

John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

To get the generous, long-term deal he wants, the best thing that Bowe can do for himself in 2012 is by having the best, most drama-free season of his career. As it happens, that exactly what the Chiefs want out of him too, and they figure it’s best to keep the carrot hanging in front of him. Even if Bowe were to hold out, the Chiefs are stacked enough offensively to be able to handle his absence for a while. Charles and Moeaki are back and Baldwin will have a full offseason to prepare this season. He has similar physical characteristics to Bowe, and could try to play his role in the offense in a pinch.

2.) This Gives the Chiefs More Time to Evaluate Baldwin

As mentioned above, Jon Baldwin has the potential to fill in for Bowe, but so far he has shown very little to indicate he is ready. He made a few beautiful catches throughout the season, but he was nowhere to be found in most games, finishing with just 21 receptions in 2011. However, as many noted, the silver lining of Bowe’s absence at voluntary workouts was that Baldwin was getting lots of experience as the starter. Of course, we have no idea if he’s actually doing anything right at these practices, as this is the part of the offseason with the least transparency and the most hyperbolic positivity. I’ve heard he is working hard, studying hard and showing heart on the field, but, then again, what do you expect them to say?

If Baldwin really comes on this season, it gives the Chiefs even more leverage with Bowe – particularly if Devon Wylie shows something and we get consistent production out of Steve Breaston. Again, we don’t yet know what Bowe is asking, but I imagine it is more than the $9.515 million he is making with the franchise tag this year. The always-insightful Cordell of The Film Room tweeted out today, “Matt Cassel and Flowers new deals paid out nearly 15 mil each in first year…I can see Bowe thinking he is at or above that level.” If that is the case, then the Chiefs will be saving money this year and maybe even next year.

Next year, Bowe’s franchise number would be $11.418 million, which is still less than he would make in the first year of a long-term deal – big first-year bonuses are pro forma with these sorts of things. We should re-franchise Bowe if Baldwin improves, but it is clear that Bowe will remain the starter. If they think that JB can transition into the starter in 2013, then it makes sense to rent Bowe for just one more year. If it looks like Baldwin will remain a complementary piece, then we pay Bowe long-term.

Mandatory Credit: John O

Either way, we still have Breaston for four more years on a relatively cheap deal with only $9.5 million in total guarantees, Baldwin costs us about $7.5 million per year and Devon Wylie, if he is all that he is made out to be, will be a steal for his $2.6 million over four years. This means that, despite the fact this is going to be a run-first team, the Chiefs can easily afford to re-sign Bowe without over-valuing the position group. His deal would likely even out such that we would be paying around $20 million annually for receivers overall. Given the growing importance of the passing game, that’s not too bad. By the way, the Chiefs are currently $16.548 million under the cap.

In short, don’t panic.

Bowe’s not going anywhere unless the Chiefs are prepared to part with him, and we can afford to lock him up long-term without breaking the bank. Pioli played this one smart.

Well, my fellow KC Chiefs fans, welcome to the football dead zone. The stretch between the NFL Draft and the start of training camp is probably the least exciting time to be a die-hard NFL fan and definitely the hardest time to be an NFL blogger. Yes there are some interesting tidbits coming out of OTAs, but until they actually put pads on and hit somebody, everything is pretty much just speculation.

So what can we do to try and get some good old-fashioned football debates going?

Well how about we play a new game called “Tell me I’m wrong!” It’s easy, I’ll make some predictions that I 100 percent believe about the upcoming season and you tell me when you think I’m wrong. Then I’ll respond to your comment and tell you why you’re wrong for thinking that I’m wrong. It will be great, trust me (hey, it’s the offseason, what else are we going to talk about?).

Ready to play?

Here we go……

1. Stanford Routt will lead KC in interceptions.

I don’t think Routt is a better player than either Brandon Flowers or Eric Berry. However, I do think he will be the most thrown at player in the Chiefs’ secondary. My guess is that Routt may not be as consistent as Brandon Carr was, but he will make more big plays. Carr was a great cover corner but he never was a big interception guy (he averaged just two per season over his four years in KC). I think Routt will probably give up more big plays than Carr did, but will help make up for it by coming up with more big plays. Teams will be tempted to test him both because he may give up an occasional big play and because of Flowers’ great coverage skills opposite him. Plus Routt will be lined up a lot against #2 WRs (as opposed to last season in Oakland when he had to cover the other team’s #1). Because of this, I think Routt will be good for about five interceptions this coming season.

Tell me I’m wrong!

2. Amon Gordon will play more snaps at 3-4 NT this season than either of the “Po(w)e Boys”.

When the Chiefs drafted Dontari Poe with the #11 pick, most national commentators stated that Romeo Crennel would plug Poe in at NT from day one. I haven’t ever believed that to be true. I’m not bashing Poe, or even bashing the pick, just the logic that he would walk right in and be the starting NT. The NT in the Chiefs 3-4 is all about technique and leverage. Those two things happen to be two of Poe’s weakest areas coming out of college. Do I think Romeo and defensive line coach Anthony Pleasant can teach Poe the technique needed to be a starting 3-4 NT? Yes. Will it happen in one offseason? Probably not. Poe has been running with the first team nickel package, but is way down the depth chart at NT (even Anthony Toribio has gotten snaps ahead of him). So that leaves KC with either Gordon or last year’s 6th round pick Jerrell Powe as the starting NT to begin the year. I know fans are enamored of Powe, but the Chiefs have shown no signs thus far that they share that infatuation. Gordon was active over Powe all of last season and when the Chiefs base defense took the field for the first time in OTAs it was Gordon that lined up at NT. In addition, Gordon also has the versatility to play the 3-4 DE spots. So if Dorsey or Jackson were to go down mid-game the Chiefs could slide Gordon over to DE and play Dontari at NT (since he will be active for sub packages). The same could not be said for Powe who hasn’t played at all at DE or in the sub package. I won’t be surprised if Dontari Poe is the starting NT by the end of the season, but I still believe that Amon Gordon will lead the team in snaps played at NT when the season comes to an end.

Tell me I’m wrong!

3. Undrafted FA Josh Bellamy will beat out seventh round draft pick Junior Hemingway for the final WR spot.

I stated before that there really isn’t much that you can take from OTAs other than speculation. I think Josh Bellamy may be an exception. In Romeo’s presser following the undrafted player tryouts, Bellamy was the first player he mentioned when talking about players that got his attention. Then in this OTA update by the Kansas City Star’s Adam Teicher it mentions that with Bowe holding out and Baldwin missing a practice, Bellamy got a few reps with the first string (with no mention of Hemingway). Finally, in this locker room interview, Josh Looney talks about how Bellamy has experience playing defensive back and how that defensive experience helps him to excel on special teams. If Bellamy has flashed more as a WR thus far AND has a leg up on Hemingway on ST (where the last WR will see most of their action) I think Bellamy may be the clear favorite at this point despite the fact that Hemingway was drafted and Bellamy was not.

Tell me I’m wrong!

4. Peyton Hillis will finish the year with 100 more touches than Jamaal Charles.

I love Jamaal Charles. I think he is the most talented player on the team. That having been said, he has a small frame for a NFL running back and is coming off major knee surgery. The Chiefs previously were careful with Charles’ workload and that was before his knee injury. When the season begins, I wouldn’t be surprised if Charles only averaged 8-12 touches per game until the Chiefs start to feel comfortable that he is full strength. If the Chiefs are a run first team that could leave a solid 15-20 touches for Hillis. Plus, Hillis has proven in the past that he is a good receiver out of the back field so the Chiefs don’t have to take him off the field in passing downs. If the Chiefs let an ineffective Thomas Jones have more carries than a healthy Charles; I can’t imagine they wouldn’t let a more effective Hillis carry the load while they slowly bring Charles back. Over the course of 16 games 100 touches would only be an average of 6.25 touches per game.

Tell me I’m wrong!

5. Jonathan Baldwin will play well enough this season that the Chiefs will let Dwayne Bowe walk in free agency next offseason.

Part of the “Patriot Way” has always been knowing when to let a player go. Whether it was cutting Lawyer Milloy, trading Richard Seymour, or releasing Randy Moss, the Patriots have never been afraid to move on. Dwayne Bowe is an incredibly talented player who has always had a bit of a reputation as a “knuckle head.” Bowe may be wanting a huge long-term deal like the one Vincent Jackson signed this offseason, but I just don’t see Pioli giving him that kind of money. Listen to Pioli talk about the scouting process they use on draft picks. He always talks about the players’ “make up” and how they will mentally handle the NFL life and having millions of dollars in their pocket. Ask yourself this, would Pioli have been comfortable drafting Dwayne Bowe out of college based on those criteria? I don’t think he would have. The only way I see him giving Bowe big money is if he thinks he has no choice. Enter Jon Baldwin. Baldwin was a first-round pick by Pioli. He missed time last year on top of having a shortened offseason. Already in OTAs he is getting noticed for highlight-reel, big play catches. If Baldwin can carry that over to the regular season and looks like a #1 caliber WR, that is bad news for those wanting Bowe to stay in KC long term. I’d love to see both Baldwin and Bowe in KC long term, but if KC remains a run-first team they simply don’t need two #1 WRs. I think Jon Baldwin will show himself to be that caliber of player this year and give Pioli the leverage to let Dwayne Bowe walk.

Tell me I’m wrong!

6. Matt Cassel will silence his critics (well, at least some of them) by having his best season in KC.

I already made my case for Matt Cassel in my piece last week. The basis of my argument is this: Every time Cassel has had a good run game and at least an average defense he has put up good results. I think he has a chance to have the best defense of his career this coming year and if Jamaal Charles is healthy then KC could very well lead the league in rushing again. Plus, if you look at Cassel’s WRs in 2010 when he put up good numbers and even made the Pro Bowl (as an alternate), they were horrible after Dwayne Bowe. The additions of Steve Breaston, Jon Baldwin, and even Devon Wylie should mean Cassel has a significantly better core of WRs than he did in 2010. Plus, no one can question Cassel’s work ethic and you know that in the face of all the criticism he’s faced he will do everything possible to prove his critics wrong. I believe everything is lining up for Cassel to have his best season in KC.

Tell me I’m wrong!

So there you go, Addicts, I’ve given you loads of ammo to fuel a good debate in the comments section. Surely one of these made you go, “No Way That Happens!!!!” So let me have it in the comments. I look forward to hearing about how wrong I am.

As always, thanks for reading and GO CHIEFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week, I went back to watching the Chiefs’ 2011 game tape. While I had been primarily focused on losses to examine areas the Chiefs needed to improve, I had been saving one particular game as a snack somewhere down the road.

Beating the undefeated Packers was great. Stuffing the Donkeys to force them to enter the playoffs on a three-game losing streak made me happy. But, nothing could compare to the emotions I felt when watching our team rise from the grave in Week 8 on Monday Night Football to take the division lead against the San Diego Chargers.

Triumphant Zombie Chiefs they were. It was the exact midpoint of the season and it looked like the Chiefs were about to shake off their crap injury luck and humiliating start and go back to being the AFC Champs that they were.

For starters, what made the game great was that it was one of the rare times that it was absolutely clear that all Chiefs fans believed. Arrowhead has always been one of the loudest, most inhospitable places to play for visiting teams, but our fans took it to a new level that night. Even watching it on TV from tens of thousands of miles away, I could see the difference. After playing like the worst team in the sport for the first two and a half games of the season, the Chiefs had brought themselves to a place where they had to play a game against a rival on national television at home for the division lead. On Halloween. There is simply no better setup than that.

I also had forgotten previously just how good the Chiefs-Chargers rivalry is. Of course, I personally despise the Raiders and even the Broncos much more vehemently, but that comes mostly out of the irrational, non-competitive parts of my brain. Now, with a hall-o-fame QB at the helm in Denver, all the focus has been on them and the race to beat them out for the 2012 title. But, in all that talk, it is forgotten that the Chiefs and the Chargers have together won seven of the last nine division championships. That means that Oakland and Denver together have shared just 22 percent of the division titles over the last nine years. It’s anyone’s guess how strong the Chargers will be this year, but one thing is clear: for the last decade, KC and SD have owned the title.

Unfortunately, although KC had achieved an impressive three-game winning streak to get them to that game, that place in time, the offense indeed did play most of the game like the undead. The Chargers far outgained the Chiefs, and the difference in the game came down to capitalizing on San Diego mistakes. Still, there was some magic in the air in Arrowhead on Halloween. Dark magic.

First off, Tamba Hali didn’t just play like a man possessed. He was a man possessed. Whatever evil spirit took hold of him was just toying with the Chargers’ offensive tackles all game. He forced more than half a dozen penalties, had two sacks, a timely forced fumble, and overall terrorized the bejesus out of San Diego blockers.

Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

Cassel hit some really pretty passes.

Despite all of that, the Chiefs played a really poor middle part of the game. A signature of the Todd Haley era, the offense constantly struggled to get plays and substitutions in on time. This led to a comedy of errors at the end of the first half, in which the Chargers were on the run but KC was just far too discombobulated to do anything right. Eventually, everyone just scratched their heads and kicked a field goal. By the end of the game, the color commentators were repeatedly using the phrase “Poor Matt Cassel” as our beleaguered QB was having to basically organize the bloody mess himself.

John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

Although I didn’t know this when I watched the game live, when McGraw went out down with an injury and Donald Washington went in to replace him, this spelled doom for the Chiefs. This time around, I knew automatically that this would be the turning point. Sure enough, San Diego came from 10 points behind to tie the Chiefs in the second half. After being totally ineffective in the passing game in the first half, once there was only one competent Chiefs safety on the field, SD hit big play after big play to drag themselves back into the game.

The game was also largely a microcosm of Jonathan Baldwin’s rookie year. He hauled in the catch of his NFL career (thus far) — a beautiful deep pass for a TD — but he also committed several mental errors. He dropped two balls, both of which hit him in the hands, and the second one bounced off of his breadbasket and into the arms of a San Diego defender for an interception. It was a Jekyll and Hyde game for what has so far been a Jekyll and Hyde receiver.

As much as Hali was playing out of his mind, when the Chargers were able to neutralize his pass rush (usually through unnoticed penalties), Rivers was as comfortable as if he had returned to his mother’s womb. Houston had not yet arrived to the scene.

And, while I am all for getting Houston to develop and mature into a legit pass-rushing threat, I am still not convinced that is what he is just yet. Three of his 5.5 sacks in 2011 came against the Bears – a bad quarterback behind a bad offensive line (seriously, Caleb Hanie finished with a worse 2011 passer rating than Tyler Palko).

This brings me to my next disturbing realization while watching this game. Like our match against the Packers, in this game, San Diego was playing like absolute dogcrap 80 percent of the time. They had nine penalties in the first half, they turned over the ball four times and missed an easy field goal. Given all of that, the Chiefs should have beaten them by 20. Instead, we beat them by a field goal in overtime.

In part, this is just how the Chiefs play. We keep every game close and work to go the extra mile by the end of the game. But that won’t cut it in the playoffs. Playoff teams beat their opponents into submission when they have the chance and are able to run their offense like a machine. While I have no doubt the Chiefs will be able to secure the division title again in 2012, this roster still has yet to prove that it can be dominant.

That is why I think it is important to remember the Zombie Chiefs and remember where we are coming from. We are not just coming off of an off year that was plagued with injures. No. We were a dead team that clawed its way back into the division race as ugly as it was, and played with every ounce of its potential to come within a single blocked field goal of the postseason again.

We need to remember that hunger of a zombie team that had been written off by the league. We need to remember what it was like to be the fans of a team standing behind the walls of the Alamo on Halloween, defending its title like champs when everyone expected it to fold. I know there has been a lot of gloating and optimism among myself and others on this site for all of the shrewd offseason additions and the swift recovery of our wounded stars. But, if we are going to take this team’s destiny to its full potential, we need to remember where we came from.

The 2012 season for me is just a continuation of our rise from the grave. The media can talk about Peyton Manning all they want. Tamba will be feeding on his brain and JC will be dancing in his end zone before long. To steal a motto from the Greyjoys, “What is dead can never die.” Long live the Zombie Chiefs!

John O

Kansas City Chiefs WR Jonathan Baldwin is beginning to make a name for himself early in OTA practices.

Baldwin is coming off a disappointing rookie campaign, however he seems to be getting out of the gate quickly in his second season. The reports coming out of OTAs always seem to include a nugget about Baldwin making plays.

Yesterday, he apparently made another big one.

According to multiple reports from the practice, including the KC Star and the Chiefs’ own Josh Looney, Baldwin made a catch that rivaled his no-look, behind-the-back catch that got called back against the Denver Broncos last season.

“They were both pretty good catches, but you’ve got to move on now and get ready for the next day,” Baldwin said via KCChiefs.com. “We always want to go make the play. I just want to make every play that I possibly can and I was fortunate to make that play today.”

Though the players are only in helmets and shorts, it is good to hear Baldwin is making plays and developing a relationship with QB Matt Cassel.

“He’s a guy that likes to go up and compete,” said Cassel. “Again, he’s a big body. This kid is all of 6-4 and he can jump. He’s a guy that’s going to go out and compete. There are not a lot of players that can go up vertically with him and stay with him.”

This is good news for Cassel who sometimes struggles with his accuracy. If Baldwin can continue to improve, the Chiefs QB should have plenty of big targets to throw to, especially when WR Dwayne Bowe returns.

What do you think, Addicts? Can Baldwin keep it up once the players put on the pads?

Dwayne Bowe was given the franchise tender by the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2012 season but the former first round pick is sitting out of the team’s voluntary offseason workouts in hopes of landing a long-term deal.

While most fans see Bowe staying home as a negative, in the end, it could end up having a positive effect on the team’s other young receivers, chief among them Jonathan Baldwin.

Baldwin was playing behind the eight ball throughout the 2011 season. The NFL lockout robbed the rookie of a true offseason program in the pros and Thomas “Locker Room Leadership” Jones, robbed him of the first half of his season. Baldwin barely got to spend any time with QB Matt Cassel before he was forced to catch passes from someone named Tyler Palko. By the time the 2011 season was over, Baldwin had missed the offseason, half the regular season and he’d played with three QBs and two head coaches.

Hardly the ideal environment for rookie development at WR.

2012 represents a fresh start for Baldwin and the the entire Chiefs organization. Jones is gone. Todd Haley is gone. Barry Richardson is gone, which means Baldwin may actually be able to finish running his routes this season before Matt Cassel gets sacked.

The Chiefs have a new offensive coordinator in Brian Daboll and while it would be great to have Bowe working out as the team learns a new offense, the extra reps that will go to Baldwin are more valuable. Bowe will likely show up when he has to and he probably won’t have too much trouble getting up to speed. Bowe has played with Matt Cassel for three years and in the end, routes are routes. Presumably he has the playbook. Training camp will be plenty of time.

For now, while the players are just running around in shorts and t-shirts, the extra snaps for Baldwin, who might otherwise find himself watching while Bowe and #2 WR Steve Beaston work, should be helpful.

“Right now it’s early, and with OTAs, especially with JB, he’s going to develop,” Breaston said in an article on KCChiefs.com. “He’s going to have this offseason to develop. JB is raw, but JB is athletic and he can make plays. That’s why he’s here.

“When the offseason goes on and he gets the reps that he may not have had before because Dwayne isn’t here, he’s going to develop and he’s going to be a lot better of a receiver.”

“Your boy Big Matt is a big fan of this draft class!”

-Your boy Big Matt

Sometimes a certain draft class just clicks for you, for whatever reason. Every pick makes sense. You come away feeling great about the players, and are predisposed to liking their play on the field. This was how I felt when the Chiefs picked Junior Siavii…

Kidding. 2005 was the last draft class I really felt that way about. I was thrilled DJ fell to us, I thought trading our second for Pat Surtain was a steal (oops) and picking Colquitt showed ingenuity. I was also high on both Boomer Grigsby and Will Svitek. Some pretty hit-and-miss analysis, admittedly, but that was how I saw things.

Since then, the Chiefs have drafted many good players. A few great ones. But the next five drafts all contained what I viewed as huge mistakes. Croyle in ’06, Turk McBride in ’07, Dorsey in ’08, Tin Man in ’09, McCluster and Arenas in 2010. All high picks that I absolutely hated at the time they were made.

2011 provided no such draft-day eyesores. Baldwin wasn’t a guy I’d been considering, but after that trade back Pioli had carte blanche to play around a little bit in my eyes. And since Baldwin shattered the “right 53″ nonsense, so much the better. After that, I gave every single pick an enthusiastic two thumbs up. Bailey might only have been one thumb actually, but the point is, this was a class that clicked with me. The porridge was just right (which for me means full of fried cod).

Still, what do we really know about these guys, after one year? We can be reasonably certain Justin Houston is going to be very good. We can also be reasonably certain I’m going to count every sack he gets as a personal victory for me and my NORML cronies.

I read an article once, many moons ago, that said of a team’s first three picks, the odds were that one would exceed expectations and excel, one would bust, and one would endure, but not necessarily impress. Obviously every draft class is different, but it was all based on odds over time. A first round pick has ___% of becoming a bust, ___% of becoming a breakout, etc. And the way it worked out, each class was statistically favored to have one player in each of the three categories.

I don’t know how accurate any of this is anymore, if it ever was. These distinctions are all subjective anyway. But I’ve found it a good way to temper expectations when looking at our top picks. It’s also interesting, after picks have been made, to look at the entire class and wonder how the chips will fall. We root for them all, but intellectually, we know half of them will be gone when the smoke clears three years later.

I like to look at picks 4-7 and think, “Which one of you silly bastards is gonna be someone I one day respect greatly?” One long-term starter is a reasonable expectation for the later rounds (Where you at, Shane Bannon?).

Back to the top picks. If we take Houston’s success as a given, that still leaves the 2011 class with a first, second and third round pick. Jonathan Baldwin, Rodney Hudson and Allen Bailey are all question marks at this point. Bailey had a promising finish, Hudson was a pick we all liked, and Baldwin had that one great catch. Still, none of them have proven anything. They could all be stars, or they could all bust.

My question is, if we’re following the methodology I outline, who we do we think is most likely to do what? The exercise requires that we pick one bust, one breakout, and one B student.

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Last April in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons made big waves by making a big trade with the Cleveland Browns to move up to take WR Julio Jones out of Alabama.

The Falcons gave up a boatload to get Jones. I was at the draft covering it for Arrowhead Addict and I was shocked at the time. I thought it was a colossally stupid trade and that the Falcons gave up way too much. After all, this was a receiver we were talking about, not a QB.

The Falcons moved from #27 to #6. To do so, they traded that 27th pick,  as well as their second and fourth round picks in 2011 and first and fourth round picks in 2012.

Before making the move, Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff called up his old friend Bill Belichick to ask his advice.

According to the book “War Room’’ by Michael Holley, Belichick told Dimitroff to stay at #27 and to draft, you guessed it, Jonathan Baldwin.

More after the jump.

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Monday nights are usually when I sit down, reflect on what the Kansas City Chiefs did or didn’t do over the weekend just past, and pull something out of my ass together for my Tuesday post. But on this particular Monday night, it so happens I was a bit distracted by something rather compelling that I was watching on television. I only had time to jot down some observations during breaks in the action as it unfolded. So consider these my Quick Slants. Some of them are even football-related…

• Hey, nice graveyard rendition of Danse Macabre by the Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City during the MNF intro (my friend Kristin was the Zombie bassist on the left).
• Not a big fan of all those not-so-terrible white towels. The idea was lame enough at Busch Stadium during the World Series and it’s no more impressive at Arrowhead. What? Is everyone surrendering? Or just waving their tighty-whities in the air? Hard to tell.
• Is that a five-inch Herm Edwards screaming at a couple of clueless tools to “ice down those Coors Lights, baby?” Finally—a coaching job worthy of Herm’s stature.
• Lamest Halloween costume seen in the crowd: Zach Galifianakis’s “Alan” with beard, sunglasses, and strap-on baby (with sunglasses) from The Hangover. Soooo 2009. (And there’s no good reason to remind Chiefs fans of 2009.)
• Did I hear that right about Chiefs center Casey Wiegmann? 10,502 snaps in a row? I wonder if that statistic about a routine, seemingly mundane element of the game will take on more significance later…
• Newest addition to Todd Haley’s nasty-as-he-wants-to-be ensemble: Navy undershirt with some kind of emblem that resembles either a grease stain or maybe a patch of sweat.

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The Kansas City Chiefs came up with a big victory over the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night and a big factor in their victory was the play of rookie WR Jonathan Baldwin.

Baldwin was playing only his second game as a pro, but he led the Chiefs in receiving on the night. He also pulled in an acrobatic touchdown catch. He finished the game with 82-yards receiving.

More after the jump.

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The Kansas City Chiefs have released their inactive player list for today’s match up against the Oakland Raiders.

Josh Looney tells us via Twitter that first round pick Jonathan Baldwin will make his debut today vs. Oakland.We don’t know how much he will play but Baldwin will be on the sideline and available!

Here are the inactives:

11 Horne, 13 Stanzi, 48 Langford, 68 Maneri, 83 Urban, 90 Bair and 95 Powe

Looks like Baldwin will take the place of Horne. The rest of the inactives are the usual bunch.

Here are the inactives for the Faiders:

QB J. Campbell, K S. Janikowski, CB Chimdi Chekwa, CB Chris Johnson, FB Marcel Reece, G Bruce Campbell, WR Chaz Schilens

Let’s see your predictions for Baldwin’s numbers today. I think we’ll see him a little bit but not as a starter. I say three catches for 45 yards.

Now, weeks later, Baldwin is has finally been cleared by team doctors to play. Yet Chiefs coach Todd Haley warned reporters this week that although Baldwin had the doctor’s approval that he might not necessarily get the coach’s.

“I don’t think it’s a lock that Jonathan will be active or not,” Haley told reporters Monday at his daily press conference. “Right now, I think we’ll go through this week and there are a lot of factors that will play into that decision and we need to do what we feel like gives us the best chance to win this Sunday with the roster on game day and we’ve got to prepare that way. We’ll see it plays out once we get going here.”

From www.associatedcontent.com (share this quote)

Check out the full article here.

Kansas City Chiefs’ first-round draft pick Jonathan Baldwin, while finally cleared to play by his doctors, may not get cleared to play by his head coach.

Talking with reporters yesterday, Chiefs coach Todd Haley cautioned that there is no guarantee that Baldwin will be active for Sunday’s crucial road test against the Oakland Raiders.

“I don’t think it’s a lock that Jonathan will be active or not,” said Haley. “Right now, I think we’ll go through this week and there are a lot of factors that will play into that decision and we need to do what we feel like gives us the best chance to win this Sunday with the roster on game day and we’ve got to prepare that way. We’ll see how it plays out once we get going here.”

More after the jump.

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Adam Schefter thinks the Kansas City Chiefs should trade WR Dwayne Bowe.

Adam Schefter is out of his mind.

The ESPN reporter, whom I have great respect for, ran down a couple of trades he thinks should happen but that probably won’t. One of his trade suggestions was that the Chiefs should send Bowe to the Tennessee Titans for a second and fifth round pick. Here is what Shef had to say:

Kansas City invested a first-round pick in wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin and millions in free-agent wide receiver Steve Breaston. The Titans could use a replacement for Kenny Britt, along with some insurance in the event he encounters more legal issues.

My thoughts after the jump.

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Don't be upset. We've got Keary Colbert!

Jonathan Baldwin might be healthy enough to play but the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff must feel he is not ready.

Baldwin is not active for today’s game.

I think this is a pretty big mistake. I don’t think having Baldwin and his big frame available would hurt the Chiefs, especially once they get in the red zone. Unfortunately, Todd Haley must not agree. It is a numbers game getting the roster ready for Sunday but I just find it hard to believe they couldn’t find a slot for a 6-4 WR.

Sigh.

Baldwin will now have two weeks to practice with the team before the Chiefs take on the Raiders after the bye  week.

Here are the rest of the inactives:

Jerheme Urban, Ricky Stanzi, Steve Maneri, Jerrell Powe, Brandon Bair and safety Reshard Langford.

Don’t get me started on Stanzi and Powe either. =)

Whether or not they put him on the field remains to be seen.

The good news is that the Chiefs feel Baldwin is healthy enough to go. What we don’t know if they feel he is ready.

I can see why the Chiefs might be hesitant to throw Baldwin out there right away. He has been practicing with the team from the sidelines since he was injured in the preseason. Because Baldwin only had a thumb injury, he was able to run routes and practice the playbook. When the team was going through their drills and practice reps, Baldwin was shadowing them on the sideline. The only problem, of course, is that he wasn’t catching balls or taking hits.

This week, however, Baldwin returned. Coach Todd Haley seemed happy with the way Baldwin was practicing but he would not commit to whether or not the WR would be active or get into the game.

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The Kansas City Chiefs hoped to bolster their receiving core last offseason by adding free agent Steve Breaston and drafting Pitt WR Jonathan Baldwin.

Breaston arrived a little late this season but it appears as though he has arrived. Next up is Baldwin.

The only question is when.

Baldwin practiced in full for the second straight day today. When asked if the rookie would be active on Sunday, however, Haley could not say.

“I don’t know that yet,” said Haley. “We’re working through roster numbers and all those things each night to try to sort through. We’ve got to have the best 46 guys out there that give us the best chance to win in all areas – offense, defense and special teams. So, we’ll see.”

Still the head coach said the early signs have been encouraging.

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As we told you earlier today, Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley indicated that he thought WR Jonathan Baldwin would participate fully in practice for the first time since injuring his thumb in a locker room confrontation with Thomas Jones.

Now we know that Haley was right.

According to Josh Looney of KCChiefs.com, Baldwin participated fully in practice today. It was the first time he was a full participant since August 17.

As long as Baldwin has no set backs, he will likely be active for Sunday’s game against the Colts. Whether or not he will be heavily involved in the offense will likely depend on how well the practices go.

We probably won’t find anything out until the game gets underway. The good news is that after a long wait, Baldwin is on his way back.

Kansas City Chiefs first-round draft pick Jonathan Baldwin could be a full participant in practice today as the team prepares for their game Sunday against the 0-4 Indianapolis Colts.

To this point in his NFL career, Baldwin has one catch for 14 yards.

In a preseason game.

Still, the Chiefs obviously have high hopes for the receiver out of Pitt or they wouldn’t have selected him in the first round of the draft. As you probably already know, Baldwin has been sidelined with a thumb injury suffered in an altercation with RB Thomas Jones during the preseason.

Lately there have been signs that Baldwin may be ready to return to action. He was a limited participant in practices last week for the first time during the regular season.

Now, head coach Todd Haley has indicated that he may be ready to practice in full today.

“I’m excited to get Baldwin going,” Haley said in an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio earlier today. “I think he should be out there today practicing for the first real, you know, other than a limited capacity. I expect him to be out there working so we’ll have to see how it goes with him but he should be out there.”

Baldwin is a big target and while his NFL experience is limited to say the least, with Dwayne Bowe and Steve Breaston drawing the attention of defenders, Baldwin could make an immediate impact if QB Matt Cassel can get him the ball. For a struggling KC offense, Baldwin will be a welcome sight.

What do you think, Addicts? Will Baldwin see action this Sunday vs. the Colts or will Haley ease him into action and stick primarily with Keary Colbert as the team’s 3rd receiver?

h/t Arrowhead Pride for the Haley quote.

The 0-3 start to begin the 2011 Kansas City Chiefs season has got to be one of the worst in franchise history. While the Chiefs were not expected to be 10-6 again in 2011, they were expected to compete in the AFC West.

Injuries have contributed to the 0-3 start as Kansas City has been hit hard by the injury bug in 2011.  The Chiefs have lost tight end Tony Moeaki, Pro-Bowl safety Eric Berry and Pro-Bowl running back Jamaal Charles to season-ending injuries. First-round draft pick Jonathan Baldwin has not played all year because he broke his hand this preseason in a locker-room fight with veteran running back Thomas Jones.

While losing three, young, up-and-coming players to injury will put any team in a hole, these injuries have not been the main reason for the Chiefs start in 2011.   I will address the true reasons for this awful start after the jump.

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Kansas City Chiefs GM Scott Pioli must absolutely hate Twitter.

For a team that is as secretive as the Chiefs, a platform that allows you to blab to the world and say stupid things and get into arguments with fans, Twitter must be terrifying.

This is only a hunch, but it looks to me like the Chiefs have barred first-round pick Jonathan Baldwin from his own Twitter account.

I follow a number of KC players on Twitter and while many of them have been tweeting away, especially Le’Ron McClain, Baldwin suddenly stopped.

Baldwin has not sent out a tweet since August 19th, which was the same day the news of his fight with Thomas Jones broke. His last three tweets seem to be a conversation with a friend or fan whose account no longer exists.
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After a promising defensive performance on the road in San Diego, the Kansas City Chiefs may have a chance to climb back into the AFC West race if they can take advantage of games against 0-3 Minnesota and 0-3 Indianapolis over the next two weeks.

The only problem is that the Chiefs are 0-3 as well.

Still, Kansas City showed they have some fight left in them last week. Normally a third straight would only deflate a struggling team further but the Chiefs had been so unbelievably bad in the first two weeks of the season that their 20-17 loss to the Chargers was almost like a win.

The extra confidence should help Todd Haley convince his team they aren’t as bad as they played in weeks one and two but confidence will only take the Chiefs so far. If they aren’t able to produce some offense quickly, the team is likely to continue to flounder.

Enter Jon Baldwin.

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Kansas City Chiefs first-round pick, WR Jonathan Baldwin took part in practices today for the first time during the regular season. According to Josh Looney of KCChiefs.com, Baldwin participated today in a limited basis.

Baldwin has been out of action since suffering a thumb/wrist injury in an altercation with RB Thomas Jones during the preseason. Baldwin has not taken part in practice since. The most we’ve heard of him doing was footwork drills alone, on the sideline.

It is doubtful that Baldwin will be able to play in Sunday’s game against the Chargers, however it is good to hear that he is finally getting back on the field, limited or not.

The Chiefs sure could use some reinforcements as soon as possible. The loss of RB Jamaal Charles has left the Chiefs with a lot less fire power. It remains to be seen how soon Baldwin will be able to make an impact once he does get on the field, but at this point, the Chiefs can use all the help they can get.

Kansas City Chiefs first-round draft pick Jon Baldwin is unlikely to see action Sunday when the team takes on the Detroit Lions.

Baldwin has been out since the preseason when he reportedly got into a “scuffle” with Thomas Jones. The said scuffle resulted in Baldwin having a cast on his thumb and wrist ever since.

That is still the case this week. Baldwin has been seen by various media members going through footwork drills on the sidelines at practice but he has been extremely limited. He obviously isn’t catching any balls.

Baldwin was supposed to be a big target for Matt Cassel on the outside. It was expected that the rookie would pair with Dwayne Bowe and Steve Breaston to create a formidable passing attack for the Chiefs. Instead, Cassel is stuck with Jerheme Urban, a thus far underachieving Bowe and a slot receiver in Breaston who has yet to make any real impact.

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To be honest, my hand has been hovering over the Chief’s panic button pretty much since the 2011 schedule was announced. Even as the Chiefs signed their draft picks and free agents — when every team is feeling pretty good about itself — I tried to temper that enthusiasm. Now, after three humiliating preseason showings, the protective cover is off, I’ve gotten code confirmation from Paddy, it’s time to push the damn thing.

After the jump, here’s three things I think we now know about the Chiefs with the preseason nearly over: (more…)

That baby of mine wouldn’t let me in.

So move it on over. Rock it on over.

Move over little dog, a mean, old dog is movin’ in.-GEORGE THOROGOOD – MOVE IT ON OVER (Hank Williams)

That’s right, Mr. Balwin, welcome to Todd Haley’s doghouse. You may not realize it, but you are in good company. See that hole in the wall? That matches Derrick Johnson‘s fist. That Krispy Krème doughnut? Dwayne Bowe left it. That one is a bit stale, you may want to throw it out. You see, Jonathan, you are in some select company. Todd Haley’s doghouse is more formally known as Todd Haley’s Home For Talented Athletes With Attitudes. Your problem is that you have talent, a ton of it. All your life you have been the best at your position on your team, no questions asked. However, your life took a dramatic turn. You entered the NFL zone. Here, you are not the most talented player at your position on your team. In time, you may be the most talented player at your position, but not right now. Consider the quote from Crash Davis in the movie Bull Durham:
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 “As I’ve conveyed over the last three years, everything that happens within these walls is family business.”

— Coach Todd Haley, “responding” to questions about Friday’s alleged
Thomas Jones-Jonathan Baldwin locker-room bout

“I thought I did address it…I addressed it as family business…I’m sorry if you didn’t think that.”

— Haley, when asked about it again three days later

Well, there you have it, Chiefs fans. Just in case you didn’t already realize you weren’t truly part of this “family,”* there are apparently certain things that only “family” gets to talk about—and that doesn’t include you.

*Hey, remember that whole months-long argument over how to divide the “family” finances? And remember how you weren’t allowed to say anything, even though you’ve anted up a chunk of your allowance for who-knows-how-many years?

Yes, the Pioli Administration has always been notorious for its stonewalling, and its newspeak has been well-documented and well-dissected on this site. But am I the only one who feels this “family business” business has taken it up a notch—and, frankly, is just a little creepy?*

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The right 53.  If there was ever a phrase that embodied GM-speak, this is it.  If we bring someone in, he was part of the right 53.  If we don’t, he wasn’t.  Either way, we are 100% correct in everything we choose to do or not do.  “Right 53″ essentially translates to “we are always right.” 

Do other teams have GM-speak catch-phrases like this?  I’m sure some probably do.  I doubt most of them are parroted with such gusto, but the point I’m making is that Scott Pioli is not alone in his use of these tactics.  They’re par for the course in professional sports.  Hell, ”right 53″ isn’t even his only phrase.  He talks about “the right fit” every time he gives an interview.  And I think we’ve all heard “substance over sizzle” a time or two by now.  Both of these are similar to “right 53″ in that what they’re supposed to mean is actually just a blanket justification for anything the Chiefs care to do.  Kelly Gregg over Aubrayo Franklin?  Substance over sizzle.  Passed on a draft pick?  He wasn’t part of the right 53.  Missed out on a free agent?  Bad fit.  League basement payroll?  Right back to substance over sizzle.  Presto, infallibility.  We have always been at war with East Asia. 

For Pioli’s first two years here I snickered whenever I heard “right 53″, but I actually did think it meant something.  Or at least, that he thought it meant something.  Character, work ethic, intelligence, Vrabel, etc.  People he and Haley could control.  Thats what I thought he was really after, and thats what I thought the phrase was supposed to mean.  I was wrong.

more after le jump: (more…)

I stopped by All Access Football tonight to talk Chiefs football with Bo Marchionte of NFL Draft Bible. Check it out. Show intro is below.

Talking Kansas City Chiefs football with Patrick Allen of Arrowhead Addict. The Chiefs where the surprise team of the AFC West last year sneaking up on the favored San Diego Chargers to win the division.

Todd Haley enters his third season and is 14-19 in his first two in Kansas City and the Arrowheads are going to want nothing less than another 10-6 season in 2011.

Getting the inside info on everything Kansas City Chiefs join Bo Marchionte on All Access Football with special guest Patrick Allen.

Follow on Twitter @NFLDRAFTBIBLE @arrowheadaddict @bomarchionte

While scuffles between teammates is not an uncommon occurrence in NFL locker rooms, this news is troubling on a number of fronts.

We don’t know the details here or if Wright’s report is even true but if it is, the news will lead to more speculation that Baldwin is a problem child. There were concerns about him having a dive attitude coming out of the draft. Getting into a fight with a team leader right off the bat is not a good sign.

We’ll be giving Baldwin the benefit of the doubt around here until we get the full story (of we ever get the full story).

What do you guys think? How bad is this bad news?

Holy crap we are about to have football again.  This Friday we will actually get to see the Red and Gold take the field for the first time in 7 months, and I am very excited.  Sure it’s only the preseason, and at best the first string players will only be on the field for the first series of downs, but after the craziness of this past off season it might as well be the freaking Super Bowl.

So all of this excitement has got me to thinking about the upcoming season, and I thought it would be fun for all of us to get some pre-preseason predictions on record to see just how close our expectations are to reality.  At the end of the season I will go through and tally up who had the most correct answers and they will be dubbed the winner of this little contest.  I will donate my entire months Arrowhead Addict salary to the winner (bad time to tell you all this is basically a volunteer gig…).

We will start after the jump.  Merlin, you can play so long as you leave the cover on your seeing stone.

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I like Steve Breaston, I’ve been pounding the table for this signing all offseason and I’m very happy it went through. And, as corny as it sounds I love that we on AA have already coined a nickname for our new passing triumvirate – the Killer B’s (Bowe, Baldwin, Breaston).

I think he is an important signing not only because 2010 made it clear that Cassel needs more passing weapons, but also because the Chiefs need a #2 receiver. Wait! But we drafted big-bodied deep threat Jonathan Baldwin in the first round to be our number #2, and Breaston is much more suited to be a slot receiver!

True, and in a perfect world that is how it would play out for the Chiefs in 2011, I’m writing this now to save you from the disappointment. Find out why after the jump. (more…)

Jonathan Baldwin is under contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.

That leaves just Justin Houston unsigned with the team set to hit the practice field today at 3:30.

Here is the breakdown from KCChiefs.com:

Kansas City’s 2011 draft class breaks down as follows:

1^st round (26^th overall) – WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh: signed contract 7/29/11

2^nd round (55^th overall) – OL Rodney Hudson, Florida State: signed contract 7/28/11

3^rd round (70^th overall) – LB Justin Houston, Georgia: unsigned

3^rd round (86^th overall) – DL Allen Bailey, Miami: signed contract 7/28/11

4^th round (118^th overall) – DB Jalil Brown, Colorado: signed contract 7/28/11

5^th round (135^th overall) – QB Ricky Stanzi, Iowa: signed contract 7/28/11

5^th round (140^th overall) – LB Gabe Miller, Oregon State: signed contract 7/28/11

6^th round (199^th overall) – DL Jerrell Powe, Mississippi: signed contract 7/28/11

7^th round (223^rd overall) – RB Shane Bannon, Yale: signed contract 7/28/11

About an hour ago, the team officially announced the signing of six of their draft picks. Then a few minutes later, they added one more.

Here is who is signed so far:
C Rodney Hudson, DB Jalil Brown,FB Shane Bannon QB Ricky Stanzi, DL Allen Bailey, LB Gabe Miller and DL Jerrell Powe.

We had already learned about Bannon and Stanzi. Now there are just two left to sign.

Jonathan Baldwin and Justin Houston. I expect they will be locked up soon.

The 2011 NFL season will be Cassel’s third with the Chiefs since coming over from the New England Patriots. After a rough first season with the Chiefs in 2009 where Cassel had a quarterback rating of 69.9, second worst in the AFC west only behind JeMarcus Russell, he bounced back with a great overall performance in 2010.

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Some people, analysts and fans alike, did not like the direction the Chiefs took in the draft.  One of the concerns is that the Chiefs traded out of the 21st pick when offensive tackles Anthony Castonzo and Gabe Carimi were both available.  The Chiefs eventually took Jonathan Baldwin, who has character concerns of his own, at the 26th pick in the first round.

There could be arguments made all day about whether the Chiefs selected the right players in the 2011 NFL Draft.  The truth of the matter is the draft is over and the players that were selected are the players the Chiefs are stuck with.  Each of these players brings something different and unique to the Chiefs roster, so without further ado lets dive into each draft picks role and expectations entering the 2011 NFL season.

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What is Scott Pioli's next move?

The NFL Draft is long over and we now know a little bit more about what the 2011 Kansas City Chiefs will look like. The team addressed a number of perceived needs in April. They beefed up at the NT position as well as defensive end. The added a couple of pass rushers, including OLB Justin Houston. They drafted a G/C. They snagged much needed WR help by selecting Jonathan Baldwin in the first round. They even stocked the QB cupboard by taking Iowa signal caller Ricky Stanzi.

As the the team takes shape, I was thinking it might be fin to discuss what needs we still feel they have. Obviously the new guys are all rookies and we can’t expect all of them to step in and solve all the team’s problems all at once.

Presumably, a labor deal will be reached and free agency will happen. If it does, what positions/areas of need do you think the Chiefs should target?

I’ll get the ball rolling. I think the Chiefs should fill the following needs, in this order, with veteran players in free agency/trades.

1. WR

Baldwin is a rookie, McCluster is going to be playing RB more and the Chiefs still have big question marks at WR. Baldwin has loads of potential but teams all over the NFL are stocking up on CB talent. The Chiefs need more targets for Matt Cassel and a reliable, veteran guy in the slot could be the cure to what ails them. They could also use veteran target for depth as a #3. I still consider WR to be the team’s greatest are of need.
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Kansas City Chiefs future rookie WR Jonathan Baldwin is seen here in a Kansas City Chiefs jersey, courtesy of NFLPA Pictures.

What do you guys think? Look suits him, no?

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Baldwin has just arrived in KC and is riding around with QB Matt Cassel talking football.

How can you not love it?

Source: ESPN.com

Jonathan Baldwin is on his way back to Kansas City and may be preparing for another stint on QB Matt Cassel’s couch.

The first round pick tweeted the following this morning:

Jon__Baldwin Jon Baldwin

Seeing Shuan Smith shirtless on the beach may not be something you want to see, but after the 2010 season, you do want to see him on the field for the Chiefs.

Last offseason the Kansas City Chiefs added a number of key employees both on and off the field that added to their surprising 2010 run. Some of the additions lived up to their expectations. Romeo Crennel, Charlie Weis, Ryan Lilja and Casey Weigmann were all expected to make the Chiefs a better football team. Yet there were some other new faces that exceeded expectations. Shaun Smith, Kendrick Lewis and Tony Moeaki all proved to be much more valuable then most originally thought they would be.

Unfortunately, in 2011, the Chiefs haven’t had the opportunity to bring in a ton of new faces. The lockout has prevented the league year from starting and so there has been no free agency period. It has also prevented the Chiefs from continuing to negotiate with their own free agents in an attempt to bring back key members of the 2010 squad.

Still, thanks to the draft and some pre-lockout moves, the Chiefs have made a few additions that could become key members in a successful 2011 campaign. The question for this evening is, who is it going to be?

You’ve heard of the “Dog Whisperer” and maybe even of the “Horse Whisperer” but you may not have heard of the whisperer who does some of the most difficult whispering out there for the Kansas City Chiefs.

I’m speaking of course of Todd Haley.

Diva Whisperer.

Before I proceed, I feel that it is essential that I mention that I did not come up with this moniker. Like many of the great nicknames tossed around AA, this one did not emanate in my brain. Fantastic tags like “Perv” Smith, “Sweet” Ron Edwards, “Brokie” Croyle and Jon “Quickdraw” McGraw* were not my creations. Though I did come up with Mike “Eight-Pack” Vrabel and that has to count for something, right?

*Actually, this one I did just come up with myself. What do you think?

During the NFL Draft while chatting it up with some of our readers in the AA chat, one of you threw down the gauntlet. When the discussion turned to Jonathan Baldwin’s character concerns, you were ready.

“Don’t worry,” you proclaimed. “Haley can handle it. He’s the Diva Whisperer.”

I chocked on my Metamucil.

“By God, he’s right” I sputtered.

There is no denying it. Say what you will about Todd Haley, and many do, but the man knows how to “lay the smacketh down. “*

*Also not mine.

Haley’s resume speaks for itself and It is time we start giving him some credit. When he arrived in KC, the expectations for the offense were great. Haley was, after all, the architect of the Arizona Cardinals offense that had just came within a “somebody, anybody, please for the love of God, someone  push James Harrison out of bounds,” away from winning the Super Bowl.

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“I’m a big play maker. I make a lot of spectacular catches.”

“I block down the field for the great RBs that we have.”

“I do a lot of extra things before and after practice.”

“…great tradition and great fans. I’m excited

to play for Hunt and Haley and continue the tradition.”

~Jonathan Baldwin

That’s all music to my ears. In fact, Jonathan Baldwin is a number one hit.  A lot has been said about the Kansas City Chiefs’ #1 draft pick and frankly it isn’t all positive. No, it’s not all Black and White issues with Mr. Baldwin but, he is neither a Wild Thing, as some say, or a Wannabe but, I’m sure he’s not a one hit wonder either. However, if you jam on anyone long enough then you’re bound to find more than Incense and Peppermints.

Good sense, innocence, cripplin’ mankind
Dead kings, many things I can’t define
Occasions, persuasions clutter your mind
Incense and peppermints, the color of time.

The Strawberry Alarm Clock’s number one hit from November of 1967 says it well. There are many things I can’t define about Jon Baldwin and at times good sense comes into question but, the more I look at his life, the more there is to like. Now, the sound of JBal in a Chief’s uniform has become The Sweetest Thing.

More after the break

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There’s always a bit of a letdown after the NFL Draft.  It’s not necessarily a bad thing.  It is merely realizing that the ideal draft class didn’t come to pass.  Until the draft is actually done, there is the dream that somehow the Kansas City Chiefs could’ve come away with A.J. Green, Von Miller, and Phil Taylor.  Just because we came away from the 2011 NFL Draft without any of those players, that doesn’t mean the Chiefs had a bad draft.  I’ve decided to give my review of the picks by the day they were drafted.
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Cassel may be without coaches for now but he isn't letting that stop him from going to work.

The key attribute of any successful NFL QB is leadership and Kansas City Chiefs signal caller Matt Cassel is making the grade.

Despite the fact that NFL owners have locked the players out and banned coaches from communicating with them, Cassel has been organizing small team practices in KC according to Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star.

Teicher reports that Cassel, WR’s Dwayne Bowe and Jerhemy Urban, along with TE Brad Cottam, are already getting together and working on routes. Urban, who doesn’t have a home in KC, is sleeping in Cassel’s basement.

Here is a quote from Cassel, via Teicher:

“I think it’s been very productive. I don’t go out there to go through the motions. I try to call out plays. I’ll yell out there’s a blitz coming, and (the receiver) has to make his adjustment accordingly. I’ll do some things to challenge these guys. I’ll give them a formation and a play call. I don’t go out there and say, ‘Just run a slant,’ or something like that. It’s more meant to challenge myself mentally and challenge them mentally as well.”

Hall of Fame QB Steve Young is heaping high praise on the Kansas City Chiefs 2011 draft class and has called first round pick Jonathan Baldwin “the next Terrel Owens.”

Speaking on the ESPN football show “Audibles,” Young was very clear that he loves what the Chiefs did in the draft.

“Jonathan Baldwin is the next Terrell Owens,” Young said. “They got Ricky Stanzi in the fifth;he’s the next Matt Schaub. Rodney Hudson, he’s a great, versatile offensive guard. I thought the Kansas City Chiefs got exactly what they wanted.”

Wow. That is some serious praise coming from a pretty credible source.

More after the jump.
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I was able to dig up a highlight tape of Baldwin from 2009. What do you think of your new WR Chiefs Nation?