Chiefs Mailbag Week 1: Your Questions, Arrowhead Addict’s Answers

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Chiefs are getting ready to play the Jacksonville Jaguars to kick off the 2013 regular season, and we here at Arrowhead Addict are preparing right along with the team.

We’re doing our best to keep you up to date with the latest news, opinions and rumors regarding your favorite team, the Kansas City Chiefs, but we know that our staff is only human.

We can’t answer every question you have.

Or can we?

…….

Either way, we took a stab at it and opened up the Week 1 mailbag:

Let’s start off with this very interesting question:

-While I think this year’s draft class may prove to have some all-star talent and potentially perennial pro bowlers, for me, it’s tough to give the nod to any rookies. However, if I’m looking at promising young talent, I’ll reach back to last year and give you defensive tackle, Dontari Poe.

I think I was in the majority of Chiefs fans, disheartened during last year’s draft, when the Chiefs missed on the opportunity to draft middle linebacker Luke Kuechly out of Boston College. He was selected No. 9 overall, two picks before the Chiefs could grab him. When Scott Pioli picked Poe, my heart sank. I thought grabbing a DT who was fast but showed no real mastery of the position in college, was a reach, at best. Watching his slow development last season showed that the reach was doomed to turn out like the rest of the Pioli/Haley/Crennel tenure in Kansas City – a bust.

Then, 2013 happened. Poe slimmed down and got faster. Faster. That’s pretty good, considering he ran a 4.98 second 40 yard dash at just a smidge over 350 pounds. He developed a nose for the ball carrier. He looked good in preseason. Defenses were having to scheme for him and put two blockers on him – and he was still taking down running backs.

If we’re talking about making the pro bowl this year, I don’t think we’re talking about Poe. If we’re talking about a promising young player who has shown huge development from rookie to sophomore year, then I think this is the guy. 

-Jason  Seibel

Does Kansas City’s fan base have a losing culture? This Addict apparently thinks so:

A losing culture attitude exists because we have/had a losing team. This isn’t anything unique to KC, or even the Chiefs. If you’re a Royals fan too, you know what I mean. The only thing that can change a losing attitude is a winning product. And not a flash in the pan success like 2010. Actual, sustained success. That’s the only thing that will change it. Hopefully the Chiefs have found that.

-Nathaniel Bramwell

Here’s a forward-thinking question:

The Chiefs have five key players that will be free agents at the end of this season. Those players are Branden Albert, Jon Asamoah, Kendrick Lewis, Dexter McCluster, and Tyson Jackson. If I was going to pick one that was the safest bet to re-sign, it would be Asamoah. He’s a solid young guard who shouldn’t cost a lot to sign. Albert is probably the best player of this group, but I don’t think KC will keep him past this season. They drafted to Eric Fisher to play LT long-term.  I also think they like Donald Stevenson well enough that they would feel comfortable sliding Fisher to LT and starting Stevenson at RT. Lewis, McCluster, and Jackson are all in the same situation. They all need to step up and show that they deserve a new contract.  None of them are must re-sign players at this point.

The free agent class of 2015 has two key members: Alex Smith and Justin Houston. Houston will be a must-sign, period. Smith is the question mark. Will he prove to be the future at the position and earn another big contract? I don’t know, only time will tell. If Smith just plays okay, they could always re-sign him on a cheaper deal to stay and help groom their next QB.

A wild card in all of this is the massive contract of Tamba Hali. Although he isn’t due to be a free agent until 2016, I don’t see any way they can pay him the massive amounts he’s due the next few seasons. I think you can pretty much guarantee that Hali will either restructure his deal (similar to Brandon Flowers) or be a salary cap casualty in the next two seasons.

-Lyle Graversen

Good question on the backup quarterback situation from this Addict:

Chase Daniel (no S) did not have the amazing preseason that he hoped for. In fact,  in the last preseason game his first throw was a pick and he was overshadowed by the undrafted rookie Tyler Bray. When the Chiefs were cleaning house they were looking for not only a good quarterback, but a good backup as well. Daniel spent his career as the backup for Drew Brees,  and they don’t get much better than him in regard to someone to learn from. I feel that Reid has every confidence in his backup quarterback, and as he gets more comfortable in the offense, you can be sure if Smith goes down Reid will have no problem calling on Daniel to lead the team.

-Nick Floyd

Alright folks, that’s it for now. If you’re question didn’t make it in or you just thought of a new one, feel free to post it below in the comments and we’ll make sure to answer it.