Believing In John Dorsey & Andy Reid
If you’re a “glass is half full” kind of person, you’re probably still riding the high off of weekend news that free agent receiver Jeremy Maclin is defecting from Philadelphia to join the Kansas City Chiefs. If you’re a “glass is half empty” kind of person, you’re probably assembling a pitchfork mob about the loss of Rodney Hudson to the Oakland Raiders. The new league year is upon us and Kansas City brass has been hard at work either endearing themselves to Chiefs Kingdom or punching their ticket out of town. I happen to think John Dorsey and Andy Reid are molding this organization into something special. The million dollar question is, what do the players think?
I’m sure just as with the fanbase, it’s a mixed bag. Reports suggest outside linebacker Justin Houston is none too happy with the administration. The franchise tag doesn’t exactly come with long-term security and that’s something players want. It very well could be the God’s honest truth, but we scarcely hear that this time of the year. A better explanation might be that it’s his agent blowing smoke to get the front office to pony up. If I had to hazard a guess though, I’d say it’s reasonable to think Houston may not on beer-drinking terms with his head coach and general manager. He just turned in one of the best single-season sack campaigns in NFL history. I’m sure he wanted to be shown the money rather than slapped with a non-exclusive franchise tag.
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With that said, Houston is still but one piece of a larger puzzle. Have his teammates bought into the direction of the new regime? The past few days may be an indication that they have. Two veteran players, Tamba Hali and Mike DeVito, took pay cuts to stay on with the Chiefs in 2015. In Hali’s case, he reportedly did so to help give the team some free agency wiggle room. DeVito’s motives were likely not so altruistic. He’s a soon-to-be 31-year old defensive end coming off of a torn Achilles. The market may not have shown him favor had he refused the pay cut and been released. Still, it says something that they want to stick around and continue to be part of what Reid and Dorsey are building in Kansas City.
The Maclin signing may be an indication that the league is taking notice of what’s happening at One Arrowhead Drive. It wasn’t long ago that the Chiefs were viewed by some to be an undesirable landing spot in free agency. With the signings of Maclin and strong safety Tyvon Branch, that may no longer be the case. Kansas City’s roster certainly has problem areas, but overall it’s a talented one. The team is beginning to look like a contender around the league. ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio picked the Chiefs to win the AFC West in 2015.
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Despite the tenuous situation with Justin Houston, there’s reason to believe in the progress being made by Chiefs’ brass. Reid’s 20-win start is the best in franchise history. The team has 11 picks forthcoming in the 2015 NFL Draft. There are a number of young, ascending players in the fold. There is continuity among the coaching staff for a change. Hope is relatively easy to find in the Kingdom these days (for most fans). The official start to free agency could either cement that or make this entire article an exercise in futility.
How are you feeling about the administration today? Are you buying in or is the jury still out? Do you approve of the front office moves made over the past several days? What can be done to convince you they organization’s headed in the right direction? Use the comment section below to chime in. As always, we appreciate your readership and support.
Until next time, Addicts!