Defense top draft priority for Chiefs

[kcred]

As we have seen in the playoffs,defense wins games ( jets, ravens ) remember when the Chiefs had a defense? That's the last time we won a playoff game. The Chiefs must make defense their #1 priority this off season. Yes we need a wide reciever. ,running back, guard but the defense has to be able to stop teams on third down and get off the field. Stop the run,. If the Chiefs are going to have a winning a season next year it will be because the defense was top ten. Worfolk, a saftey, corner back and a line backer muste come first. Defense & the arrowhead crowd is what it is going to take. Just my humble opinion.

[honda522]

There is no debate. We have to draft Defense first. KC's defense was 30th in the league (22nd against pass and 31st against the rush) whereas our offense was 25th (11th rushing and 25th passing). Our OL played surprisingly well the 2nd half of the season. So to sum up my thoughts:

The Draft (if we don't trade down):
Berry if he's available or McClain if Berry's gone (since linebackers are the playmakers in a 3-4 and he's touted as the smartest/most athletic LB in years). Or we trade down and get more picks. Good OL can be found throughout this particular draft.

Free Agency (not all, but some):

Retain Chris Chambers
-Casey Hampton NT Pittsburgh
-Willie Colon RT Pittsburgh
-Logan Mankins OG New England (why not, we have a ton of NE personnel aready!)
-Brandon Marshall WR Denver
-Steve Breaston WR AZ
-Lance Moore WR NO

What do you guys think?

First of all, welcome to the crowd.

Secondly We do not want Brandon Marshall. And we need to get Cassel some protection. The line looked good last year at the end of the season to. Don't put a band aid where stitches are needed.

[Connie Jo]

We are not that far off with our defence. NT, S are biggest need. We dont need to draft a RB though most all teams do in the later rounds at least. You will be suprised at how much differance a good DC and D line coach will make. We have a good set of young LB's and DE's. About 13 years exp. spread over 6 players. This year it will be 19 years, alot of differance.

I agree, and have said before that I see talent in our defense. I see some glimmer's within our defense that bring memories to mind of our defense in the 90's. No, not equal by any means to the Chiefs 90's defense...but enough reminders that it leads me to believe our defense is on the move positively. Coaching will make a notable improved difference in 2010.

[Connie Jo]

Thats not they way you build a team. This team has lots of positions to fill. You have to evenly build it, or otherwise you don't get that other side fixed.

When we had a defense, we didn't have an offense. When we had an offense, we didn't have a defense.

Its like putting up scaffolding, you have to put one section up on side, then the other...before you can go to the next level.

Definitely agree! 90's we had the defense, early to mid yrs. this decade we had offense and no defense. A team has to have balance to make it to, and win a Super Bowl...well, in most cases I remember anyway SB teams had balance.

[Coach]

We are not that far off with our defence. NT, S are biggest need. We dont need to draft a RB though most all teams do in the later rounds at least. You will be suprised at how much differance a good DC and D line coach will make. We have a good set of young LB's and DE's. About 13 years exp. spread over 6 players. This year it will be 19 years, alot of differance.

I agree with this post completely. Although, I do like the idea of having a game-changing thumper like McClain.

I remember the beginning of the 08' season our offensive line was getting punished. Then towards the end of that season Gailey switched to a spread offense and suddenly our offensive line looked better in the 2nd half of the season. Because of that the Chiefs decided to neglect getting help on the OL.

Fast forward to the 09' season, our OL looked awful the first 8 games, then improved against much weaker talent in the 2nd half of the season. I think the Chiefs should be very careful about over-valueing the talent of this OL. Especially when they are they only thing protecting our $60m QB. God only knows how bad this team would be without Cassel.

OL picks aren't sexy, but they are necessary. An OL that can give our QB a little more time to survey the field would help not only the offense, but it would keep the defense off the field. Suddenly those defensive rank #'s don't look so bad when your offense controls time of possesion instead of going 3 and out. Look at the teams in the playoffs and grade their OL:
New Orleans(A+)
Dallas(A)
Baltimore(A)
Indy(A-)
Minnesota(A-)
San Diego(B)
Arizona(C+)
NY Jets(B+)

I think the Chiefs need to use at least 1 of their first 3 picks to get OL help. They probably would need to bring at least 1 more OL through FA if they only draft 1 in the first 3 rounds. I really hope they don't ignore the OL this off-season as well.

[oregonchieffan58]

What about TE Jermaine Gresham from Oklahoma, give Cassell a weapon at TE to help... sure miss the presence of a quality TE

[MDChiefs!]

When you build an offense or defense you start up front. Which is exactly why we drafted Dorsey, Albert and Tyson Jackson the last 2 years in the draft...because we need to set the foundation for our team, and without the foundation laid, you have nothing to build on...and because as we all know if the front lines of your offense or defense arent working right, its hard for everyone else to do what they need to do...it always starts in the trenches

Thats not they way you build a team. This team has lots of positions to fill. You have to evenly build it, or otherwise you don't get that other side fixed.

When we had a defense, we didn't have an offense. When we had an offense, we didn't have a defense.

Its like putting up scaffolding, you have to put one section up on side, then the other...before you can go to the next level.

[Fansincebirth]

We have got to get off the Wilfork wagon.
I know we all saw the wonderful job he did against the jets.

We seem to all agree that we need upgrade at NT. I would prefer to make more of an upgrade than Wilfork.

Wilfork in 2009 31 solo tackles 0 sacks
Edwards in 2009 24 solo tackles 0 sacks

Wilfork is the top rated FA NT/DT mayby we need to think about drafting somebody. Oh yea Raji was top NT last year in draft.

Raji in 2009 19 solo tackles 1 sacks

So mayby we just let Romeo coach up Edwards for another year and go after Brandon Mebane next year when he becomes a free agent and cant wait to get away from Pete Carrol. Who is the #5 ranked DT/NT in the league for 2009 with 40 solo tackles and 1.5 sacks.
We could also look to do a trade with Buffalo, they are deep in good DT's, and have may other needs to fill. We could give them someone who we are not happy with but may be a good upgrade for them. Player and late draft pick, or just a mid second round pick. What im getting at is there are alot of options out there. But I dont think that Wilfork is one of them.

[Fansincebirth]

Got to say, these are the best evaluations of the Chiefs and players I have seen in the last 62 days

Congrats to all

PS: wasn't refering to my own.

[yashi]

We have got to get off the Wilfork wagon.
I know we all saw the wonderful job he did against the jets.

We seem to all agree that we need upgrade at NT. I would prefer to make more of an upgrade than Wilfork.

Wilfork in 2009 31 solo tackles 0 sacks
Edwards in 2009 24 solo tackles 0 sacks

Wilfork is the top rated FA NT/DT mayby we need to think about drafting somebody. Oh yea Raji was top NT last year in draft.

Raji in 2009 19 solo tackles 1 sacks

So mayby we just let Romeo coach up Edwards for another year and go after Brandon Mebane next year when he becomes a free agent and cant wait to get away from Pete Carrol. Who is the #5 ranked DT/NT in the league for 2009 with 40 solo tackles and 1.5 sacks.
We could also look to do a trade with Buffalo, they are deep in good DT's, and have may other needs to fill. We could give them someone who we are not happy with but may be a good upgrade for them. Player and late draft pick, or just a mid second round pick. What im getting at is there are alot of options out there. But I dont think that Wilfork is one of them.

Are you really rating nose tackles by their stats? NTs command double teams, and if they do it well then it frees up a LB to make a play. If they don't, then the LB gets a 320 lb. G in his face. Tackles and sacks for a nose tackle are more or less a worthless stat to even look at.

The Patriots have been running the 4-3 this year, so Wilfork is not playing the same position he has his entire career. He is an elite 34 NT in every way.

[Chief Tyler]

Are you really rating nose tackles by their stats? NTs command double teams, and if they do it well then it frees up a LB to make a play. If they don't, then the LB gets a 320 lb. G in his face. Tackles and sacks for a nose tackle are more or less a worthless stat to even look at.

The Patriots have been running the 4-3 this year, so Wilfork is not playing the same position he has his entire career. He is an elite 34 NT in every way.

^
/thread

The only NT that I might consider over Wilfork if I was given the choice of any in the league is Ngata. But I'd probably lean towards Wilfork.