How to fix the Chiefs

[jmlamerson]

The Chiefs are one of more interesting teams in the league, and could be one of the easiest to rebuild. In my opinion, the following owould be the best way:

1. Be very, very active in free agency and fix your lines.

Sign free agents O-linemen Jordan Gross (LT) and Marc Colombo (RT) to long term deals. Both are under 30. Overpay both of them if you have to and you will). Make gross the highest paid o-lineman in the league if you have to (and you'll have to) - just get them signed. This will also allow you to move Albert back to his natural position at RG and shoudl give the Chiefs an above average o-line.

Then sign Julius Pepper, Terrell Suggs, and Albert Haynesworth to long term deals for your d-line. All are under 30. Overpay them if you have to. Keep Dorsey at DT. The Chiefs will have the cap room to do this, even if you ignore step 2.

2. Clear out the dead weight.

Cut Brodie Croyle, Tamba Hali, MacIntosh, Donnie Edwards, all WRs not named Bowe, Pollard, Tank, Turk, Surtain, and every other project player that hasn't worked out. Try to trade those tradable and cut the rest.

3. Fix the QB position

Sign JP Losman to a two-year deal for near the minimum. Draft Stafford out of Georgia with the overall number 1 pick (which KC probably will have). Sit Stafford for a year at least and don't get him killed.

4. Convince Gonzalez and Waters not to retire.

This will be difficult, but a new regime committed to winning might be able to do it.

5. Don't cut or trade LJ

It makes no sense to cut him and eat his cap hit. Try to get 2-3 good years out of him. Behind a revamped line and with a good QB, he may become rejuvinated.

6. Draft well

Everyone needs to stop pretending Herm Edwards has drafted well. He hasn't, and most of his draft picks will be out of the league when their rookie contracts are up.

Even if the free agency plan above goes to plan, the Chiefs are still deficient at most positions. Stafford in the 1st round, and some mixture of WR, OL, LB, and CB over the rest. Do NOT draft any more DTs, RBs, TEs, or Ss.

7. Clean out the coaches and management personnel

Even if they weren't terrible at their jobs (and they are), you need to do this to rebuild faith in the franchise.

Cowher probably won't coach here (quit dreaming, people). Get Lane Kiffin (at least he'll care about Raiders games). Let him rebuild his staff. Throw a dumptruck of money at Scott Pioli to GM here.

What do you think?

[greg3564]

Herm Edwards is a disaster of a head coach. How can anyone defend a guy who's won 44 percent of his games going into his 8th year? And then only 35 percent as a Chiefs head coach going into his 3rd year? It can be blamed on the youth and inexperience, but a good coach finds ways to adapt. The fact that we're now 1-6, and just now Herm is deciding to mix it, up speaks volumes.

[jmlamerson]

Look texaschief, ***********. Maybe not about everything in your "life," but at least about football.

You think a Minnesota line ranked 2nd against the run and with about a dozen more sacks is worse statistical unit than the Chiefs with their two sacks and ranked 31st against the run. The Vikings have an equal number of tackles because people don't want to run on the MIN DL. They love running on the Chiefs DL.

You thought Marc Bulger was still benched, and when proven wrong, you tried to turn the discussion as to whether Bulger's a good QB. The Rams are 2-1 with Bulger and without Linehan. Bulger has beaten Washington and Dallas (and nearly NE) with his arm. Who do you think was the problem there? Their franchise QB or their lousy coach?

"Glutted" means that there are too many people at the position. No need to thank me for teaching you a new word. It's called an education. The Chiefs drafted a second TE instead of an OL in the third round. As valuable as a 2TE in a two TE-set may be, RT and RG are still just a bit more valuable. The Chiefs could have used Merritt (their 7th round pick) or a cheap FA as their 2nd TE.

You think that Brodie Croyle has a future here in KC as a backup QB, or maybe even a starter. Grow up. He doesn't have a future in the NFL as a ballboy.

You think Page (?!) could start for the Pats, who even in their injury deprived state wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole. They want tough players, not those who can't tackle or cover.

You think Hali (?!) could start for the Texans, despite Mario Williams and Anthony Weaver being actually able to defend against the run and rush the passer.

You think that Kolby Smith would start over Thomas Jones and Leon Washington in New York.

Why don't you take a break, watch some football, and actually try to be correct when you post from here on out?

[tornadospotter]

Look texaschief, you're an idiot. Maybe not about everything in your "life," but at least about football.

You think a Minnesota line ranked 2nd against the run and with about a dozen more sacks is worse statistical unit than the Chiefs with their two sacks and ranked 31st against the run. The Vikings have an equal number of tackles because people don't want to run on the MIN DL. They love running on the Chiefs DL.

You thought Marc Bulger was still benched, and when proven wrong, you tried to turn the discussion as to whether Bulger's a good QB. The Rams are 2-1 with Bulger and without Linehan. Bulger has beaten Washington and Dallas (and nearly NE) with his arm. Who do you think was the problem there? Their franchise QB or their lousy coach?

"Glutted" means that there are too many people at the position. No need to thank me for teaching you a new word. It's called an education. The Chiefs drafted a second TE instead of an OL in the third round. As valuable as a 2TE in a two TE-set may be, RT and RG are still just a bit more valuable. The Chiefs could have used Merritt (their 7th round pick) or a cheap FA as their 2nd TE.

You think that Brodie Croyle has a future here in KC as a backup QB, or maybe even a starter. Grow up. He doesn't have a future in the NFL as a ballboy.

You think Page (?!) could start for the Pats, who even in their injury deprived state wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole. They want tough players, not those who can't tackle or cover.

You think Hali (?!) could start for the Texans, despite Mario Williams and Anthony Weaver being actually able to defend against the run and rush the passer.

You think that Kolby Smith would start over Thomas Jones and Leon Washington in New York.

Why don't you take a break, watch some football, and actually try to be correct when you post from here on out?

This is going to be fun thread to read!

[nigeriannightmare]

lol. really? so, you're saying the reason Herm is a bad coach is because he didn't have a pro bowl QB behind Pennington and Croyle? Croyle set every passing record at Alabama. Croyle's injuries at Alabama were just like the one Tom Brady had this season. He was rolled up on twice. Coming out of college, Croyle had better numbers and was a much better athlete overall than Tom Brady. He was a better prospect than a lot of QBs over the past 3 years taken in the first 3 rounds of the draft. He wasn't a bad pick.

But, let's just say that Croyle was an AWFUL pick and a horrible decision by Herman Edwards alone. Let's say he WAS too small to be a franchise QB and he IS way too injury prone to be counted on at 6'2, 206. Why was drafting Chad Pennington a poor choice? His measurables are almost identicle to Tom Brady. But he was so good coming out of college, that he was taken 18th overall.

Pennington fractured a bone in his non throwing hand in the preseason on 2003. (But that was Herm's fault). Then, tore his rotator cuff in 2004 (three seasons after he was drafted, but that was Herm's fault too). The Jets GM saw an emerging star at the QB spot prior to this injury and gave him a huge contract. (but that was Herm's fault) He then, came back with his shoulder still injured and led that team to the playoffs. After the season, it was revealed that he still had a MAJOR tear in his shoulder and had it operated on.

Then, came back in 2005 too soon and re-injured the shoulder. Had his second surgery and was done for the year after a couple bad games.

In 2006, He redeemed himself, led the Jets to the playoffs with the team HERMAN EDWARDS BUILT and was labeled the "Comeback Player of the Year."

After a horrible start in 2007, Mangini decided to go ahead and start their QB of the future in Clemens. Now, Pennington is leading a surprising Miami team that won only 1 game last season.

As for Croyle, yeah. It was a bad decision to build your franchise around a guy with a history of knee injuries. I'm not arguing that. I didn't like the pick when they made it. But the fact that they built an entire team and offensive system around him plays HUGE into the success of this team. With him out, the offense doesn't work.

You're seeing Herm's decisions and adjustments right now with Thigpen. They've completely revamped the offense to the college style spread offense that just made Thigpen look better in his second start, than Bret Favre!!! Is that the kind of "overcoming adversity" you were talking about? He's putting a 7th round pick who's in his second year as a pro at the head of an NFL football team and just made him look like he's in the prime of his career and was drafted in the first round, and you don't see coaching adjustments?

Also, i didn't say he's only accountable during seasons where he had his week 1 starter the whole season. I said, those are the seasons where you can actually judge what he can do with a healthy team. That's a fact.

Dude you talk circles like Herm does. What team has Herm Edwards built. Oh I almost forgot the Cheifs and they are 5-18 /over the last 2 years. Are you sure you 2 aren't related. It's only taken HErm 6 games to realize he had to make changes, good coaches make in game adjustments, and then week to week. It took him 6 games. We'll see how thigpen does against a stout defese, especially one the defends the pass well. What will be your excuse then?

[nigeriannightmare]

Texas Chiefs- Is your comparison of Brady to Pennington a real one or a joke. Are you saying that the Chiefs built this team around Croyle? I want what your are smoking. Hey I am gonna throw this out there. Herm Edwards is as good a coach as Bill Walsh expcept for his week 1 starter at the QB position kept getting hurt. You are out of your right mind.

[chief31]

If you didn't trade a first and second for Green, you'd still have the same needs to fill. So, with that first round pick, the Chiefs could have either traded it for more picks OR draft the next QB. The next QB taken was Drew Brees. So, it not like i was just Cherry picking whoever i wanted.

I won't argue the logic too much. I'll just say that you can't believe that The Chiefs were going to take Brees at #12, when he actually went at #32, do you?

So, after you draft a QB, the next hole to fill would be LT. That's why we traded for Roaf. If we had kept that 2nd round pick, we would've drafted to fill that LT spot and would've picked the best LT still available.

There was no second round pick. The Chiefs gave only that 1st round pick and received Green and a fifth round pick (Blaylock)

I'm not saying trading a 4th round pick for Roaf was a horrible decision. I'm saying it didn't help build the team for the future.

I'd say they got a good value, with a few years of Roaf, over what they were likely to get from that 4th round pick.

I do get your point, but I think that you are over-estimating the value of a 4th round pick.

Btw, are you aware you compared Green's 87.5 CAREER PASSER RATING (which is actually 86.7) It was Bulgers QB Rating, not Greens. to Peyton Mannings current SEASON passer rating of 79?

You picked out Bulgers season QB rating and suggested that made him a poor QB. So I pointed out another QB with an almost identical season QB Rating. It just so happens that that QB was Peyton Manning.

If Bulgers' season Rating makes him a poor QB, then, the same should hold true of anyone else. But you seem unwilling to say that Manning is a bad QB, so I assume that you are stepping back from that suggestion?

Personally, I'd rather have 10 years of Peyton's 94.0 passer rating than 5 years of Green's 86.7.... I'M JUST SAYING.

Again, you missed what I was getting at, with the Bulger/Green confusion.

But with each Peyton Manning that gets drafted, (with the #1 overall pick, I might add) there is a Charlie Frye, J.P. Losman, Byron Leftwich, Kyle Boller, Rex Grossman, David Carr, Joey Harrington, Patrick Ramsey, Michael Vick, Eli Mannning, Tim Couch, Duante Culpepper, Akili Smith, Cade Mcnown, Phillip Rivers, Ryan Leaf, or Alex Smith.

I know some of those guys are pretty decent, and I didn't include Roethlisberger, or Mcnabb. But Payton Manning and these guys are easily the exception to the rule, when it comes to 1st round QBs.

[chief31]

If Parcells built that team, like you say he did, then Herm wasn't responsible for his QB's injuries since it wasn't HIS players that let Pennington get hurt.

Actually.....

Go back and look at Herm's record when his week 1 starter lasted the entire season.

That has only happened once in Herms HC career. It was his first season as a head coach. The one where all he really had was Parcells' guys there.

THOSE years (Ahem...year.)are (is) more of an indication of what he can do as a head coach.

How is the year he got to lead Parcells' team the only one that can be used to evaluate what Herm can do?

Are you sure there isn't another way?

You can't have it both ways. Either Parcells built that team that went to the playoffs or Herm did.

Parcells did.

Either Parcells built that O-line or Herm did.

Parcells did. Herm started removing those guys, without replacing them, immediately after that season. Hence, he has never since been able to get a QB to survive a season. Ryan Young, Kerry Jenkins and David Loverne wnet in that first off-season, and Randy Thomas went the next off-season.

You can't give all the credit to Parcells and all the blame to Herm.

I did. Parcells put the guys here, and herm kicked the guys out. Then he tried to replace them with 5th and 6th rounders.

That's dumb.

That fits there perfectly.

When you look at ANY NFL team, if they lose their week 1 starter, historically, they don't do too well. I can think of only three from recent years that did ok with the backup. Brady's Patriots and Rothlesberger's Steelers and Warner's Rams.

OK?!?!?!?!?!?

You can't be serious. All three of those teams won the Super Bowl by the next season. OK?

Seriously. Go back and look how many seasons Herm had his starter an entire season.

As long as you go back and explain who Herm replaced all of those o-linemen with.

I know y'all don't want to hear it, but QBs actually DO make a difference.

...especially when you protect them.

But I do find it amazing how you spend so much time telling us how much of a pansy Pennington is, (to defend Herms failure to protect him) then turn around and give all the credit for The Dolphins' rise to that same pansy. But then, you wouldn't want to admit that Parcells might know how to build a football team.

What was Parcells' first big personnel decision (Jake Long) with The 'Phins?

[chief31]

P.S. I love this thread!

[spiman]

This thread would be better if the Chiefs would hurry and get fixed..Well there is allways To ease tha pain..