Originally Posted by
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.
The Chiefs need a RT. So, Colombo would be an ok FA decision if you don't want to draft one in the 3rd round. The Chiefs don't need a LT. Albert's "natural position" IS LT. He was moved to OG in college because the coaching staff thought they had a better LT on their roster, which made moving Albert to OG feasible. Moving Albert to OG would be overkill at a position that doesn't require a top 15 pick to be successful. Think about this. How pissed would you be if the Chiefs spent a first round pick on an OG when they could've used it on to fill a position like DE or LB? A more efficient use of resources would be to draft a guard in the 3rd or 4th round. Guard in particular is a cheap position to fill and shouldn't be looked at as a position that you throw money at.
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.
Julius Peppers is a poor long-term investment. He isn't a player you can build around. He won't be in the league much longer and he won't come to KC to help in a rebuild when he'll have plenty on opportunities elsewhere to win a Super Bowl before his career ends. The Titans aren't letting their best player leave. Haynesworth will be franchised again. Terrell Suggs is one of THE MOST overrated OLBs in the league. He's been in the NFL since 2003 and has had only 1 season with at least 80 tackles. His tackle totals per season are as follows, 27, 60, 68, 64, 80 and 28 so far this season. Compare that to DJ who has been here since 2005, his tackle totals are 95, 75, 94 and 34 so far this season. If it's an OLB you want to sign as a FA, you need to look at someone like the 26 year old Jonathan Vilma who is coming off an injury last season, but his tackles totals per year since 2004 are 107, 169, 113, 43 and 63 so far this season. If you want to throw some big FA dollars around, this guy needs to be on top of your list.
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.
Brodie Croyle, Tamba Hali, ALL THE WR's, Bernard Pollar, Tank Tyler and Turk McBride are not "dead weight." Mac and Surtain, ok. But all the other guys you just listed are young projectable players with high value to this or ANY OTHER team for that matter. They are all young and need some playing time before they can be expected to start playing like the Pro Bowlers you think they should already be.
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.
Drafting a QB should be a priority for the Chiefs as long as they don't reach. Stafford isn't a top 5 talent and the Chiefs will/should have to trade down to pick him. JP Losman is not "fixing the problem." Croyle will serve as an above average backup if the Chiefs draft a QB. They should conserve their resources to spend it elsewhere besides a backup QB. Plus, we just signed Gray who is a lateral move to Losman.
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.
Neither are going to retire. But, if they do, we already have Cottam for Gonzo and if Waters decides to retire, then AND ONLY THEN, should the Chiefs look to Free Agency to fill the OG spot.
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.
Agreed. Peterson was enamored with the playoff appearance in 2006 and went off the deep end by signing this guy to a long-term deal. The franchise made their bed, now they have to lie in it. His trade value is almost nothing.
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.
yeah, maybe we should get Vermeil back in here. He was a freaking genius in the draft. To say Edwards hasn't drafted well is just ridiculous. Page, Webb, Stallings, Croyle, Pollard, Hali, Taylor, Smith, Tyler, McBride, Bowe, Merritt, Johnston, Richardson, Carr, Franklin, Morgan, Cottam, Charles, Flowers, Albert and Dorsey are all still with the team. That's 22/26 players.
You honestly think at least 14 (most) of those players won't be here after their rookie contracts are up? Seriously? Dorsy, Albert, Flowers, Charles, Cottam, Morgan, Carr, Bowe, Smith, Taylor, Tank, Hali, Pollard and Page will absolutely still be with this team after their rookie contracts. That's already 14. Webb, Stallings, Croyle, Turk, Merritt, Johnston, Richardson, and Franklin are the others remaining. I think Richardson has the talent to be a RT in this league. Croyle will serve as a good backup. I think Turk has a bright future as well.
But also, to say that "most" of these players won't be here past their rookie contracts is a cop-out. Teams usually get more 2nd day picks than 1st day picks, so yeah, chances are, MOST won't turn out to be great players. But the key to drafting great players is at least hitting on your first day picks. LJ and DJ are the only 1st day picks from the Vermeil era that are even still with the team and if you add Mitchell and Sims to that list, they're the only first day picks still in the ENTIRE LEAGUE!!!
Hali isn't the pass rusher people want him to be, but that's not what he was drafted to be. He was drafted to be the bookend opposite Jarred Allen (the pass rusher). The Chiefs need to get Hali back to the other side to play his "natural position," not cut him as "dead weight." Pollard is a starter and isn't NEARLY as bad as most of you think he is. When I look at Pollard, I see a Bob Sanders in the making. Brodie Croyle... is Brodie Croyle. I didn't like the idea of building a franchise around a 3rd round QB in the first place. But he could be a good backup.
Dwayne Bowe is a Pro Bowl WR. Period. Turk is developing, but I think he was a reach in the 2nd round. I'd be much higher on him if he were a 4th or 5th round pick. But he should be doing more as a 2nd round pick. Tank Tyler is going to be a good DT next to Dorsey. I still can't believe we got him in the 3rd round!! He's going to be a special player.
Glenn Dorsey is going to be a Pro Bowl DT. Period. Albert is going to be a Pro Bowl LT. Period. That kid is spectacular as a rookie going against some of the best vets in the league. He's a keeper. Flowers is WAY too good to think he's going to wash out. Charles > Bush IMO. Just wait. Cottam is a faster, bigger Gonzo. Dajuan Morgan should be a starter in the league RIGHT NOW. But he's blocked by Pollard.
The key to good drafts is hitting on your first day picks. That is DEFINITELY something Herm has done in his tenure.
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