what about julius peppers?

[marloweopatchiefs]

i see he is also a free agent. what do you people think of kansas city going after him? good or bad? this defense does need help. ray lewis or peppers could give them a big attitude adjustment

[theaxeeffect4311]

When did I suggest that we throw huge contracts at old players? I don't recall ever suggesting that we sign any player 30+.

And we can't draft our way out of this mess. We need people to start on defense next year. Our offseason plan shouldn't be based on the prayer that Hali, Tank, and Dorsey play massively better in 2009 than they did in 2008. Bud.

Then who? You can talk about Chiefs need replacements. Tank and Dorsey are not starters. The draft will not fix the defensive line problems. And why do you think that Dorsey and Tank will not get better? So then what is your plan if you are going to shoot down everything else?

I can't wait to see how our defense looks with a real defensive coordinator and head coach.

[Oregon_Chief]

The problem I see is that everyone wants the defense fixed. And fixed NOW, as if there's some grand illusion of the Chiefs competing for the playoffs next season.

I think whichever team gives Peppers the huge payday he's seeking, which will probably make him one of the top three highest paid defenders in football, is foolishly mortgaging their future for an inconsistent, aging player with chronic knee problems. I think Peppers would fit in better with a seasoned team in a "win now" situation, like, perhaps, Tennessee. I don't believe the Chiefs will be players in acquiring his services.

The Chiefs front seven on defense needs to be completely rebuilt. That takes time, and the answers are not in free agency. I see a couple of free agents that could help the Chiefs right away, such as LB Bart Scott, LB Carlos Dansby and DE Antonio Smith. And maybe Terrell Suggs if the Chiefs opt to start building a 3-4 defense under a new defensive coordinator. But none of those players is so good that he's going to turn around a horrible defense.

Pickings are slim. Free agency isn't what it used to be. You don't see Reggie Whites on the market these days. The Chiefs will need to build with smart drafting if they're ever going to get to the promised land. Building with the draft is how champions have always done it, even in the free agency era. If you look at every team that has won a Super Bowl over the last 16 years since free agency began, the core of their success has been to cultivate in the draft, with free agency serving as little more than a supplement.

If you want to summarize the demise of the Chiefs over the last three years in two words, it would be "bad drafting." The Chiefs have been horrible in the draft during the reign of King Carl. He milked the Derrick Thomas and Neil SMith picks as long as he could as evidence of his draft prowess, and gloried in unearthing Priest Holmes as a bargain basement free agent. But those were the exceptions. The hard truth was that the man was terrible at drafting talent. He could only attempt to plug holes with free agency and the occasional trade to keep the team afloat and competitive. But the ship finally capsized when there wasn't enough young competent talent coming in through the drafts to replace the aging, outgoing talent.

I think Pioli should use free agency to supply depth, and maybe two or three starters in areas of need without breaking the bank. But the draft is where we'll see this team rebuilt.

[jmlamerson]

Then who? You can talk about Chiefs need replacements. Tank and Dorsey are not starters. The draft will not fix the defensive line problems. And why do you think that Dorsey and Tank will not get better? So then what is your plan if you are going to shoot down everything else?

I can't wait to see how our defense looks with a real defensive coordinator and head coach.

I didn't say Tank and Dorsey aren't starters. I said that they were liabilities on the DL last year. Does anyone disagree? And I didn't say they wouldn't get better. But we need some size in the middle of the field. Dorsey's not going to ever be a space eating sort of DT. Neither's Tank.

Everyone's hoping and praying that Herm didn't screw these draft picks up too and that we don't have to go back to the drawing board for our entire front four.
Everyone's gaga at the thought of getting a legitimate pass rusher like Peppers and Suggs, disregarding the fact that teams were able to run on us at will.

The Chiefs were ranked 30th against the run in 2008, and it would have been 32nd if teams like the Chargers and Bucs didn't have to play catch-up during the 2nd halves of games.

Is the solution to stick with undersized DTs and sign an undersized MLB (Vilma)? Because that seems to be most people's suggestion. Our DL was the worst in NFL history last year, and people want to draft one guy in the 2nd round to fix it. When that doesn't work, people will say we haven't given the young guys a fair shot.

Our new HC/DC are going to start replacing Herm's offense in the front seven, to a man. Watch and see.

My suggestion? Draft Raji with the 3rd pick and draft Michael Johnson in the 2nd round. Sign a good FA DE (Canty?) for the other side. Bench Hali, Boone, Turk, and Tank. That still won't be a great line, but it'll be a whole lot better.

[jtandcrew]

ATM, I think we need quality but quantity but save a buck. I think Peppers will be to much of a hit to our cap. Yes, I know we have like, 30+ mil room but i think we would be better looking somewhere else. I say NO! Lets look for talent somewhere else

[Bike]

I didn't say Tank and Dorsey aren't starters. I said that they were liabilities on the DL last year. Does anyone disagree? And I didn't say they wouldn't get better. But we need some size in the middle of the field. Dorsey's not going to ever be a space eating sort of DT. Neither's Tank.

Everyone's hoping and praying that Herm didn't screw these draft picks up too and that we don't have to go back to the drawing board for our entire front four.
Everyone's gaga at the thought of getting a legitimate pass rusher like Peppers and Suggs, disregarding the fact that teams were able to run on us at will.

The Chiefs were ranked 30th against the run in 2008, and it would have been 32nd if teams like the Chargers and Bucs didn't have to play catch-up during the 2nd halves of games.

Is the solution to stick with undersized DTs and sign an undersized MLB (Vilma)? Because that seems to be most people's suggestion. Our DL was the worst in NFL history last year, and people want to draft one guy in the 2nd round to fix it. When that doesn't work, people will say we haven't given the young guys a fair shot.

Our new HC/DC are going to start replacing Herm's offense in the front seven, to a man. Watch and see.

My suggestion? Draft Raji with the 3rd pick and draft Michael Johnson in the 2nd round. Sign a good FA DE (Canty?) for the other side. Bench Hali, Boone, Turk, and Tank. That still won't be a great line, but it'll be a whole lot better.

Thats well and good, but what about OL? No Monroe or Loadholt? Fix it in later rounds? FA?
We need at least 2 OL STARTERS this year.

[jmlamerson]

Thats well and good, but what about OL? No Monroe or Loadholt? Fix it in later rounds? FA?
We need at least 2 OL STARTERS this year.

We need starters everywhere on our lines and on the team. The cupboard is bare.

I think its looiking like Andre Smith goes #1, and Monroe goes #2. Which makes Raji, Curry, or Crabtree the best #3. If Michael Johnson is available in the 2nd, it's worth the risk given his speed and athleticism.

We do need OL. And I'd go OL in the 3rd and 4th rounds.

But we have problems here that we can't draft our way out of. Our current DL isn't one player away from respectability. It's at least two, probably three, and maybe even four.

[Bike]

We need starters everywhere on our lines and on the team. The cupboard is bare.

I think its looiking like Andre Smith goes #1, and Monroe goes #2. Which makes Raji, Curry, or Crabtree the best #3. If Michael Johnson is available in the 2nd, it's worth the risk given his speed and athleticism.

We do need OL. And I'd go OL in the 3rd and 4th rounds.

But we have problems here that we can't draft our way out of. Our current DL isn't one player away from respectability. It's at least two, probably three, and maybe even four.

I understand you can't overhaul this entire roster in 1 year. Herm and Carl screwed this thing up bad. But I do think Detroit gets Stafford and Monroe will be there for us...

[yashi]

We need starters everywhere on our lines and on the team. The cupboard is bare.

I think its looiking like Andre Smith goes #1, and Monroe goes #2. Which makes Raji, Curry, or Crabtree the best #3. If Michael Johnson is available in the 2nd, it's worth the risk given his speed and athleticism.

We do need OL. And I'd go OL in the 3rd and 4th rounds.

But we have problems here that we can't draft our way out of. Our current DL isn't one player away from respectability. It's at least two, probably three, and maybe even four.

well.. it's way too early to tell how the OT and DE are going to rank up before the combine and interviews and such. I've even started hearing reports now that some are considering Jason Smith the best lineman in this draft.

I think OT and DE positions shift all over the mocks after the combine since there's no clear standout at either position. Hopefully 2-3 of the tackles separate themselves in a top tier so we don't have to maybe settle for "next best" like we would if there was 1 standout.

It would also be nice if one DE jumped up as a clear standout, assuming we can't get Peppers or Suggs.

[Bike]

well.. it's way too early to tell how the OT and DE are going to rank up before the combine and interviews and such. I've even started hearing reports now that some are considering Jason Smith the best lineman in this draft.

I think OT and DE positions shift all over the mocks after the combine since there's no clear standout at either position. Hopefully 2-3 of the tackles separate themselves in a top tier so we don't have to maybe settle for "next best" like we would if there was 1 standout.

It would also be nice if one DE jumped up as a clear standout, assuming we can't get Peppers or Suggs.

Yeah I heard the same thing about Jason Smith.
And some Mocks even have Detroit taking Curry.
Thats why I think we absolutely can't go wrong with OL for our 1st pick. Monroe or Jason Smith will be there.

[theaxeeffect4311]

I understand you can't overhaul this entire roster in 1 year. Herm and Carl screwed this thing up bad. But I do think Detroit gets Stafford and Monroe will be there for us...

I also think that this season will be mainly offense when it comes to the draft. With the number of offensive linemen in this year's draft, I have to think the O-line will be fixed before the D-line. The best way to fix the D-line is go grab good players through free agency who can start immediately. Julius Peppers would be a good addition because he is a DE. Plus, you cannot underestimate the importance of a DE in run defense. I remember Jared Allen making many tackles on running plays. I think DT will have to wait for this year. It is not a big need when we have two young players developing at the position right now. Give them time to develop. Run defense is all about gap control. Cover 2 defenses are known to be bad against the run. I think once the defense changes its look with a new coordinator, the defense will get better.

And Vilma would be a great linebacker to grab. He may be undersized, but he is a solid tackler and great in pass coverage. Just because a guy is undersized does not mean he will be run over all the time.