What we should do before the beginning of the 2009 season?

[jmlamerson]

Well, it's post-draft. While we could all argue for the next few years whether the Chiefs draft was bad or good (and I thought it was great), I think everyone agree we have work still to do to present a competitive team on the field in 2009. Here are my suggestions:

1. Trade our 2nd rounder to the Cards for Anquan Boldin.

The Boldin/Haley spat last season has been massively overrported. Boldin has already said that he would play for Haley again. Trade our second rounder and immediately upgrade our WR spot. Bowe/Boldin/Bradley/Engram would be the best WR corps in the AFC West. And it would be fairly young. This seems like a no-brainer.

BTW, I said our 2nd rounder, not the 2nd rounder for TG, because that it the pick I think Arizona would want.

2. Sign Travis LaBoy to a two-year $3M contract.

A no-brainer. He would be a cheap reserve at OLB (in the 3-4) and DE (in the 4-3). He's familiar with the 3-4. He averages 13 games a season, which isn't great, but he isn't as fragile as people think either.

3. Sign Larry Foote to a two-year $8M contract.

Another no-brainer. He would be starting for us from Game 1 at ILB. Foote is a fantastic ILB who's started for two SB Pittsburgh teams. He hasn't missed a game since his rookie year.

This would give us a LB corps of DJ/Foote/Thomas/Vrabel. Beisel and Laboy would be our main reserves. Hali would be our project at the position. Our LB corps, which was so putrid in 2008, would actually be the strength of the defense.

4. Sign Mark Tauscher or Levi Jones to a one-year contract

Both are coming off injuries. Both are also better than any player we currently have at RT. A one-year contract will be insurance if they get injured again. It will also give the Chiefs time to bring Richardson and/or Brown along.

5. Entertain trade offers for Thigpen and Hali

I like Thigpen. I don't think any player in the NFL could have done much better than he did last season given our OL. He is a good backup. But as we get closer to the beginning of the season, teams like Seattle, Carolina, Tennesse, and Jacksonville with old starting QBs, no legitimate backups, and playoff aspirations might look at Thigpen as an excellent insurance policy. If we get offered a 3rd rounder or above, it might be in our best interest to take it.

As for Hali, he no longer fits our defense. He's a project to be a 3-4 OLB, and he won't even start at DE if we're in a 4-3. If we can get any value for him, let's do so.

6. Get our picks signed and in camp on time

I don't think anyone disagrees.

7. Don't trade LJ or Dorsey

Not only for the cap hit, but because their changed circumstances (LJ's no longer guarenteed and Dorsey's moving to DE) gives them more value than we'd ever get back in a trade.

8. Sign Cassel to a long term contract.

Just do it. Having your potential QBOTF spend a whole year auditioning is only going to lead to holdouts and hurt feelings. We don't need a Cutler situation here.

9. Don't sign Jason Taylor.

Not because he's too old, but because I don't see him having a great place in our defense, and because he doesn't play well in the cold.

Well, those are nine things I think could help the Chiefs in 2009 and beyond. The signings I listed (LaBoy, Foote, and a RT) would total about $9M, Boldin would be about $9M, so we would still have tons of cap room to sign our rookies, even before signing Cassel long term.

Feel free to agree/disagree, or to add your own.

[honda522]

The only suggestion I have is to get another soild OL in there.

[KottkeKU]

The only suggestion I have is to get another soild OL in there.

yes. we still need some starting OL material....and you could throw in LB while your at it...then we should be ok....Bowe + Engram will be the key...and if our TE, Brad Cottam doesnt blow it (like i always said he would...i never liked that pick..) then we will have a good offense... Bowe really needs to step it up though, and emerge as a prime time go to receiver, and take over Tony G's role as the outlet for the QB...Him and Engram will hopefully really open up the offense...

I like the Terrence Copper pick up too, he gives us a blazing fast target down the field on 4 wideout sets...

[jmlamerson]

yes. we still need some starting OL material....and you could throw in LB while your at it...then we should be ok....Bowe + Engram will be the key...and if our TE, Brad Cottam doesnt blow it (like i always said he would...i never liked that pick..) then we will have a good offense... Bowe really needs to step it up though, and emerge as a prime time go to receiver, and take over Tony G's role as the outlet for the QB...Him and Engram will hopefully really open up the offense...

I like the Terrence Copper pick up too, he gives us a blazing fast target down the field on 4 wideout sets...

I never liked the Cottam pick either. One, we didn't need a TE in the 3rd round nearly as badly as we needed OL or LB last year. Second, he's a decent blocker and a decent receiver - but he excels at neither.

My gut says we go with Ryan as our blocker and O'Connell as our receiver. Cottam is reserve/special teams.

Yeah, Copper was a great pickup. He'll be a special teams ace and a burner on those 4WR sets.

[tornadospotter]

I never liked the Cottam pick either. One, we didn't need a TE in the 3rd round nearly as badly as we needed OL or LB last year. Second, he's a decent blocker and a decent receiver - but he excels at neither.
(you know this how?)
My gut says we go with Ryan as our blocker and O'Connell as our receiver. Cottam is reserve/special teams.

Yeah, Copper was a great pickup. He'll be a special teams ace and a burner on those 4WR sets.

Cottam maybe just what we need.

[jmlamerson]

Cottam maybe just what we need.

You are right that I am only judging Cottam's rookie year and his college years. Last year he did not seem to be strong at either skill set, and he didn't exactly post good receiving numbers in college. He has an injury history, and I don't trust him as our primary blocking TE.

TG being in front of him on the depth chart is a big reason he showed nothing last year, I'll completely admit.

[yashi]

I never liked the Cottam pick either. One, we didn't need a TE in the 3rd round nearly as badly as we needed OL or LB last year. Second, he's a decent blocker and a decent receiver - but he excels at neither.

My gut says we go with Ryan as our blocker and O'Connell as our receiver. Cottam is reserve/special teams.

whoa, whoa, whoa........what?

Cottam is 6'8" 270 lbs, runs a 4.65 40 and would have been a sure 1st or 2nd round pick last season if he stayed healthy in college. O'Connell is a 7th round rookie and Ryan is a guy who has played on 6 teams in 6 years for a reason (he's not very good).

I get that you don't like Herm Edwards players lamerson, but Pioli would not have traded the best TE in NFL history if he didn't have any confidence in the guy that was drafted to be his successor. How many tight ends in the league have Cottam's size and speed, but also have good hands and blocking ability? Guy has a big ceiling, just needs to stay healthy. He was barely used last year.

[jmlamerson]

whoa, whoa, whoa........what?

Cottam is 6'8" 270 lbs, runs a 4.65 40 and would have been a sure 1st or 2nd round pick last season if he stayed healthy in college. O'Connell is a 7th round rookie and Ryan is a guy who has played on 6 teams in 6 years for a reason (he's not very good).

I get that you don't like Herm Edwards players lamerson, but Pioli would not have traded the best TE in NFL history if he didn't have any confidence in the guy that was drafted to be his successor. How many tight ends in the league have Cottam's size and speed, but also have good hands and blocking ability? Guy has a big ceiling, just needs to stay healthy. He was barely used last year.

Couldn't you flip it around that we wouldn't have traded into the 7th round to get O'Connell or picked up Ryan as a FA if we did have faith in Cottom to be Tony's successor.

I didn't really want to fight about Cottam's abilities. He has every measurable in terms of size, strength and speed. He may turn out to be a terrific TE. If he turns out even to be half of TG, I will grudgingly admit that the 2008 draft wasn't nearly as bad as I think it is.

[texaschief]

I never liked the Cottam pick either. One, we didn't need a TE in the 3rd round nearly as badly as we needed OL or LB last year. Second, he's a decent blocker and a decent receiver - but he excels at neither.

My gut says we go with Ryan as our blocker and O'Connell as our receiver. Cottam is reserve/special teams.

Yeah, Copper was a great pickup. He'll be a special teams ace and a burner on those 4WR sets.

You're ok with drafting DE's in the first and third THIS season instead of drafting an O-lineman when we have PLENTY of 3-4 DE's on this team already, but drafting a guy like Cottam just before TG starts talking about retirement is a BETTER move?

There's literally a line to play at DE and you think Magee was a better pick this year than Cottam was last year. If we didn't need a TE, who was going to take Dunn's spot? Oh, that's right. We had.... NOBODY. Yeah. We didn't need a TE AT ALL. We had ZERO players who could've played TE last season. We NEEDED a TE last year whether you think so or not. There was a MUCH bigger need at TE last year than there was at DE this year. If you think the Cottam pick was bad because there was "no need," you should be LIVID about the Magee pick.

I've said this before about Peterson, and now it applies to you: don't wait until Pro Bowlers retire to replace them. Have you not been paying ANY attention to the last 6 years?

TE's who come in at 6'8, 271 while running a 4.6 with even AVERAGE hands or AVERAGE blocking skills, don't grow on trees. He's a HUGE target and was a standout basketball player in high school.

What type of TE would you rather have starting? We've been spoiled by a great TE, just like we were spoiled with a great Oline for the first part of the decade. NOBODY is going to live up to TG just like no one is going to live up to Roaf/Shields. But Cottam is more than capable of being a starting TE in this league and has the potential to be a Pro Bowler.

I can't believe you think a journey man and a 7th round pick will start over Cottam. Guess it's just those "FANTASTIC" evaluation skills coming out.

[texaschief]

btw... which OLineman taken in the third round would you rather have than the "special teams fodder" that is Brad Cottam? (taken #76)

You've got TWO choices:

#83 C-Jeremy Zuttah (started 5 games)

or

#96 OT - Chad Rinehart (who didn't even play in a game last year?)