KChiefs1
01-02-2006, 08:30 AM
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=cc-sixpoints010206&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
What's left in the cupboard??????????
You can say whatever you want about former Head Coach Dick Vermeil. His teams, despite one of the best offenses in the NFL, only won a single AFC WEST division title back in 2003. He lost the only playoff game that his team appeared in back in January 2004, at home no less against Peyton Manning & the Colts, and his wimpy style rubbed off on his players. The Head Job in Kansas City might just be the best of the NFL jobs that will be available this week. With many head coaching vacancies possible after today. Carl Peterson will have to strike the iron quickly to find the next head coach before the best candidates find jobs in other NFL cities. 12 Teams that could be looking for new Head Coaches include Houston, Detroit, Oakland, New York (Jets), San Diego, Green Bay, Minnesota, Tennessee, New Orleans, St. Louis and possibly Dallas along with the Chiefs. But one thing Peterson won’t have to do is settle for a Head Coach, like he did when he settled on Gunther Cunningham back in 1999. He went shopping for a new head coach in a soft market in 1999, but this year the coaching candidates are abound.
But Peterson had an advantage; there are not many teams that are as loaded as the Chiefs on offense and to some degree on defense. The downside is the fact the Chiefs currently are sitting $15 million or so over next years projected salary cap. With the NFL’s new TV, Satellite Radio and Cable deals in hand, the projected 2006 cap could surpass $96 million. That means the Chiefs will have to restructure some veteran contracts or release some players who have not performed to the teams high standards in recent years, are you listening Kendrell Bell? The Chiefs can’t stand pat and they’ll need to be just as aggressive in free agency as they were a year ago if they want to shore up some of their deficiencies.
If the offensive line stays together for one more season the Chiefs will again field an awesome offense behind the leadership of Trent Green and the ultimate running force that the NFL has seen in many years, Larry Johnson. With that said, what prospective candidate would not want to be part of coaching Larry Johnson in the prime of his career? Not to mention a veteran quarterback like Green and future HOFers like Roaf, Shields, Gonzalez.
However, the problems on offense this season can be attributed to two things; one the rotation of running backs earlier in the season and injuries to the offensive line. LJ ran for 1750 yards and 20 touchdowns. Imagine if he carried the load full time and didn’t share the first seven games of the season with Priest Holmes. Free agency should land the Chiefs a quality wide receiver, Reggie Wayne come on down. The draft will probably be used on getting talent in the offensive and defensive lines.
On defense there are some bright spots. Defensive end Jared Allen didn’t have a sophomore slump. When he learns to do a better job supporting the run, the sky is the limit for the former Idaho State product. Middle linebacker Kaveeka Mitchell proved he’s an NFL caliber player and Derrick Johnson made enough progress throughout his rookie season to think he can be an All-Pro in the future. Kendrell Bell should either be released or traded as the Chiefs have two young linebackers in Key Fox & Kris Griffin. The secondary should be quite good next year too. Surtain and Warfield provided solid cornerback play for most of the year. Benny Sapp showed what he was capable of doing when unleashed. The Chiefs can still take their time developing Alphonso Hodge for another season or two. The safeties are set with Knight and Wesley. The failures of the defense in 2005 can be corrected with a more defined focus to the overall basic fundamentals of playing solid defense; primarily tackling. The new defensive coaching staff needs to make that a priority in training camp and the regular season. They also need to use the strengths of the defensive players and not put guys in positions that negate their natural abilities on the field.
In the end, Peterson won’t have a tough sell to make to the handful of prospective coaching candidates. That holds true regardless if it’s someone he knows well for example, Herman Edwards or someone outside the organization like Jeff Fisher.
What's left in the cupboard??????????
You can say whatever you want about former Head Coach Dick Vermeil. His teams, despite one of the best offenses in the NFL, only won a single AFC WEST division title back in 2003. He lost the only playoff game that his team appeared in back in January 2004, at home no less against Peyton Manning & the Colts, and his wimpy style rubbed off on his players. The Head Job in Kansas City might just be the best of the NFL jobs that will be available this week. With many head coaching vacancies possible after today. Carl Peterson will have to strike the iron quickly to find the next head coach before the best candidates find jobs in other NFL cities. 12 Teams that could be looking for new Head Coaches include Houston, Detroit, Oakland, New York (Jets), San Diego, Green Bay, Minnesota, Tennessee, New Orleans, St. Louis and possibly Dallas along with the Chiefs. But one thing Peterson won’t have to do is settle for a Head Coach, like he did when he settled on Gunther Cunningham back in 1999. He went shopping for a new head coach in a soft market in 1999, but this year the coaching candidates are abound.
But Peterson had an advantage; there are not many teams that are as loaded as the Chiefs on offense and to some degree on defense. The downside is the fact the Chiefs currently are sitting $15 million or so over next years projected salary cap. With the NFL’s new TV, Satellite Radio and Cable deals in hand, the projected 2006 cap could surpass $96 million. That means the Chiefs will have to restructure some veteran contracts or release some players who have not performed to the teams high standards in recent years, are you listening Kendrell Bell? The Chiefs can’t stand pat and they’ll need to be just as aggressive in free agency as they were a year ago if they want to shore up some of their deficiencies.
If the offensive line stays together for one more season the Chiefs will again field an awesome offense behind the leadership of Trent Green and the ultimate running force that the NFL has seen in many years, Larry Johnson. With that said, what prospective candidate would not want to be part of coaching Larry Johnson in the prime of his career? Not to mention a veteran quarterback like Green and future HOFers like Roaf, Shields, Gonzalez.
However, the problems on offense this season can be attributed to two things; one the rotation of running backs earlier in the season and injuries to the offensive line. LJ ran for 1750 yards and 20 touchdowns. Imagine if he carried the load full time and didn’t share the first seven games of the season with Priest Holmes. Free agency should land the Chiefs a quality wide receiver, Reggie Wayne come on down. The draft will probably be used on getting talent in the offensive and defensive lines.
On defense there are some bright spots. Defensive end Jared Allen didn’t have a sophomore slump. When he learns to do a better job supporting the run, the sky is the limit for the former Idaho State product. Middle linebacker Kaveeka Mitchell proved he’s an NFL caliber player and Derrick Johnson made enough progress throughout his rookie season to think he can be an All-Pro in the future. Kendrell Bell should either be released or traded as the Chiefs have two young linebackers in Key Fox & Kris Griffin. The secondary should be quite good next year too. Surtain and Warfield provided solid cornerback play for most of the year. Benny Sapp showed what he was capable of doing when unleashed. The Chiefs can still take their time developing Alphonso Hodge for another season or two. The safeties are set with Knight and Wesley. The failures of the defense in 2005 can be corrected with a more defined focus to the overall basic fundamentals of playing solid defense; primarily tackling. The new defensive coaching staff needs to make that a priority in training camp and the regular season. They also need to use the strengths of the defensive players and not put guys in positions that negate their natural abilities on the field.
In the end, Peterson won’t have a tough sell to make to the handful of prospective coaching candidates. That holds true regardless if it’s someone he knows well for example, Herman Edwards or someone outside the organization like Jeff Fisher.