Tribal Warfare
03-28-2009, 10:15 PM
Chiefs’ top draft choice likely depends on Lions’ willingness to gamble (http://www.kansascity.com/sports/football/story/1112105.html)
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
DANA POINT, Calif. | With the NFL draft inching closer, the Chiefs aren’t saying as much, but they’re hoping the Detroit Lions are in a gambling mood with the first pick.
If they are, that means the Lions will grab quarterback Matt Stafford of Georgia and, of more importance to the Chiefs, leave them with the pick of defensive players when their turn rolls around at No. 3 of the April 25-26 draft.
The Rams are in-between with the second pick and seem certain after releasing veteran Orlando Pace to go for one of the top offensive tackles, Jason Smith of Baylor or Eugene Monroe of Virginia.
“Certainly the tackle spot we’ve got to address,” St. Louis coach Steve Spagnuolo said last week at the NFL meetings. “You’ve got to build with the linemen first. Offensively and defensively. To me, that’s always a focus.”
The Chiefs, with new general manager Scott Pioli and new coach Todd Haley, haven’t tipped their draft plans. Haley is a former offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, so it wouldn’t be a wild pick for them to select a receiver like Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech or to further the rebuilding of their offensive line by choosing Smith or Monroe, if available.
But with the Chiefs having a bigger need for talented defensive players, that would seem where they’re headed with that third pick. Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry would appear to be a good fit for the Chiefs.
Two other defensive players, Florida State linebacker Everette Brown and Boston College nose tackle B.J. Raji, would certainly fit needs, Brown as a pass rusher and Raji as the big run-stuffer the Chiefs currently lack.
If the Chiefs want their choice of the draft’s defensive players, the Lions are the bigger problem. St. Louis selected a defensive end, Chris Long, with the second pick in the draft last year. While the Rams could go for defense again, they are more likely to grab an offensive lineman with their top pick.
The Lions, who last season became the first NFL team to finish a season 0-16, have a need for Curry, but they also need a quarterback. That’s where the gambling part comes in.
When he was hired in January, coach Jim Schwartz talked about that need, saying it was finally time for the Lions to replace Bobby Layne, the great quarterback who last played for Detroit 50 years ago.
“We need to find a quarterback,” Schwartz said last week. “I’ve been on the record saying quarterback is the most important position on the team. But there are a lot of different ways to get that quarterback. I’ve said this before, Peyton Manning was drafted No. 1 overall. Kurt Warner, a Super Bowl champion and a Super Bowl (participant) this year, was an undrafted free agent. There are a lot of different ways to get that quarterback.”
At quarterback, the Lions have veteran Daunte Culpepper and two developmental players, Drew Stanton and Drew Henson. Culpepper’s best NFL seasons happened with the Vikings when Scott Linehan was Minnesota’s offensive coordinator.
Schwartz hired Linehan to run Detroit’s offense.
But Culpepper is 32, making it difficult for the Lions to build around him.
“We need to be long-term at that position,” Schwartz said. “We need to have a guy that’s that guy.”
Stafford, generally considered the draft’s top available quarterback, would be a gamble for the Lions. He has unquestioned ability but wasn’t a standout player in college and left Georgia early. Underclassmen quarterbacks generally haven’t fared well in the NFL as rookies or as veterans.
“I don’t know if safe is part of the criteria for the No. 1,” Schwartz said. “You want to feel comfortable with the guy and things like that, but I don’t think that when you look at that, you say, ‘Hey, look, this is safe.’ Safe choice, a little bit, sounds like compromise.
“But we can’t afford to make mistakes. We need to take advantage of those picks. We can’t look at it like we have a do-over if we make a mistake. You’ve got four at-bats in a baseball game. You don’t want to just swing for the fences every time in key situations, saying, ‘Well, I’ve got a couple more at-bats coming.’ The game situation might dictate you put the bat on the ball rather than swinging for the fences.”
Detroit has an additional first-round pick at No. 20 acquired in a trade from Dallas. That could make it easier for the Lions to take Stafford with the first pick.
“We can’t afford to pass talent in the draft,” Schwartz said. “We’re not in the position like where I came from with the Tennessee Titans where we go in and we don’t have a whole lot of holes. You say, ‘Maybe we need to address these two or three positions.’ Our needs are spread a lot farther so particularly early in the draft, I don’t think you’ll see us pass what we believe is talent.
“If you have guys rated similarly, you go ahead and take your need. But talent is probably going to trump all for us simply because of the situation we’re in. One of the things that helps us not be able to pass talent is because we have so many picks (five) in the first 82. If we just had (two picks), maybe you would have to think a little bit more of need.”
While Detroit decides, the Rams and Chiefs are keeping watch.
“I think you’ve got to keep an eyeball on it,” said St. Louis’ Spagnuolo, who was speaking for his own team but could have also been talking for the Chiefs. “I’m not sure if you know what information you’re getting. So we’ll just be prepared when our time comes to make a real smart decision.”
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
DANA POINT, Calif. | With the NFL draft inching closer, the Chiefs aren’t saying as much, but they’re hoping the Detroit Lions are in a gambling mood with the first pick.
If they are, that means the Lions will grab quarterback Matt Stafford of Georgia and, of more importance to the Chiefs, leave them with the pick of defensive players when their turn rolls around at No. 3 of the April 25-26 draft.
The Rams are in-between with the second pick and seem certain after releasing veteran Orlando Pace to go for one of the top offensive tackles, Jason Smith of Baylor or Eugene Monroe of Virginia.
“Certainly the tackle spot we’ve got to address,” St. Louis coach Steve Spagnuolo said last week at the NFL meetings. “You’ve got to build with the linemen first. Offensively and defensively. To me, that’s always a focus.”
The Chiefs, with new general manager Scott Pioli and new coach Todd Haley, haven’t tipped their draft plans. Haley is a former offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, so it wouldn’t be a wild pick for them to select a receiver like Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech or to further the rebuilding of their offensive line by choosing Smith or Monroe, if available.
But with the Chiefs having a bigger need for talented defensive players, that would seem where they’re headed with that third pick. Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry would appear to be a good fit for the Chiefs.
Two other defensive players, Florida State linebacker Everette Brown and Boston College nose tackle B.J. Raji, would certainly fit needs, Brown as a pass rusher and Raji as the big run-stuffer the Chiefs currently lack.
If the Chiefs want their choice of the draft’s defensive players, the Lions are the bigger problem. St. Louis selected a defensive end, Chris Long, with the second pick in the draft last year. While the Rams could go for defense again, they are more likely to grab an offensive lineman with their top pick.
The Lions, who last season became the first NFL team to finish a season 0-16, have a need for Curry, but they also need a quarterback. That’s where the gambling part comes in.
When he was hired in January, coach Jim Schwartz talked about that need, saying it was finally time for the Lions to replace Bobby Layne, the great quarterback who last played for Detroit 50 years ago.
“We need to find a quarterback,” Schwartz said last week. “I’ve been on the record saying quarterback is the most important position on the team. But there are a lot of different ways to get that quarterback. I’ve said this before, Peyton Manning was drafted No. 1 overall. Kurt Warner, a Super Bowl champion and a Super Bowl (participant) this year, was an undrafted free agent. There are a lot of different ways to get that quarterback.”
At quarterback, the Lions have veteran Daunte Culpepper and two developmental players, Drew Stanton and Drew Henson. Culpepper’s best NFL seasons happened with the Vikings when Scott Linehan was Minnesota’s offensive coordinator.
Schwartz hired Linehan to run Detroit’s offense.
But Culpepper is 32, making it difficult for the Lions to build around him.
“We need to be long-term at that position,” Schwartz said. “We need to have a guy that’s that guy.”
Stafford, generally considered the draft’s top available quarterback, would be a gamble for the Lions. He has unquestioned ability but wasn’t a standout player in college and left Georgia early. Underclassmen quarterbacks generally haven’t fared well in the NFL as rookies or as veterans.
“I don’t know if safe is part of the criteria for the No. 1,” Schwartz said. “You want to feel comfortable with the guy and things like that, but I don’t think that when you look at that, you say, ‘Hey, look, this is safe.’ Safe choice, a little bit, sounds like compromise.
“But we can’t afford to make mistakes. We need to take advantage of those picks. We can’t look at it like we have a do-over if we make a mistake. You’ve got four at-bats in a baseball game. You don’t want to just swing for the fences every time in key situations, saying, ‘Well, I’ve got a couple more at-bats coming.’ The game situation might dictate you put the bat on the ball rather than swinging for the fences.”
Detroit has an additional first-round pick at No. 20 acquired in a trade from Dallas. That could make it easier for the Lions to take Stafford with the first pick.
“We can’t afford to pass talent in the draft,” Schwartz said. “We’re not in the position like where I came from with the Tennessee Titans where we go in and we don’t have a whole lot of holes. You say, ‘Maybe we need to address these two or three positions.’ Our needs are spread a lot farther so particularly early in the draft, I don’t think you’ll see us pass what we believe is talent.
“If you have guys rated similarly, you go ahead and take your need. But talent is probably going to trump all for us simply because of the situation we’re in. One of the things that helps us not be able to pass talent is because we have so many picks (five) in the first 82. If we just had (two picks), maybe you would have to think a little bit more of need.”
While Detroit decides, the Rams and Chiefs are keeping watch.
“I think you’ve got to keep an eyeball on it,” said St. Louis’ Spagnuolo, who was speaking for his own team but could have also been talking for the Chiefs. “I’m not sure if you know what information you’re getting. So we’ll just be prepared when our time comes to make a real smart decision.”