We don't need one to breakout next year. Plenty of guys are good enough to be a solid #2 as rookies before developing into #1s in their second or third years. There are numerous examples of this in the last few seasons.

You can argue that with this teams offensive gameplan we dont need one to sit a year.

I'm not convinced Cassel is the answer, but given the dearth of quality proven QBs in the NFL in general....I don't think "replacing" him will be easy. I think it's more likely that better protection, and a threat opposite Bowe can make him a legitimate NFL quarterback--not unlike Trent Green.

A year ago, our Oline was dogshit; and our receivers were abysmal. This year, the Oline improved to mediocre/serviceable....and our recieving corp remained abysmal, or got worse. Yet as a team we made progress (though not a real 6 game improvement.) I'm convinced it is easier to find another legit WR or two, and a couple of O-linemen....than it would be to find a franchise QB.

It's not as hard to find a QB as some think. Until you have a QB who can put a team on his back and win the game when all the chips are on the table, that's the biggest need on your team.

I voted for OLB, but I could see pursuing one in free agency. Actually my dream acquisition would be Manny Lawson assuming SF doesn't lock him up. It's my understanding he'll be a UFA, but I may not be up to date on his contract status.

I also voted for QB, only because it's what I wish would happen, not because it's realistic. It will take Cassel being exposed by a brutally tough schedule to get him off his throne, IMO. Here's hoping for a miracle year of development or QBOTF 2012.

If Luck changes his mind and falls to us, pick him. Until then, let's focus on building a team that doesn't force the QB to win by himself.

If Newton falls I bite the bullet and take him. Let him sit a year while someone works with making him more of a pocket QB.

There are only so many franchise QBs: Peyton Manning, Brady, Rodgers, Brees, Rothlesberger, Ryan, maybe Rivers and Bradford...and there's a drop off to the Flacco, (young) Hasselbeck, Vick, Romo, Sanchez, Eli Manning, Freeman level....and a bigger drop off after that. I think Cassel can belong in the second group, with another WR and better protection.

On a brighter note, if Cassel is as bad as critics think and our schedule as tough as it initially seems it could be (and our "improvement" this year as much of a fraud as some claim,) then we could be in a position to draft Luck (or a top ten pick, anyway) next year, afterall. Heh.

Unless Cassel gets hit by truck or something between now and April, I see zero chance of the Chiefs drafting anything other than a late round development QB.

With teams like the 49ers, Titans, and Vikings drafting ahead of us, realistically, the only QB I see falling to us would be Gabbert/Locker. I can hope that the Vikings end up with Orton and Gabbert falls to us with the Dolphins picking Locker.

Mallet - 49ers
Newton - Titans
Gabbert/Locker - Vikings/Dolphins

I think either Gabbert/Locker fall farther than expected. Gabbert is getting really overrated right now. He's got the arm and scrambles well but his accuracy and footwork suck. Locker just plain sucked this year.

Gabbert is really the only QB I like as a first round pick. He plays in a spread offense and has work to do but he isnt a gimmick QB like Newton/Locker and Mallet shits himself just alittle bit less than Cassel.

You've proven his point. To be consistently competitive you need a franchise QB.

Then, heck, I guess we should hope we go 0-16 next year then, eh? ;)

I once posted that my hope from the Cassel trade was the unintended consequence of the mistake. At the time, I said that maybe it would put us in position to select Barkley, which ironically could be a possibility.

Yep.

That's a false dichotomy. Picking a QB with a #1 doesn't eliminate every other draft pick you could potentially make in either that year or future years, nor does it eliminate the possibility of adding depth via FA.