I am willing to bet something severe on my signature, like a one-year ownership of it, that this team will not take David DeCastro at any point in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Several reasons, which we've all visited:
- The run game is mostly fine. We led the league in rushing two years ago with Thomas ****ing Jones taking half the carries, behind Ryan Lilja. Scott Pioli does not view Lilja as a weak spot, nor really should he for another year or two. DeCastro would offer an upgrade, but it would almost certainly involve cutting Lilja, which Pioli is not going to do.
- At the same time, DeCastro would offer an upgrade over Lilja in pass protection, but only a marginal one. Lilja is a technician in pass protection, and you're only going to see the upgrade against the bigger nose tackles when they're lined up over Lilja. Even then, as milkman said in another thread, Cassel still took over 40 sacks in New England behind their stud, first round guard.
- The Chiefs do have three good value guards under contract, and by good value I mean we have two solid starters and solid depth with Darryl Harris, which is what most teams strive for. All three first-rounders during the Pioli era have been selections at a position the team is perilously thin at (2009, DE; 2010, S; 2011, WR).
- Kind of a lesser argument here, but DeCastro was not a captain at Stanford, and has a reputation for being quiet as a Will Sheilds mouse. If Pioli's going to take a guard, he's going to want it to be a dynamic-changing personality -- not somebody who will just upgrade one spot, but somebody who will elevate several spots through force of will.
- Even more than picking an elite talent at guard, Pioli wants to stockpile 2012 and 2013 draft picks. It's infinitely more likely we'll trade out of the #11 to somebody who really wants DeCastro than it is we'll pick DeCastro ourselves.
It is still my opinion that this team wants Luke Kuechly. The Chiefs in 2013 will only have one ILB under contract in DJ. Siler and Belcher will be free agents, though I believe Pioli would love to keep Belcher, and I bet we can.
Although I really believe, following this front office as closely as I've tried to, that Mark Barron and Michael Brockers are both everything this front office loves in a prospect. The safety position is very thin
now, and the DE position will be thin next year, assuming Brandon Bair doesn't blow up.
It doesn't take a lot to see that they are really intrigued by Tannehill.
And they no doubt love Riley Reiff, but of course we have no need for him.
Another dark horse, considering these factors: the Chiefs still lack a deep threat to stretch defenses, and Baldwin's shown flashes, but only flashes, at this point is still a bit unreliable.
Kendall Wright played for four years at Baylor, and was an emotional team captain for that offense (whereas RG3 is more of a cool-as-a-cucumber, poker face leader). Wright's timed speed means precisely jack and shit to Pioli, who's spoken at length about Kendrick Lewis playing faster than he timed -- and Wright plays like a 4.4 speed demon.
The Chiefs have Breaston and Baldwin another four years, and I don't think they'll get Bowe signed in July. They may hold off longer to see if Baldwin can take off, and if he does (and he's shown that he can...), they could always let Bowe walk or trade him off, and a WR corps of Baldwin, Breaston, and Wright would provide a perfect balance of weapons.
Of course, I hope we never do let Bowe go. In a passing league, there is plenty of room for four WR's to get lots of catches, and it would make life very easy for the QBotF after Cassel.
No point to this thread, other than some random thoughts. I think Wright is a sleeper if the Chiefs trade down.
