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Pioli wants Chiefs’ signings to send a message to the team

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/03/22...#ixzz0iyPMGsJP

By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

ORLANDO, Fla. | Job No. 1 for Scott Pioli remains to change the losing culture that inevitably permeates an organization after it wins 10 games in three seasons, as the Chiefs have done.

The best way to continue that process, he decided, was to rock everybody’s world. Pioli, the Chiefs’ general manager, appears to have accomplished that with the team’s first free-agent signing.

Thomas Jones, a veteran running back who rushed for more than 1,400 yards last season, plays the same position as Jamaal Charles, who finished last season in a spectacular manner and was chosen the team’s most valuable player.

The message, Pioli said at the NFL meetings, was not aimed at Charles so much as everyone. That message: No matter what you’ve accomplished, don’t get too comfortable.

“I can’t tell you whether Jamaal will play more or Thomas Jones will play more,” Pioli said. “The roles will figure themselves out. The best players will play. The players will sort that out themselves. We’re trying to do this at every position. Look at the offensive line now. There are a number of players there that can start.

“Everyone is competing for jobs. That’s how teams get better.”

Pioli spent nine seasons as personnel director for the Patriots before he joined the Chiefs last year. Together with coach Bill Belichick, Pioli was charged with changing a similar culture in New England.

He told a story about New England signing a free agent to compete with an established starter in one of his first seasons with the Patriots. The incumbent publicly complained about the lack of respect his employers were showing.

“It uncovered a reality of the culture there that was very unhealthy,” Pioli said. “That was something we weren’t going to tolerate.”

Pioli said he has no concrete examples of Chiefs players feeling the same sense of entitlement but has no doubt it’s there.

“In the last 14 months, it’s been palpable,” Pioli said. “You can sense certain people seem or appear to have a degree of entitlement. The reality is that none of us are entitled to anything. We have to go out and prove ourselves every day in our jobs, all of us.”

Charles rushed for almost 1,000 yards over last season’s final eight games after taking over as the featured back from Larry Johnson. His 259 rushing yards in the final game against Denver set a franchise record.

The Chiefs wanted to find someone to help share the workload with Charles but came away with more than that in Jones. He was released by the Jets because he was due a large roster bonus.

New York wanted to re-sign Jones, but the Chiefs pried him away.

“We can’t always dictate the timing of a signing,” Pioli said. “He had just been released. This was the meeting point of need and opportunity. The player wanted to be here. We wanted him. We felt it was an upgrade. We said from the beginning we’re always going to try to create competition within our organization. This was not a statement about any other player.

“He’s still a very good player. He’s a very competitive, smart, tough player. He fits exactly what we’re looking for.”

The Chiefs face a similar situation with the free-agent signing of veteran center Casey Wiegmann, who previously played for the Chiefs from 2001 through 2007.

That move affects incumbent center Rudy Niswanger, who for the first time since he became a starter faces serious competition for his starting spot.
“Don’t make it out to be some sort of ominous sign that means this player is on the way out,” Pioli said. “Here’s what it means for Rudy: It means there’s going to be stiff competition for his position just like every other player has. We’re trying to get better.

“That competition will sort itself out. We’re trying to put the five best offensive linemen that fit out on the field. Other than that, we’re not going to be boxed into anything.”

Wiegmann played two seasons for Denver after leaving the Chiefs. The Broncos released him after last season’s end in part because they believed at 285 pounds he had trouble standing his ground against increasingly large defensive tackles.

But Pioli said the Chiefs saw the situation differently.

“He played well last season,” Pioli said. “He was effective. We went back and watched games specifically against some of the bigger players and the bigger nose tackles and Casey played well. He’s a very smart, crafty football player and still a solid starter in the National Football League.”

Including guard Ryan Lilja, the Chiefs now have four players with extensive starting experience for the three inside spots on their offensive line.

Lilja and Brian Waters figure to start at guard, leaving Wiegmann and Niswanger to compete at center.

In addition to Jones, Wiegmann and Lilja, the Chiefs signed wide receiver Jerheme Urban and defensive tackle Shaun Smith and re-signed two of their own free agents, linebacker Mike Vrabel and wide receiver Chris Chambers.

In keeping with the pattern Pioli set with the Patriots and last year with the Chiefs, none will make big money. Lilja gets $7.5 million over three years, Jones $5 million over two.

Chambers ($1.9 million) and Vrabel ($1.6 million) will get make less than $2 million in base salary this year. Wiegmann ($855,000) can climb to about $2 million with incentives if he winds up as the starter.

Urban and Smith will each make $630,000.

While Pioli was with the Patriots, rarely did New England distort its salary structure for free agents. The Patriots were willing to pay big money to their own players they wanted to retain.

“I wouldn’t say I’m satisfied with what we’ve done but I’m encouraged that we’ve done some things to make our football team better,” Pioli said. “When I say better, I feel we’re better in the locker room and I feel that we’re better on the field.”