Chiefs go about their business as GM hunt goes on

[Mr. Laz]

didn't see it .... if it's buried in the huge POS pioli thread then too bad


---------------------------------------------------
Chiefs go about their business as GM hunt goes on

By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

Whether it’s Scott Pioli or someone else, the next Chiefs general manager might have to wait a while before he’s in his new job.

Interim president/general manager Denny Thum, who is assisting chairman Clark Hunt in the selection process, said Hunt hopes to hire a general manager before the Super Bowl, which is Feb. 1.

Hunt has interviewed Pioli, New England’s vice president for player personnel, and others. Hunt could interview as many as 10 candidates before he’s finished.
In the meantime, the Chiefs are going about business as usual. They recently signed several players, including quarterback Ingle Martin on Monday, to fill out the bottom of their roster.

The Chiefs have started preparing for free-agency, which begins in late February, and the April draft. They will have the third pick, their highest selection since choosing Nebraska defensive end Neil Smith with the second choice in 1988.

The uncertainty, which includes a most tenuous future for Herm Edwards and his coaching staff, makes these processes difficult.

“That’s for sure,” Thum said. “As far as specific direction with free-agency and the draft, until we hire a general manager, what we’re trying to do is cover all the bases.
“But our preparation hasn’t stopped. (Vice president) Bill Kuharich and his staff are getting ready for the draft. All of our scouts have left for the East-West practices and will go straight on to the Senior Bowl practices next week. (Pro personnel director) Ray Farmer is continuing to evaluate the waiver wire. Things are still going on. We’re moving forward.”

Thum joined the Chiefs 25 years ago as an accountant. He eventually worked his way to executive vice president with responsibilities for most of the business functions, including management of the salary cap and negotiation of player contracts.

He is the leading candidate to become Chiefs president, who will handle the business affairs. The general manager will oversee the football operation.

No matter the general manager, Thum indicated the Chiefs will be more active this year in free-agency. They gutted their roster after last season, and the few free agents signed by the Chiefs were low-impact starters or backups.

“We hope to continue to draft well,” Thum said. “But then you also hope to have some (veteran) players you can bring in that can fill specific roles and add a little more leadership on the football field. When you have a team as young as ours and you start looking around for answers on the field and everybody is about the same age as you, that makes it difficult.”

Thum met recently with Kuharich, Farmer, Edwards and coordinators Chan Gailey and Gunther Cunningham to evaluate the roster. He said he was affected by the strong improvement of many of the rookies as the season progressed.

He mentioned by name offensive lineman Branden Albert and cornerbacks Brandon Flowers, Brandon Carr and Maurice Leggett — but not the Chiefs’ top draft pick, defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey.

“A lot of young players made a lot of growth throughout the season,” he said. “If you look at the first part of the season to the second half of the season, offensively we did some things better. Defensively, we still had some issues, but there were certain players that stepped up and played better.”

“It was very insightful. We still know there are areas we need to fill, but the coaching staff gave a good evaluation. It gives me a good feel as we start to look toward free-agency as far as areas of need. This is something that when the new GM is hired, I’ll be able to share with him.”

Edwards and the assistant coaches have been in limbo since the season ended on Dec. 28 with a 16-6 loss to the Bengals in Cincinnati. Hunt said the Chiefs would decide whether to retain Edwards and the staff once the general manager is hired.

Edwards is not free to make any staff changes, and the assistants were, at least until recently, not free to look for other jobs. But the Chiefs granted Houston’s request to interview secondary coach David Gibbs.

It’s unclear whether the Gibbs interview represents a policy change that allows Chiefs coaches to look for other jobs or whether it’s a one-shot deal. Gibbs has ties to the Texans. He once worked in Denver with head coach Gary Kubiak. His father, Alex, is a Houston assistant coach.
Either way, Edwards and the assistant coaches are still employed by the Chiefs.

Asked whether being placed in such a situation for a prolonged period was fair to Edwards and the other coaches, Thum said, “I would hope when we hire the new general manager, we can go through the evaluation process as quickly as possible.”

---

@ Go to KansasCity.com for updates on the search for a new general manager. Then talk about it all in our Chiefs forum.

[the Talking Can]

repost

[Jerm]

Wow, Adam Teicher with a huge scoop there.

How does that guy still have a job?

[Frazod]

I continue to be amazed that Gunther hasn't been whacked. No one else so completely personifies this team's failure. If the ****er had a shred of dignity left he'd either resign or shoot himself.

[RealSNR]

It's in the Pioli thread, but this needs saying twice:

Why the **** do we ****ing need to wait for ****ing Febru****inguary to ****ing sign ****ing Scott ****ing Pioli to a motha****in deal? And if it's not Scott Pioli ****ing sign SOMEONE who will ****ing fire Herm!

[Chiefnj2]

"Edwards is not free to make any staff changes, and the assistants were, at least until recently, not free to look for other jobs. But the Chiefs granted Houston’s request to interview secondary coach David Gibbs"

Either Clark really wants these guys to stay or he is an SOB.

[Mr. Laz]

so basically all this years draft and free agency stuff is gonna be done by the same people that have been doing it for years.

cook,farmer,thum and all the same scouts......



that's depressing, i guess our new GM will start working NEXT YEAR.

and the "wait until next year" motto continues

[Demonpenz]

it's in the pioli thread mods can we merge

[bowener]

Originally Posted by Laz

so basically all this years draft and free agency stuff is gonna be done by the same people that have been doing it for years.

cook,farmer,thum and all the same scouts......



that's depressing, i guess our new GM will start working NEXT YEAR.

and the "wait until next year" motto continues

Well, more likely the case, Herm and Co. are doing all their analyzing for not. Herm will get fired, having dumped tons of hours into his studying players for the senior bowl/combine/draft, and go to another team as an assistant head coach and defensive backs coach (bears?). He will take his 'plethora' of knowledge with him there as well.

When/if Pioli comes in he, and his team that will inevitably follow with him, are already doing their jobs and studying the college kids too. So its not like they are all sitting around posting on CP.

Does anyone know what fired coaches are allowed to take with them when they leave a franchise? Do they get to keep all info gained from the draft search, or do they get to take copies or the info, or do they get nothing more than the names they can memorize as security throws them out the door?

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by bowener

Does anyone know what fired coaches are allowed to take with them when they leave a franchise? Do they get to keep all info gained from the draft search, or do they get to take copies or the info, or do they get nothing more than the names they can memorize as security throws them out the door?

good question


i have no idea

[dj56dt58]

Originally Posted by Laz

No matter the general manager, Thum indicated the Chiefs will be more active this year in free-agency. They gutted their roster after last season, and the few free agents signed by the Chiefs were low-impact starters or backups.

“We hope to continue to draft well,” Thum said. “But then you also hope to have some (veteran) players you can bring in that can fill specific roles and add a little more leadership on the football field. When you have a team as young as ours and you start looking around for answers on the field and everybody is about the same age as you, that makes it difficult.”

wow..somebody in the Chiefs front office said something smart?

[Hydrae]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

it's in the pioli thread mods can we merge

Please do not merge, I do not spend all day every day in the Pioli thread and appreciate being able to see/read an update ocassionally.

Thank you

[Hydrae]

Originally Posted by Laz

so basically all this years draft and free agency stuff is gonna be done by the same people that have been doing it for years.

cook,farmer,thum and all the same scouts......



that's depressing, i guess our new GM will start working NEXT YEAR.

and the "wait until next year" motto continues

Well, we are looking long term. I guess this means next year doesn't matter a whole lot.

If we are looking at another year before the new GM can get serious maybe forcing the issue of drafting a QB this year is not needed after all.

[DaWolf]

Yeah, I posted it there but it was buried.

In other news, ESPN is reporting Pioli is the GM. It will probably be buried there too...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3830515