TEICHER -Chiefs can start looking toward draft needs

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Chiefs can start looking toward draft needs
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
One thought is getting Chiefs fans through this most dark and dismal of seasons:

The NFL draft.

The Chiefs go into today’s home finale against Tennessee at 4-9 and headed for a premium pick in April’s college player lottery. After trades of Trent Green, Michael Bennett and Lawrence Tynes, the Chiefs will have one extra pick in the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds.

With smart use of their 10 draft choices, plus the money they will spend in free-agency, the Chiefs could have their program pointed back in the right direction next season.

“It requires patience and a plan,” said Titans coach Jeff Fisher, whose 7-6 team is loaded with young players but competing for a wild-card playoff berth.

“If you’ve got enough picks, you’re going to hit on enough players. Then you have to be patient as you develop them and hope they mature and become productive for you early in their careers, in those second and third years.”

After building one of the league’s highest-scoring teams under Dick Vermeil, the Chiefs largely neglected their offense as they tried to assemble defensive players. That neglect started to show last year and revealed itself in full color this year.

The Chiefs are on pace to finish the season with 220 points, the lowest total in club history other than the nine-game strike season of 1982. Remember, the Chiefs played 14-game seasons from their birth in 1960 through 1977.

So most of their resources this year must, and undoubtedly will, go into fixing the offense. Here’s an early look at how they might do it:

Offensive line

The Chiefs hope to find three new starters to join guard Brian Waters and tackle Damion McIntosh. Their early thinking was that Rudy Niswanger would be the center, but it’s unclear whether his recent knee injury will allow him to return in time for next season.

By drafting Michigan’s Jake Long in the first round, the Chiefs could move McIntosh over to the right side. Immediately, they’re protecting their quarterback better against outside pass rushers than at any time since Willie Roaf retired.

The problem for the Chiefs is that Long could be selected by the time the Chiefs pick. New England (which has San Francisco’s pick), Atlanta and St. Louis would be among the teams who would choose ahead of the Chiefs if the draft were held today, and all could use a lineman with skills like Long’s.

That would present a dilemma for the Chiefs: to draft an underclassman like Boise State’s Ryan Clady or wait until the second round, when they could draft a tackle like Vanderbilt’s Chris Williams.

“There’s a chance there could be a pretty good tackle sitting there at the top end of the second round, a guy who could start for the Chiefs right away,” said Mike Mayock, the NFL Network’s draft analyst.

To fill the spot at guard, the Chiefs could spend some money on Alan Faneca of Pittsburgh, the premier free agent at his position. But Faneca is 31, and since hiring Herm Edwards as their coach, the Chiefs appear determined to sign free agents who are younger and on their way up, like defensive tackle Alfonso Boone last season.

That’s why a player like Jake Scott of Indianapolis might make more sense to the Chiefs. Scott, at 26, presumably has his best seasons ahead.

The Chiefs could then grab their center — say, John Sullivan of Notre Dame — in a middle round of the draft. Starting two rookies on the offensive line will make things rough for a while, but certainly no worse than this season.

Eventually, the Chiefs should have a competitive offensive line. It would also be young. Waters and McIntosh at 30 would be the elder statesmen. The Chiefs entered this season with every offensive lineman 30 or older.

Wide receiver

The Chiefs drafted Dwayne Bowe in the first round last April but otherwise neglected the position for years, so they again need some help.

Bowe’s LSU teammate Early Doucet would make a lot of sense for the Chiefs, if he’s available in the second round. Doucet is faster than Bowe and would give the Chiefs some possibilities as a kick returner. Or how about Kansas State’s Jordy Nelson in a later round?

In free-agency, the Chiefs should keep with the up-and-coming theme. Arizona’s Bryant Johnson is a former first-round pick who has been lost to an extent while playing in the same offense as Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

Quarterback

The discussion of overhauling the offense isn’t complete without at least mentioning this position.

The Chiefs have so many other needs, including cornerback on defense, that it’s hard to see them drafting a quarterback so early. But many years have passed since the Chiefs have been in position to draft a potential franchise quarterback. If Matt Ryan is available when the Chiefs pick, can they possibly afford to pass him up?

That’s what makes their evaluation of Brodie Croyle so urgent.

Croyle has made three starts, and the Chiefs will have three more games in which to get a further look at him.

“If they think Croyle is the guy, that’s great,” Mayock said. “But if they have any concerns about the long-term future, it’s a no-brainer. You take the quarterback and you go get the tackle in the second round.

“I think Matt Ryan should be their guy if they can get him. It’s not even close. He’s the top quarterback in this draft. Because of what these quarterbacks are being asked to do — look at Tom Brady and look at Peyton Manning and look at their control at the line of scrimmage and their understanding of defenses — that’s the kind of kid Matt Ryan is. He’s sophisticated. When he gets on the board when the coaches at the Senior Bowl and the combine, he’s going to light it up. Teams are going to love his intelligence. Because of that and his physical ability, he’ll be a top-five pick.”