Free agents following this year.

[Direckshun]

2012 is going to be a VERY challenging offseason for the Chiefs. If we want to continue getting better as a team, we need to find a way to get a lot done in a very small amount of time.

I tried to limit this list of FAs to players we are relatively certain will be Chiefs throughout 2011.

QB: none
RB: Thomas Jones
FB: Le'Ron McClain

WR: Dwayne Bowe, Jerheme Urban
TE: Leonard Pope

OT: Jared Gaither, Barry Richardson
OG: none
C: Casey Wiegmann

NT: Kelly Gregg, Anthony Toribio
DE: Wallace Gilberry

ILB: Jovan Belcher (RFA), Brandon Siler
OLB: Andy Studebaker

CB: Brandon Flowers, Brandon Carr, Travis Daniels
S: Jon McGraw,

ST: Ryan Succop (RFA)

That's a potentially turbulent offseason. Pioli needs to get his deals done now.

[Micjones]

Give Bowe & Carr a new deal during the year. Tag Flowers.
Gilberry, Succop and McClain should all be next in line if they all play well this year.

[ToxSocks]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Franchise tag: Jared Gaither (assuming he heals and plays up to his ability, if he doesn't tag Bowe)

Let go: Jones, Urban, Richardson, Wiegmann, Gregg, Toribio, Daniels, Carr, McGraw

Tender: Succop (3rd rounder), Belcher (2nd rounder)

Take your change on resigning in free agency: McClain, Pope, Siler, Studebaker, McGraw

Which means these are the guys we have to resign pronto: Bowe, Flowers, and Gilberry

Draft: big RB, NT, CB, interior OL depth, S depth

Release Carr? No thanks.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

Should be gone: Thomas Jones, Kelly Gregg, Leonard Pope, Casey Weigmann, Jon McGraw.

he hasnt even played a snap for us.

how do you know he wont play well?

[ToxSocks]

Originally Posted by Micjones

Give Bowe & Carr a new deal during the year. Tag Flowers.
Gilberry, Succop and McClain should all be next in line if they all play well this year.

Succop will likely just get tendered and Gilberry will find big money elsewhere if he has another good season.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

Release Carr? No thanks.

I'm struggling to think of a reason why people want Carr gone.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

Release Carr? No thanks.

Originally Posted by PGM

I'm struggling to think of a reason why people want Carr gone.

I don't want to lose Carr, but (a.) Pioli isn't going to pay two corners in the same offseason, and (b.) overworking yourself to retain two UFA corners could mean you potentially lose more valuable players elsewhere, like left tackle, wide receiver, or passrusher.

[Direckshun]

So I guess my counter is *I'm* struggling to think of a reason why people think the Chiefs can simply resign everyone and don't have to make difficult decisions like the rest of the league.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

he hasnt even played a snap for us.

how do you know he wont play well?

I'm thinking because of his age.....not his talent level. Plus I'm hoping that Powe adjusts well and starts next year.

[The Bad Guy]

Let Carr go? No ****ing way.

Pay him during the season with Bowe.

If Gaither plays like a mauling bear, then franchise him.

[ct]

If we must let 1 CB go, I'd rather it be Flowers, not Carr. Course I want to resign both, just sayin...

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

Let Carr go? No ****ing way.

Pay him during the season with Bowe.

If Gaither plays like a mauling bear, then franchise him.

And I guess we just outbid 31 other teams trying to land Brandon Flowers.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by ct

If we must let 1 CB go, I'd rather it be Flowers, not Carr. Course I want to resign both, just sayin...

I bet you shit chocolate.

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I don't want to lose Carr, but (a.) Pioli isn't going to pay two corners in the same offseason, and (b.) overworking yourself to retain two UFA corners could mean you potentially lose more valuable players elsewhere, like left tackle, wide receiver, or passrusher.

This analysis would be correct if Carl Peterson was still running the team.

However, the team has the most CAP space in the NFL and a lot of flexibility to sign players to long term extensions during the year (see, Charles, Jamaal, Johnson, Derrick).

I would expect Flowers, Carr and Bowe will all have new deals before the end of the year.

[ToxSocks]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I don't want to lose Carr, but (a.) Pioli isn't going to pay two corners in the same offseason, and (b.) overworking yourself to retain two UFA corners could mean you potentially lose more valuable players elsewhere, like left tackle, wide receiver, or passrusher.

(a.) Pioli has stated multiple times now that keeping home grown players is his #1 Priority. If we've learned anything about Pioli since he came here it's that he's unpredictable.

(b) Overworking yourself to retain two corners? Really? That's a real stretch. Also, lets not forget the fact that we'll see new contracts during the season. He's not going to wait till the end of the season to lock all these guys up.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

This analysis would be correct if Carl Peterson was still running the team.

However, the team has the most CAP space in the NFL and a lot of flexibility to sign players to long term extensions during the year (see, Charles, Jamaal, Johnson, Derrick).

I would expect Flowers, Carr and Bowe will all have new deals before the end of the year.

DJ was the only in-season deal we made in 2010.

Charles was the only in-season deal we made in 2011.

These are difficult deals to make -- typically these deals get made in the 11th hour. To make a big deal with no deadline during the season? Very difficult to get the player to the table enough to land the deal.

I think we'll see ONE BIG DEAL during the season, my guess would be Flowers. But chances are, we're not going to be able to get everybody locked up by the time free agency arrives.

Keep in mind this team desperately needs to keep Gilberry, too.