Pioli looks for specific qualities in free agents

[ChiefRon]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chi...y/1106898.html

Pioli looks for specific qualities in free agents

By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

DANA POINT, Calif. | The Chiefs had enough salary-cap room to buy small countries and certainly had need of many skilled players when the free-agency signing period began last month.

General manager Scott Pioli said he was never tempted to solve their many problems by making a big strike in free-agency.

“Here’s a rule I learned from my mother and father when I was a kid: Just because you have money in your pocket doesn’t mean you have to spend it,” Pioli said Wednesday at the conclusion of the NFL’s annual meetings. “Whether you have a lot or a little, always spend it wisely.”

The Chiefs spent some Wednesday when they agreed to terms of a two-year, $3.5 million contract with veteran offensive lineman Mike Goff. The 33-year-old Goff is an 11-year veteran, having spent the first six seasons of his career with Cincinnati and the last five with San Diego.

A durable player, Goff has started all 16 games for the last six seasons. His signing does not appear to be insurance in case the Chiefs trade guard Brian Waters, who for now is their starter at left guard.

Goff could wind up starting at either center, where he could beat out incumbent Rudy Niswanger, or right guard, where last year’s starter Adrian Jones is unsigned.

Goff could be the Chiefs’ only starter from this year’s group of unrestricted free-agent signings, which now numbers five. Pioli said free-agency for the Chiefs might look different from year to year depending on circumstances.

“Don’t ever expect a certain outcome because it always will depend on the opportunity,” said Pioli, who joined the Chiefs in January after nine seasons as the personnel director for New England. “People tried to believe the Patriots would never draft a linebacker. Last year, Jarod Mayo was drafted in the first round. People tried to believe the Patriots would never spend big money on top free-agent players. Rosevelt Colvin was paid pretty good money. Adalius Thomas was paid pretty good money.

“Now, we paid a lot of our own free agents. People forget that a lot of times, but that’s an element of free-agency, an important element. We re-signed Ty Warren. We re-signed Richard Seymour. We re-signed Tom Brady. We re-signed Dan Koppen.

“So every year will be different. Every day will be different. As we go through free-agency, teams sign players or roster bonuses come due for certain players and free-agency changes.”

The Chiefs also traded with the Patriots for two probable starters, quarterback Matt Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel. While their free-agent group might include no eventual starters other than Goff, the Chiefs signed all of them with a specific role in mind.

Veteran wide receiver Bobby Engram will be the slot receiver when the Chiefs go to a three- or four-receiver formation and a resource for the Chiefs’ many young players.

“He’s an experienced receiver who’s played well in this league,” Pioli said. “He has tremendous makeup and tremendous character and will be a good veteran presence not only on the team but at his specific position. He runs great routes and is a very dependable person. So he’ll be productive not only as a player, but as a teacher and mentor and what we’re trying to do as a team.”

Wide receiver Terrance Copper, linebacker Monty Beisel and cornerback Travis Daniels will be reserves. But Copper is the fastest of Chiefs receivers and could give them a deep threat they’ve lacked at receiver.

Beisel, who played for the Patriots during part of Pioli’s time in New England, could wind up playing in special situations like goal-line and short-yardage. The Chiefs expect all three to upgrade their woeful play on special teams.

Pioli said they also share a quality that is essential for all players acquired by the Chiefs: They enjoy not only playing football, but working at it, too.

That’s something Pioli said he will be looking for when the Chiefs hold their first minicamp April 17-19 and practice later in the spring.

“One of the things I’ll be doing is evaluating not just football skills but details,” Pioli said. “Football needs to be one of the most important things in their lives.”

A day after coach Todd Haley used Cassel as an example of what the Chiefs were looking for in that regard, Pioli agreed, citing Cassel’s big year last season after replacing the injured Tom Brady.

“One of the most impressive things about Matt to me is that he essentially didn’t take a snap, hadn’t really had to prepare for a game or play for over seven years, but when the opportunity came, he was ready,” said Pioli, who along with coach Bill Belichick selected Cassel in the seventh round of the 2005 draft even though he had been a backup and played sparingly in college at USC.

“To me, his mental and emotional endurance are classic examples of everything we try to teach in football.”

[RustShack]

Didn't the Raiders use a high draft pick in a safety recently because of speed? I don't think he worked out for them and I don't think being much faster than Pollard is a major need for a SS.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by RustShack

Didn't the Raiders use a high draft pick in a safety recently because of speed? I don't think he worked out for them and I don't think being much faster than Pollard is a major need for a SS.

Yea he was from Texas that's all we really need to know about why he didn't work out from Texas to Oakland...I can't think of a worst possible combination.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by bdeg

So he's definitely got some explosion.

What do you think about the comments I heard regarding his instincts?

The only knock I have for Mays is ball skills and that's mostly because of the way he's been used he's never really been put in position to make plays on the ball. He was mainly used as a deep cover 1 safety because he could literally cover basically the entire deep zone by himself.

He supposedly is going to be used differently next year so he may show off his blitz and ballskill ability then.

[bdeg]

That sounds like a perfect fit right there, although I'm hoping Morgan can be that guy eventually.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

He hasn't transitioned well in part because he's had the worst coaching in the entire league.

You don't think highly of David Gibbs?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Claythan

You don't think highly of David Gibbs?

I don't think highly of anybody that coached under both Herm and Gunther simultaneously.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Claythan

The difference between Darling and Pollard is:

1. This was Darling's first year of starting.

2. Darling wasn't going out there and dropping passes.

Pollard was in his second year of starting full-time. They gave Darling about five games before they gave up on him. And Pollard routinely went out there and missed tackle after tackle after tackle, every week.

Page doesn't need excuses. He's a playmaker.

Page is a playmaker?

That's the funniest shit ever.

Page is a playmaker.

JFC.

.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by milkman

Page is a playmaker?

That's the funniest shit ever.

Page is a playmaker.

JFC.

.

23 passes defensed and 10 interceptions in three years. And a few hard licks thrown in for good measure.

In fact he had his BEST year last year with no pass rush. He was all over the place making plays on the ball.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by Claythan

23 passes defensed and 10 interceptions in three years. And a few hard licks thrown in for good measure.

In fact he had his BEST year last year with no pass rush. He was all over the place making plays on the ball.

Stat lines suggest he's been productive, no question.

People who are more knowledgeable about secondary responsibilities, however, will point to the fact that the dude routinely blows his.

[bdeg]

if by making plays you mean missing them

he was certainly "all over the place" though

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Stat lines suggest he's been productive, no question.

People who are more knowledgeable about secondary responsibilities, however, will point to the fact that the dude routinely blows his responsibilities.

Look, I'm not saying the guy doesn't make mistakes. He has issues. But he also makes plays. A lot of plays. Every damn week.

I'm just wondering when Pioli is going to come to his sense and sign Greg Wesley.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by Claythan

I'm just wondering when Pioli is going to come to his sense and sign Greg Wesley.

The poster child for unfulfilled potential is probably somewhere still patting Derek Anderson on the ass.

[bdeg]

Yup. Wesley could've been good, but he didn't want to be here and would routinely quit on plays. It was so frustrating watching him not feel like tackling the other team's backup qb as he rushed for a 20 yard td.

[bdeg]

I don't know if he thought someone else was going to make the play or what, but I would've traded him the next day. I believe Denver supposedly had an offer on the table at some point. Let em have him.

[bdeg]

Page is a clutch player who has some ball skills, but he's too slow and not great enough at reading plays to be a FS, especially if he isn't splitting the zone with Pollard. He's also not a good enough tackler to play SS. He's a backup/role-player.