Blob Gretz: What the Chiefs need in the draft

[RealSNR]

I don't like where he has WR positioned at all. If a great receiver like Jarret is there at 23, we NEED to take him. Hopefully Lardass isn't in the warroom on Saturday.

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GRETZ: Lining Up Chiefs Needs
Apr 25, 2007, 6:25:52 AM by Bob Gretz - FAQ


We are down to the final days in preparation for the 2007 NFL Draft. The Chiefs own the 23rd selection in the first round. At this point, they have no firm information on who may be available to them. Everyone has their ideas, and they can roundup half-dozen possible options.

Right now, it’s about matching up those possible names with team needs. On Friday, we’ll talk about the names. Today, we’ll talk about the Chiefs needs.

We covered some of this ground before, back in late February (The Personnel Road, Parts I through V) but here’s recap starting with their greatest need, although there isn’t much difference between the top three or four positions on this roster where help is needed for the Chiefs.

#1-CORNERBACK
Right now, the Chiefs do not have an apparent nickel back to play with Ty Law and Pat Surtain. They’ve re-signed Benny Sapp, but he’s more of a situational defensive back, better at attacking the quarterback than he is in coverage.

Law will play his 13th season as a 33-year old, while Surtain enters his 10th season and will be 31 in June. There are no heirs in the pipeline. The Chiefs need a first-day corner.

#2-DEFENSIVE TACKLE
The Chiefs have re-signed three players who filled roles on the inside of the defense to mixed results: Ron Edwards, James Reed and Jimmy Wilkerson. They also added free agent Alfonso Boone from the Bears. It doesn’t appear that Ryan Sims has much of a future with the team, although no roster move has been made yet with the former No. 1 draft choice.

Edwards will play this season as a 28-year old, Reed has already celebrated his 30th birthday, while Wilkerson is 26 and Boone is 31. Those four have played in 301 games, started 93 and have a combined 25.5 sacks.

The Chiefs desperately need a pass rush from the middle of this defensive line and they need to be stouter against the run.

#3-LEFT & RIGHT TACKLE
Damion McIntosh was signed as a free agent and is penciled in as the starter at left tackle. He’ll begin the season as 30-year old, seven-year veteran. He’s an improvement over Jordan Black, but he’s never been in the discussion when it comes to talk about the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams. There really is no other player on the roster that has displayed the skills necessary to step into that vital position.

Chris Terry is a veteran who has the best chance to claim the right tackle spot. But he’ll play this season as a 32-year old, who hasn’t started more than a half-season since the 2003 season. Kevin Sampson remains on the roster, but illness and injury have made his availability scarce over the last two seasons. Will Svitek is still around and could be a factor at the position.

#4-RUNNING BACK
OK, why running back? Because the Chiefs can’t continue to give the ball to Larry Johnson 400 times a season. They need an alternative and Michael Bennett has not shown yet that he can be consistently available to be that man.

Under Herm Edwards, the Chiefs are going to rely on an offense built around their running game. Much as they drafted Johnson in 2002 with Priest Holmes on the roster, they must protect themselves with more talent at running back.

#5-WIDE RECEIVER
Draft pundits by the dozens consistently believe the Chiefs must draft a wide receiver in the first round of this year’s draft. They also believed they Chiefs needed a wide out in last year’s first round. And, the year before that, and the year before …

There’s no question they’ve struggled around Arrowhead in the last 20 years in drafting and developing a wide receiver. But the presence of Tony Gonzalez makes wide receiver less of a priority. So does the presence of second-year players Jeff Webb and Chris Hannon. Yes, the Chiefs need help at wide receiver, but they do not have to reach for someone.

#6-DEFENSIVE END
The unknown future status of Jared Allen makes this a position that must be considered in upcoming drafts. If Allen holds to his pledge that he will not re-sign with the Chiefs after the 2007 season, the team has two alternatives: they can do nothing and watch him walk away, or they can slap him with the franchise player tag. With the franchise player tag comes a big contract number for one year, something that Allen has not shown he’s worthy of receiving at this point. After Tamba Hali and Wilkerson, the Chiefs have no long-term players at the position.

#7-TIGHT END
It’s remarkable that the Chiefs have gotten seven years of play out of Jason Dunn, considering the knee problems the tight end had when he was released by Philadelphia. Dunn went to the IR list at the end of the ‘06 season because of back problems. He’ll be 34 this year. The Chiefs need a big, blocking tight end.

[Dave Lane]

What we need? Everything except LB and Safety. Anything else is fine...

Dave

[Uncle_Ted]

I just saw that you called him "Blob Gretz" ... LOL