Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs GM John Dorsey explains plan for No. 1 pick - Page 10

ShowtimeSBMVP · 04-04-2013, 12:53 PM

By Albert Breer
Reporter, NFL.com and NFL Network
Published: April 4, 2013 at 02:28 p.m.
Updated: April 4, 2013 at 02:42 p.m.
0 Likes | 0 Comments

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Relaxed and easygoing as he might be on this day, Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey had to know the question was coming, particularly since West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith's flight into town was already airborne.
Mock draft central

In his first year on the job, Dorsey has the draft's first pick. His move will set the table for everyone else, and his job is to get the most value out of that commodity. The best way to do that, of course, is to generate a market for the pick by manufacturing the impression that the Chiefs, in fact, like everyone.

And as I floated that well-worn idea to Dorsey, his back straightened and he stopped me.

"It's not creating a belief, it's the truth," Dorsey sharply responded. "We've said all along it's a process, and that process will not be finalized, that board will not be set, until four days before the draft. That's the way that whole process works itself out. There are different phases that you go through. I mean, right now, I just walked downstairs and we're in a different phase right now. We're going back as a group and assessing all the different positions."

Still, there's very little question that the focus in Kansas City is squarely on the first pick -- the Chiefs' aren't scheduled to pick again until No. 63 overall -- and that focus is now narrowing.

It wouldn't make much sense for Dorsey and the Chiefs to tip their hand now on exactly who they're targeting, since, again, that might limit the value of the pick itself. But internally, there has been a process of elimination and an identification of "finalists" with the draft three weeks away.

"True contenders?" Dorsey quizzically uttered, before pausing and counting them in his head. "We've gotten it down to four."

*****

There's a shell game to this final phase of it, too.

Yes, the Chiefs brought in Smith, but they already gave up two high picks, including the 34th overall selection in this draft, to acquire Alex Smith from the San Francisco 49ers. That trade, plus the split opinion league-wide on Smith's ability, cast plenty of doubt on the possibility of Kansas City taking the plunge on the West Virginia star -- doubt that Dorsey does his best to dispel.

"There always can be a quarterback," he said. "We're gonna take the best player. I stand by that. And what I use as an example is that we were lucky enough to get Aaron Rodgers (in Green Bay). We were questioned about that, but we stood patiently for three years with him. We can stand patiently another three if we have to. At the end of the day, you want to do what's best for your organization, present and future. And if it happens to be the quarterback, we'll take the quarterback."

On the topic of Smith, Dorsey added: "Physically, he was very impressive at the combine, and we watched his pro day three times. When he threw, it was very impressive."

But if it's not the quarterback? That's where it gets interesting, because the guys who seem like better Chiefs fits aren't exactly being courted in the same manner Geno has been in K.C.

With left tackle Branden Albert's future uncertain, Texas A&M's Luke Joeckel and Central Michigan's Eric Fisher both would seem to be firmly in the mix. Neither is slated to visit. The Chiefs also spent considerable time kicking the tires on Oregon's Dion Jordan and Florida's Sharrif Floyd after the NFL Scouting Combine. Yet, those two aren't scheduled either, at least at this point, to go to Kansas City and meet the brass.

This could all be part of the club gaming the system, and other teams.

Internally, obviously, there are answers to all these questions. Every day, Dorsey sits down with Chiefs head coach Andy Reid at 6:30 in the morning, again at lunch and a final time at night to talk things over. In the final 10 days, the GM says, Reid will become more involved in draft meetings, as the scouts trickle in with their field work complete. The hope is, by then, Dorsey has been sold on one of the four.

"In a second, that could happen," Dorsey explained. "Sitting down and overwhelming somebody with their depth of knowledge of the offensive scheme and how quick they can put it up, and combine that with the on-the-field skills, and you go, 'Holy s---, he's got it.' It could be an interview at the combine, it could be his pro day at the school. There are different variables, and all of a sudden the light goes on and you're going, 'That's the guy!' It happens in a multitude of ways."

Whether that moment of clarity comes or not, Dorsey continued, there needs to "come a point after you sit here and listen to all the scouts, you sit and listen to the coaches, you sit and talk with the medical staff, and then you sit and talk with the head coach, and then you say, 'This is the guy, and here's why.' And everyone says, 'OK.' Then you know that's the guy."

*****

Win a chance to announce a pick live at the 2013 NFL Draft. Enter now!

And if your head isn't spinning quite enough yet, there's also a chance that the Chiefs a) aren't sold on any of the guys there or b) simply believe there's better value drafting eighth or 10th or 12th. In either case, they might test the trade waters.

For now, Dorsey is willing to admit he's open to entertaining the idea.

"Yeah," Dorsey said. "I'm open to what's best for this organization. I know I have the option to take the best player there. But if somebody calls me up and says, 'We're willing to move up, here's what we have to offer,' I see it, weigh it, listen to compensation and make a decision on what's best."

The new GM spent the last 22 seasons working his way up through the Packers' personnel department. The average draft slot for Green Bay during that span? No. 20. Not only has Dorsey not worked for a team picking first before, but he's only been a part of the process with four top-10 picks in his entire scouting career: CB Terrell Buckley (No. 5 overall in 1992), Jamal Reynolds (10, 2001), A.J. Hawk (5, 2006) and B.J. Raji (9, 2009).

That makes these waters a bit uncharted for him. He knows there are different dynamics with it. He mentioned Rodgers again as a model of a player who handled the kind of pressure the first pick will be under (though he wasn't the first pick, he was replacing a legend), and said, "I think any one of the four guys that we're targeting right now can handle that."

He's also aware that, as a first-time GM, his actions on this pick will loom large when his prowess as a decision-maker is assessed.

At least outwardly, though, he's trying to look at the top pick like any other selection.

"A personnel guy always wants to get his pick right," Dorsey said. "We live that every year. We want to make sure the pick is right. This one happens to be the first pick in the draft. We're gonna try to make it right. You guys can put the pressure on us -- 'Holy crap, it's the No. 1 pick!' It's the No. 1 pick. We're gonna do the best we can."

And as the process typically proves, getting the most out of a top pick often goes far beyond simply identifying a top player

Albert Breer ‏@AlbertBreer 1m

Nugget from my KC/Dorsey story -- Geno visited Chiefs. But Joeckel, Fisher, Floyd, Jordan aren't slated to. #Poker http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap

patteeu · 04-04-2013, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bewbies

In the later rounds? Aaron Rodgers wasn't taken in the later rounds...

Yeah, I guess he could have meant that he wants to trade down to 1.24 and if the best QB in the draft falls to him there, he'll pick him, sit him on the bench behind his incumbent hall of famer and then turn the keys over to him 3 years down the road, but I didn't take him quite as literally as you apparently do.

**BossChief** · 04-04-2013, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

You don't draft a QB with the #1 pick of the entire draft so he can ride the bench. In fact, that is very much NOT taking the BPA if he has to hold a clipboard. BPA is a guy who you can plug in and get immediate results with at a high level.

I really do hope kc drafts Geno with the #1 pick. You think Blackledge was a fiasco, that's nothing compared to taking a QB with the 1.1 pick of an entire draft, having him sit behind a mediocre Alex Smith for 2 years (because he can't beat Smith out like Kaepernick did) and then when he finally does start, he ends up being no better or worse then the journeyman QB he just replaced.

Who is that guy?

An olb would sit
An OT would be a RT
A DL is gonna take a couple years to produce

What prospect is gonna do as you say?

Quote:

Originally Posted by patteeu

Yeah, I guess he could have meant that he wants to trade down to 1.24 and if the best QB in the draft falls to him there, he'll pick him, sit him on the bench behind his incumbent hall of famer and then turn the keys over to him 3 years down the road, but I didn't take him quite as literally as you apparently do.

I took that as him talking about what he would do if he didn't get an offer worth moving down for and had to pick at 1...what made you think he was talking about moving down?

Sweet Daddy Hate · 04-04-2013, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by penbook

Yes the Choco Penii hope is still alive.

What I read from that is this: if we dont get an offer, we're securing our QB position for the future.
Posted via Mobile Device

Sweet Daddy Hate · 04-04-2013, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankie

I doubt it very much. But if they do this it's with the idea of trading him to another team who might not have taken the bait pre-draft. It would be a ballsy move if they ever do this.

goddamnit Frankie; will you PLEASE stop with such a ridiculous, no way in hell is that happening-scenario????
Posted via Mobile Device

Sweet Daddy Hate · 04-04-2013, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detoxing

That's because you always take the anti-Geno spin on everything.

It could simply mean that....gasp....they were impressed by his physical ability. Nothing more, nothing less.

And remember; poker AINT these twos strong suit.
Posted via Mobile Device

Bewbies · 04-04-2013, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patteeu

Yeah, I guess he could have meant that he wants to trade down to 1.24 and if the best QB in the draft falls to him there, he'll pick him, sit him on the bench behind his incumbent hall of famer and then turn the keys over to him 3 years down the road, but I didn't take him quite as literally as you apparently do.

He's saying if the best guy has to ride the pine for 3 years to become the great player they think he will be will make that pick.

Sounds like he drafts a player for their career, not for their rookie season.

B14ckmon · 04-04-2013, 10:38 PM

How many reeruns we got still thinking the Chiefs will take Geno?

Too many I see.

Sweet Daddy Hate · 04-04-2013, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B14ckmon

How many reeruns we got still thinking the Chiefs will take Geno?

Too many I see.

How many ****tard trolls supporting a team we give two ****s about are still present on this board? Oh.
Posted via Mobile Device

B14ckmon · 04-04-2013, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweet Dick Willie

How many ****tard trolls supporting a team we give two ****s about are still present on this board? Oh.
Posted via Mobile Device

2 or 3.

**BossChief** · 04-04-2013, 10:49 PM

Whats really exciting is that these quotes from Dorsey mesh PERFECTLY with what The Bad Guy has posted about the teams thoughts on Geno and why they made the move for Alex Smith. Shit, even Alex Smith said that he was brought in because the team wanted to win "right now" as in 2013...maybe even he knows that he is a stop gap...

The Bad Guy posted a week or so ago that the Chiefs love the long term outlook of Geno Smith, but think he would struggle if he had to play right away.

John Dorsey says they watched Genos proday three times and loved his physical skill set...he obviously did because he flew the kid to KC for his visit/workout.

Unless I missed something, Geno is the only guy they brought to KC and they did so for a two day visit.

I hate it that they keep reeling me back in just when I'm about to stop having hope.

Sweet Daddy Hate · 04-04-2013, 10:55 PM

It's goin' down!
Posted via Mobile Device

Chiefshrink · 04-04-2013, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patteeu

Sounds like a huge red flag to me. Dorsey goes out of his way to praise Geno physically. I take that to mean they're not in love with his intangibles and/or the mental part of his game.

If you get a chance to watch Mariucci's Game Changers on the NFL network watch his time with Barkley and notice Barkley's intelligence of the game as he is explaining everyone of his plays both good and bad on tape. You could see Barkley gave Mooch an erection by the time it was all over with. I was waiting to see the same tape review done with Geno to see if his football knowledge was just as savvy but Mooch never did that with Geno. So I think you are correct that Geno's football knowledge/intelligence/mental game lacks.

penbrook · 04-04-2013, 11:52 PM

If you had to compare Geno to somebody who would it be. I would say Jesus.

penbrook · 04-04-2013, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BossChief

Whats really exciting is that these quotes from Dorsey mesh PERFECTLY with what The Bad Guy has posted about the teams thoughts on Geno and why they made the move for Alex Smith. Shit, even Alex Smith said that he was brought in because the team wanted to win "right now" as in 2013...maybe even he knows that he is a stop gap...

The Bad Guy posted a week or so ago that the Chiefs love the long term outlook of Geno Smith, but think he would struggle if he had to play right away.

John Dorsey says they watched Genos proday three times and loved his physical skill set...he obviously did because he flew the kid to KC for his visit/workout.

Unless I missed something, Geno is the only guy they brought to KC and they did so for a two day visit.

I hate it that they keep reeling me back in just when I'm about to stop having hope.

This

**wazu** · 04-04-2013, 11:54 PM

All I got from this interview was that Geno is Aaron Rodgers and we are going to draft him and sit him for three years. And that nobody else of importance is even visiting KC. That's what the article said, right?

04-04-2013, 12:53 PM
ShowtimeSBMVP Chiefs Join Date: Feb 2009 Casino cash: $3666009	Kansas City Chiefs GM John Dorsey explains plan for No. 1 pick By Albert Breer Reporter, NFL.com and NFL Network Published: April 4, 2013 at 02:28 p.m. Updated: April 4, 2013 at 02:42 p.m. 0 Likes \| 0 Comments KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Relaxed and easygoing as he might be on this day, Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey had to know the question was coming, particularly since West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith's flight into town was already airborne. Mock draft central In his first year on the job, Dorsey has the draft's first pick. His move will set the table for everyone else, and his job is to get the most value out of that commodity. The best way to do that, of course, is to generate a market for the pick by manufacturing the impression that the Chiefs, in fact, like everyone. And as I floated that well-worn idea to Dorsey, his back straightened and he stopped me. "It's not creating a belief, it's the truth," Dorsey sharply responded. "We've said all along it's a process, and that process will not be finalized, that board will not be set, until four days before the draft. That's the way that whole process works itself out. There are different phases that you go through. I mean, right now, I just walked downstairs and we're in a different phase right now. We're going back as a group and assessing all the different positions." Still, there's very little question that the focus in Kansas City is squarely on the first pick -- the Chiefs' aren't scheduled to pick again until No. 63 overall -- and that focus is now narrowing. It wouldn't make much sense for Dorsey and the Chiefs to tip their hand now on exactly who they're targeting, since, again, that might limit the value of the pick itself. But internally, there has been a process of elimination and an identification of "finalists" with the draft three weeks away. "True contenders?" Dorsey quizzically uttered, before pausing and counting them in his head. "We've gotten it down to four." *** There's a shell game to this final phase of it, too. Yes, the Chiefs brought in Smith, but they already gave up two high picks, including the 34th overall selection in this draft, to acquire Alex Smith from the San Francisco 49ers. That trade, plus the split opinion league-wide on Smith's ability, cast plenty of doubt on the possibility of Kansas City taking the plunge on the West Virginia star -- doubt that Dorsey does his best to dispel. "There always can be a quarterback," he said. "We're gonna take the best player. I stand by that. And what I use as an example is that we were lucky enough to get Aaron Rodgers (in Green Bay). We were questioned about that, but we stood patiently for three years with him. We can stand patiently another three if we have to. At the end of the day, you want to do what's best for your organization, present and future. And if it happens to be the quarterback, we'll take the quarterback." On the topic of Smith, Dorsey added: "Physically, he was very impressive at the combine, and we watched his pro day three times. When he threw, it was very impressive." But if it's not the quarterback? That's where it gets interesting, because the guys who seem like better Chiefs fits aren't exactly being courted in the same manner Geno has been in K.C. With left tackle Branden Albert's future uncertain, Texas A&M's Luke Joeckel and Central Michigan's Eric Fisher both would seem to be firmly in the mix. Neither is slated to visit. The Chiefs also spent considerable time kicking the tires on Oregon's Dion Jordan and Florida's Sharrif Floyd after the NFL Scouting Combine. Yet, those two aren't scheduled either, at least at this point, to go to Kansas City and meet the brass. This could all be part of the club gaming the system, and other teams. Internally, obviously, there are answers to all these questions. Every day, Dorsey sits down with Chiefs head coach Andy Reid at 6:30 in the morning, again at lunch and a final time at night to talk things over. In the final 10 days, the GM says, Reid will become more involved in draft meetings, as the scouts trickle in with their field work complete. The hope is, by then, Dorsey has been sold on one of the four. "In a second, that could happen," Dorsey explained. "Sitting down and overwhelming somebody with their depth of knowledge of the offensive scheme and how quick they can put it up, and combine that with the on-the-field skills, and you go, 'Holy s---, he's got it.' It could be an interview at the combine, it could be his pro day at the school. There are different variables, and all of a sudden the light goes on and you're going, 'That's the guy!' It happens in a multitude of ways." Whether that moment of clarity comes or not, Dorsey continued, there needs to "come a point after you sit here and listen to all the scouts, you sit and listen to the coaches, you sit and talk with the medical staff, and then you sit and talk with the head coach, and then you say, 'This is the guy, and here's why.' And everyone says, 'OK.' Then you know that's the guy." *** Win a chance to announce a pick live at the 2013 NFL Draft. Enter now! And if your head isn't spinning quite enough yet, there's also a chance that the Chiefs a) aren't sold on any of the guys there or b) simply believe there's better value drafting eighth or 10th or 12th. In either case, they might test the trade waters. For now, Dorsey is willing to admit he's open to entertaining the idea. "Yeah," Dorsey said. "I'm open to what's best for this organization. I know I have the option to take the best player there. But if somebody calls me up and says, 'We're willing to move up, here's what we have to offer,' I see it, weigh it, listen to compensation and make a decision on what's best." The new GM spent the last 22 seasons working his way up through the Packers' personnel department. The average draft slot for Green Bay during that span? No. 20. Not only has Dorsey not worked for a team picking first before, but he's only been a part of the process with four top-10 picks in his entire scouting career: CB Terrell Buckley (No. 5 overall in 1992), Jamal Reynolds (10, 2001), A.J. Hawk (5, 2006) and B.J. Raji (9, 2009). That makes these waters a bit uncharted for him. He knows there are different dynamics with it. He mentioned Rodgers again as a model of a player who handled the kind of pressure the first pick will be under (though he wasn't the first pick, he was replacing a legend), and said, "I think any one of the four guys that we're targeting right now can handle that." He's also aware that, as a first-time GM, his actions on this pick will loom large when his prowess as a decision-maker is assessed. At least outwardly, though, he's trying to look at the top pick like any other selection. "A personnel guy always wants to get his pick right," Dorsey said. "We live that every year. We want to make sure the pick is right. This one happens to be the first pick in the draft. We're gonna try to make it right. You guys can put the pressure on us -- 'Holy crap, it's the No. 1 pick!' It's the No. 1 pick. We're gonna do the best we can." And as the process typically proves, getting the most out of a top pick often goes far beyond simply identifying a top player Albert Breer ‏@AlbertBreer 1m Nugget from my KC/Dorsey story -- Geno visited Chiefs. But Joeckel, Fisher, Floyd, Jordan aren't slated to. #Poker http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap
Posts: 23,752

04-04-2013, 10:38 PM	#142
B14ckmon Jagwire Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Cedar Rapids, IA Casino cash: $10004900	How many reeruns we got still thinking the Chiefs will take Geno? Too many I see. __________________ Luke Joeckel - Chiefs LT of the Future!
Posts: 2,316

04-04-2013, 10:49 PM	#145
BossChief SuperBowl or bust Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: BF Iowa Casino cash: $1884088	Whats really exciting is that these quotes from Dorsey mesh PERFECTLY with what The Bad Guy has posted about the teams thoughts on Geno and why they made the move for Alex Smith. Shit, even Alex Smith said that he was brought in because the team wanted to win "right now" as in 2013...maybe even he knows that he is a stop gap... The Bad Guy posted a week or so ago that the Chiefs love the long term outlook of Geno Smith, but think he would struggle if he had to play right away. John Dorsey says they watched Genos proday three times and loved his physical skill set...he obviously did because he flew the kid to KC for his visit/workout. Unless I missed something, Geno is the only guy they brought to KC and they did so for a two day visit. I hate it that they keep reeling me back in just when I'm about to stop having hope. __________________ Dreams do come true... http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showp...postcount=1407
Posts: 47,126

04-04-2013, 10:55 PM	#146
Sweet Daddy Hate Unsparing Join Date: Aug 2008 Casino cash: $10004900	It's goin' down! Posted via Mobile Device
Posts: 77,135

04-04-2013, 11:52 PM	#148
penbrook LEGEND! Join Date: Feb 2013 Casino cash: $10033840	If you had to compare Geno to somebody who would it be. I would say Jesus.
Posts: 16,409

04-04-2013, 11:54 PM	#150
wazu ... Join Date: May 2002 Location: Kansas City, MO Casino cash: $2212295 VARSITY	All I got from this interview was that Geno is Aaron Rodgers and we are going to draft him and sit him for three years. And that nobody else of importance is even visiting KC. That's what the article said, right?
Posts: 27,764