Oldschool Mock Off-season (Post-Combine)

[OldSchool]

There has been a lot of discussion recently about a lack of football threads in the Lounge and people only posting in Draft Planet. Well, here is my mock off-season.

Roster Moves: (I am not going to change too much here, still need to accomplish the same things. I'll change what we do in FA a little bit though.)

Restructure: Brandon Flowers, Dwayne Bowe, and Tamba Hali.
If Flowers continues to play at the same level that he did last season, he'll have to either take a pay cut or be dropped from the roster in 2015. It's possible that Dorsey decides to copy Newsome and extend Hali to a 5 year deal worth around 26-30 mil total to drastically drop his cap number while giving the Chiefs more time to find his replacement. Bowe is in a similar situation to Flowers.

Extend: Alex Smith (5 years, 65-75 mil) and Eric Berry(5 years, 42 mil)
The Smith deal will secure the QB position for the foreseeable future; it is at a lower rate than the going market value for QBs of his caliber. I can see Smith taking even less than that, closer to 10 mil a season, in order to allow the team to bring in better talent around him; it'll be more about the guarantees than it would be about the total amount for Smith. The Berry deal looks expensive but that is the current going rate for top safeties in this league, judging by what guys like Weddle and Goldson were able to get in more recent deals.

Re-sign: Hussain Abdullah (2-4 years, above league minimum):
Since it looks like Schwartz will be leaving in Free Agency, I would try to sign Abdullah instead. He showed enough to me in his limited playing time to make me think that he can be an average to above average starter for us with his upside and a solid 3rd safety at the very worst. I can't fathom why it took so long for the coaching staff to play him but the fact that he got significant playing time in the playoff game and made big plays for us in coverage leads me to believe that he has a future with us. He'll combat Commings for the FS starting spot.

Quintin Demps (1 year, minimum): While many gripe about him taking a terrible angle in the wildcard game and getting burned deep by Hilton (along with Lewis), Demps remains as a solid backup and great special teamer.


Let Walk: Brandon Albert (LT), Dexter McCluster (WR), Jon Asamoah (OG), Kyle Williams (Wr), Tyson Jackson (DE/DT), Akeem Jordan (ILB), Frank Zombo (OLB), Kendrick Lewis (S), Geoff Schwartz (OG/OT)

We don't want to pay Albert what he wants us to pay him. Jackson has very little upside and needs to be upgraded, it may be time to give our depth guys a shot. Demps, though good on special teams, was a coverage liability. Asamoah fell off the face of the earth in Reid's offense when Schwartz replaced him, he probably doesn't want to come back. Williams is done in the NFL, and McCluster will get paid more than he's worth. Zombo needs to be upgraded. Schwartz wants to get paid as much as possible and he won't get that here.

Free Agency: We won't be major players here but we'll make a few depth and sneaky good signings.

1. Frostee Rucker, RDE, 6'3", 280 pounds, 30 years old, 1-3 year vet min deal: Even though it's been reported that Catapano will be playing at 290 for us as a DL man, we still need quality depth and someone who can compete with him and Allen Bailey for starting reps at the RDE position. Frostee Rucker is a good run stuffing RDE who can provide some pass rush when he is kicked inside; he was part of one of the best run stopping units in the NFL in the 2013 Cardinals. He'll help bring their aggressive attitude to our front 7 as a vet for our younger guys to emulate. (Possible signings: Brett Keisel, Ropati Pitoitua, Alex Carrington)

2. Marcus Benard, OLB/DE, 6'2", 260 pounds, 28 yrs old, 1-2 year deal: Benard was an up and comer for the Cleveland Browns, 7 sacks in his second season with limited snaps, before he suffered some injuries in 2011 in a motorcycle accident and didn't play in 2012. He was signed by the Cardinals in 2013 as a back-up depth player after they lost their starting OLB and had 17 tackles and 2.5 sacks in his first season back in a rotational role; he is also a special teams contributor. Benard would provide the Chiefs with decent depth behind Houston and Hali as a pass rushing OLB.

3. Pat Angerer, ILB, 6'0", 236 pounds, 28 years old, 1 year deal: He's a slightly better version of Akeem Jordan and should be able to push Nico Johnson for the starting ILB position next to Derrick Johnson. Much needed ILB depth.

4. Travelle Wharton, OL, 6'4", 312 pounds, 32 years old, 1 year vet min: Wharton will come in as a veteran back-up at OG who can swing out to OT in a pinch. He's still good enough to push for a starting role but will likely be relegated to back-up duty.

5. Winston Justice, OL, 6'6", 320 pounds, 29 years old, 1 year vet min: Justice doesn't offer much as a starter but he can be a solid swing tackle. He has history with Andy Reid and had his best years as an Eagle. Reid will bring him back as a swing tackle.

:



On to the Draft:

Rnd. 1, pick 23: Chiefs Select:



Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU; 5'11.2", 198 pounds, 32 3/4" arms, 10" hands; 4.43 40 time with a 1.50 10 yard split, 38.5" vertical, 10'2" broad, 6.69 3-cone, 3.94 SS, 10.98 60-yard shuttle:

Odell Beckham Jr. is one of the few WRs in this draft class who has the potential to become a #1 WR in the NFL. Odell Beckham should begin his career with us primarily as a slot receiver and return specialist. Reid has a tendency to not trust rookie receivers, no matter how highly they are drafted, and force them to earn their way onto the field through merit of their work during practice and production on game days. Beckham has great athleticism, ball skills, and strong hands to elevate over a defender and snatch the ball at its highest point. He has some of the best run after the catch instincts out of any player in this draft and can accelerate with a second gear that allows him to create separation in and out of his breaks. He showed improved concentration and consistency from his Sophomore to his Junior year, this trend should continue with the NFL level coaching that he will receive from our team. He'll help significantly improve the big play ability of our current roster from his Rookie year.



Rnd. 3, pick 87: Chiefs select:



Terrence Brooks, FS, FSU; 5'10.7", 198 pounds, 31' arms, 9" hands; 4.42 40 yard dash, 38" vert, 9'11" broad:

Brooks is a converted corner to safety who was key to the defensive success of the Seminoles. He was lined up in numerous positions: covering the slot, center-fielder, or in the box. He has tremendous closing speed, better than anyone currently on our roster, and plays with a non-stop motor. Despite being a bit undersized, Brooks is more than willing and able to deliver the big hit to dislodge the ball; he also does a good job of locating and high pointing passes in order to defend them though he doesn't always make the interception. He's a very instinctive player who has a nose for the ball, fluid in his drops and transitions due to his time as a corner. He can come in and compete for a starting role with Commings and, at worst, come in in our sub packages as the extra safety and shut down the deep ball which we struggled with while facing quality QBs.



Rnd. 4 pick 119: Chiefs select:



Brandon Thomas, OG/OT, Clemson, 6'3.2", 317 pounds, 34 3/4" arms, 10 1/2" hands; 5.09 40 time with 1.78 10-yard split; 3-cone: 8.13, SS: 4.83, Vert: 29", Broad: 8'2"

Reid gets his versatile developmental/depth big man in the 4th round in Clemson's Brandon Thomas. Brandon's best assets are his disproportionately long arms and large hands which he uses to deliver a powerful punch into the body of opposing defenders. While he has a great punch, Thomas needs to improve his footwork and needs to develop better lower body strength and learn to generate more power from his base instead of always relying on his upper body strength; he would be a much more dominant blocker if he learned to use his leg drive more consistently. He has tremendous upside and his arm length, combined with his quick feet, gives him versatility in lining up both inside and outside. Thomas can struggle in space and ends up dropping his head and reaching for the defender instead of moving his feet to get into a better position. Like most college OL players, he needs to improve the consistency of his hand placement. Thomas is a project that Reid would love to take on.




Rnd. 5 pick 151 Chiefs Select:



Phillip Gaines, CB, Rice, 6'03", 193 pounds, 31 7/8" arms, 9 5/8" hands; 4.38 40 time, 36.5" vert, 10'2" broad, 6.62 3-cone, 4.04 SS:

Gaines is a fearless and confident corner in coverage, he isn't afraid to get into the face of the WR; he has experience playing in press-man and zone schemes and does well in either one. He was targeted 40 times in 2013 and only allowed 13 receptions. Despite his larger size, Gaines has elite short area quickness which allows him to mirror even the quickest receivers when he is in man and close on the football in zone coverage. He shows good awareness and holds the record for more passes broken up in a career at Rice. He has great recovery speed. His only football issue is that he needs to add strength in order to defeat blocks in the run game. His negatives are that he rarely faced NFL level talent and he also got into trouble for weed in 2011 and was suspended for a game against Texas A&M for a team rule violation in 2013. He's a great talent and displays all the traits of a shut down corner but falls to this round because of those red flags. Chiefs would have a steal and potentially a future starter if Gaines dedicates himself to being a good pro.



Rnd. 6, pick 177: Chiefs Select: Zach Kerr, NT, Delaware, 6'1.3", 326 pounds, 32 7/8" arms, 9 3/4" hands; 5.08 40 yard dash with a 1.72 10-yard split. 28 bench reps, 28.5" vert, 8'3" broad, 7.73 3-cone:



If there were one player in the NFL that I could compare Zach Kerr to, it was be Vince Wilfork. Kerr possesses tremendous movement skills for a man of his size and is relentless in his approach to the game. It's rare to find the combination of motor, size, athleticism, and power that you'll find in this prospect. He originally transferred to Delaware from Maryland where he was productive as a Sophmore. Kerr proved his abilities were real by dominating potential NFL talent at the East and West Shrine game. He is more than just a regular NT who can hold the point of attack, he can rush the passer as well.



Rnd. 6, pick 183: Chiefs Select:



Shaquil Barrett, Colorado State, 6'2", 260 pounds:

Barrett is a guy who has experience playing at ILB, OLB, and DE for Colorado State. I don't know what to think of his speed or athleticism, but all I know is that he has enough speed, instincts, strength, and quickness to make plays and he uses his hands well. He has a different pass rushing style, I am used to players always trying to fire off the snap as fast as possible, Barrett uses a varied approach and great short area quickness to make plays in the backfield. He's athletic and experienced enough to drop into coverage, has great flexibility and a low center of gravity to dip and bend around a corner to get to a QB. Do me a favor and watch this.



All I know is that he is a football player and I want him on my team. Just look at what he was able to do against Alabama with a potential 1st round OT. Ultimately, he may go undrafted due to less-than-ideal measurables, but I think he's a great football player who can earn a roster spot on a 3-4 team in the league. He's one of my sleepers of the draft and chances are not many people know about him. He's on my mock more for exposure than anything else.


Roster: Offense

QB: Alex Smith (S), Chase Daniels (2), Tyler Bray (3)

RB: Jamaal Charles (S), Knile Davis (2), Joe McKnight

FB: Anthony Sherman

TE: Anthony Fasano (S), Travis Kelce (2), Sean McGrath (3)

WR: Dwayne Bowe, Donnie Avery, AJ Jenkins, Odell Beckham Jr., Junior Hemmingway

LT: Eric Fisher

RT: Donald Stephenson

LG: Jeff Allen

C: Eric Kush

RG: Rodney Hudson

OL: Travelle Wharton, Winston Justice, Brandon Thomas

Defense:

RDE: Frostee Rucker, Mike Catapano, Allen Bailey

NT: Dontari Poe, Zach Kerr, Jerrell Powe

LDE: Mike Devito, Jaye Howard

ROLB: Tamba Hali, Marcus Benard

ILB: Derrick Johnson, Nico Johnson, Pat Angerer

LOLB: Justin Houston, Shaquil Barrett

CB: Brandon Flowers, Sean Smith, Marcus Cooper, Phillip Gaines, Ron Parker

FS: Husain Abdullah, Sanders Commings, Terrence Brooks

SS: Eric Berry, Quintin Demps

LS: Thomas Gafford

K: Ryan Succop

P: Dustin Colquitt

Final Comments:
The other 2 roster spots will be left open for potential signings after cuts, so no biggy.

As you saw with my draft, my goal was to add "smart speed" offensively and defensively. I do tend to favor players who run favorable times but I always try to match that up with production and what I can see from the games that I watch as far as their instincts, technique, consistency, etc goes. We needed more explosive threats on offense, I added Odell Beckham and gave us a few OL players to hopefully improve our pass pro and allow our current WRs more time to get open. We definitely needed a speed upgrade on defense so I went with two of the fastest secondary players who also happen to be really instinctive players with skillsets that translate to what our defense would want out of them. I also went fast with the NT, great speed and motor for his size. Anyways, feel free to discuss your thoughts, etc. Or flame away.

[TLO]

I don't like the fact you don't have the Chiefs addressing the FS position.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Big Smoke

I don't like the fact you don't have the Chiefs addressing the FS position.

He has the Chiefs drafting a FS in the 3rd.

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by Big Smoke

I don't like the fact you don't have the Chiefs addressing the FS position.

Well, I figured that re-signing Abdullah would be as expensive as we could go if we want to bring in veteran depth at other positions as well. Plus Abdullah already knows the system and the tendencies of our other DBs.

I drafted Terrence Brooks in the 3rd to compete for a starting role. He has great upside and great closing speed. Combine that with his natural instincts and we have a potential star at FS. He just lacks experience at this point and could do with adding a little more muscle mass to withstand the rigors of the position.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Don't hate it.

[Bewbies]

Alex Smith is going over $100,000,000. Why do people think he's going to sign a massively under market valued deal?

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by Bewbies

Alex Smith is going over $100,000,000. Why do people think he's going to sign a massively under market valued deal?

He has gone on record saying that he puts the team first and wants to win. He is aware that a huge contract will hinder the team's ability to bring in quality talent around him. He has stated, when asked about compensation, that he is at a different place than most other players are when it comes to that. He wants to find a number that is fair to both parties and doesn't kill the team's cap space like the Romos, Cutlers, and Flaccos of the world.

Smith drives around in a Chevy Tahoe to go to work, he's not looking for that $100 million contract. He already made and saved a bunch from his rookie deal; that's why we're all projecting an average of around 12-16 mil a year type deal.

[Direckshun]

I'll have to look over this later, but this is an extremely well put together OP.

Great work.

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I'll have to look over this later, but this is an extremely well put together OP.

Great work.

Thanks man. I hate not having a bunch of draft picks though. Too many players that I like in this draft that we could use, lol.

[Direckshun]

Just read the whole OP.

This is a realistic and outstanding plan. All the FAs, an the Draft, the extensions etc., are all great.

I will say that restructuring Bowe and Flowers (for a 2nd year in a row) is very unlikely.

But ultimately, this is a doable offseason that makes us better.

[RealSNR]

Winston Justice sucks.

And we're not moving Hudson. At least not this year. Dorsey and Reid have both said as much. If Kush is the real thing, we'll have to put him in next year.

[OldSchool]

Originally Posted by SNR

Winston Justice sucks.

And we're not moving Hudson. At least not this year. Dorsey and Reid have both said as much. If Kush is the real thing, we'll have to put him in next year.

I know he sucks, but there are too many OT needy teams out there which will drive up the cost of vet. OL players. Plus he was alright with Reid and will just be a back-up. You can replace his name with any of the other guys out there but he'll likely be the cheapest.