Mellinger: Now is the time for Chiefs to make bold move at QB

[Tribal Warfare]

Now is the time for Chiefs to make bold move at QB
By SAM MELLINGER
The Kansas City Star

The old personnel man wants a promise you won’t use his name. He will talk to you, and say exactly what he thinks, but doesn’t want to be the one using a public forum like the local newspaper to tell Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli how to do his job.

It’s just that the man spent a few decades being paid to evaluate NFL talent and he can’t look at the Chiefs without seeing what he thinks is obvious.

“They need a quarterback,” the man says. “Matt Cassel is fine, but look at the league now, the way things are, you need to do better than Matt Cassel. At least bring in someone to compete.”

This is the Chiefs’ major decision now. It is real, even if the decision-makers are maintaining their usual silence. Cassel is the incumbent, and there are no indications that the most important opinions on him are wavering.

But the costs of moving on have never been lower, the potential benefits never been higher, and the timing never better. The easy thing is to see that the Chiefs need to get better at quarterback.

The harder thing is thinking through the options and making the necessary sacrifices.

• • •

That whole Suck For Luck thing is nonsense. A nonstarter. NFL teams don’t throw seasons, and they certainly don’t make progress by throwing seasons.

But right now, it’s impossible not to think about it.

Because the Chiefs will own the 11th or 12th pick in April’s draft — it’ll be decided by a coin flip with Seattle — and that’s just too far to trade into the first (Andrew Luck) or second (Robert Griffin III) pick. Whatever chance the Chiefs had to draft one of this class’ premier quarterbacks died when they won seven games.

Shawn Zobel, who runs DraftHeadquarters.com, thinks a realistic framework for the Chiefs to move into the No. 2 pick would be roughly what Atlanta gave up last year to move from No. 27 to No. 6 in order to take Julio Jones: two first-round picks, one second, and two fourths.

The NFL’s new CBA includes cost-control on rookies, plus the Browns have extra picks from the trade with Atlanta, so it would be an enormous stretch for the Chiefs to make the best offer. Either way, it would be a staggering haul that didn’t help the Falcons, plus left them without a first- or fourth-round pick this year.

Griffin’s potential is real, but the Chiefs have too many other needs — starting with an offensive line that needs to get both younger and better — to do that. Besides, trading up is entirely out of Pioli’s track record.

We also know that re-signing Kyle Orton is both uncertain (he’ll have other options) and entirely inadequate. That leaves two options for a bold move: take a quarterback with the first-round pick, or go big with someone else’s quarterback.

A first-round pick probably means Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill. He’s a former wide receiver with only a season and a half as a starting quarterback, so he’s raw, especially with quarterback intricacies like pre-snap reads and progressing through receivers. He recently broke his foot but is expected to recover.

The last option is the one that makes the most sense. Peyton Manning is the sexy name, of course, and the obvious and sad irony is that the Chiefs haven’t won a playoff game since the last time they brought in someone else’s aching Hall of Fame quarterback, Joe Montana.

Manning would be a no-brainer, both in terms of football and public relations. The problem is the list of what would have to happen — his neck fully heals, the Colts let him go, and he decides he wants to play somewhere else — is wrought with uncertainty.

The positive is that the Chiefs are in a place to offer Manning a talented roster with a coaching staff that could still be suited to him and a presumably winnable division.

Matt Flynn is the best free agent, though the Packers could use the franchise tag to keep him as their backup. Flynn drove up his price by throwing for six touchdowns and a franchise-record 480 yards in the season finale against Detroit, and was also good (24 of 37 passing, 251 yards, three touchdowns and an interception) in his one start last season.

But here’s the irony: his profile is an awful lot like Matt Cassel’s was three years ago. Both are career backups to Hall of Famers. Both have benefitted from being in wildly successful systems. Flynn will be 27 when the season begins, just like Cassel was when he began with the Chiefs.

It’s a small sample, but perhaps instructive that of two NFL personnel men who spoke for this column, one said he liked Cassel more three years ago than he likes Flynn now.

That’s OK. There aren’t many certainties in the NFL, but here’s one: the Chiefs are in a promising place that can best be ruined by lacking the guts to do something bold.

• • •

The advantage the Chiefs have in searching for a better quarterback situation is in timing first, and resources second.

Romeo Crennel hasn’t hired an offensive coordinator, or even given much of an indication on which coaches will be back. That gives him an opportunity to sync the new staff with whatever decision is made about the quarterback.

Acquiring someone else’s quarterback — Manning or Flynn — comes with an added benefit. The Chiefs have plenty of salary-cap space, and could structure any deal in such a way to make the most out of the league-mandated spending minimum that begins in the 2013 season.

The quote at the top of this column is a pretty good summation. Cassel is fine. He’s had four seasons as a starting quarterback. Twice he won 10 games, once he played for a team that had no chance, and the other he got hurt.

But this narrative from the Chiefs that Cassel is young and developing needs to stop. He turns 30 in May. He’s started 54 games. Rookies are coming into the NFL ready.

Cassel told The Star last week he wouldn’t mind if the Chiefs made him compete for the job. Nothing that happened last season indicates that competition would come from Ricky Stanzi.

The Chiefs have the chassis for a good football team, now and into the future. Much of that is because of the improvement of players such as Tamba Hali and Jamaal Charles and Pioli’s ability to sign them long-term.

Since Pioli took over three years ago, two of the most consistent limits on the team have been his unwillingness to make bold personnel acquisitions and the quarterback.

This offseason presents the perfect chance to change that.

[DTLB58]

Finally, someone outside of this board has talked about the elephant in the room.

In his comparisons to Cassel and Flynn he forgot that Flynn actually played college ball.

IMO, The Colts won't trade Peyton. (I've been wrong before)

Secondly, I think Peyton will not be able to recreate what he did with that offense elsewhere. It took lots of time, right, smart players and chemistry working over and over to master what he did in Indy. To just walk in somewhere else and run that "type" of offense, I don't see it.

[DTLB58]

Originally Posted by bigbucks24

I think because of the draft position of the Chiefs and the number of teams that need a QB, it will take more than that to get RGIII. I think the Browns, Redskins and Dolphins will also be making offers. This could get into a bidding war.

Yep. The Rams need Blackmon for Bradford, but they could get offered a butt load to rebuild that team.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by milkman

I've said this before, and I firmly believe it.

If the Colts pay Manning the 28 mil bonus in March, they will be a team in win now mode.

They will be shopping that #1 overall, and they will be looking for players that are proven and can help them right now, because they will have about a 3 year window.

To get that pick, a package that includes both draft picks and players will have to be involved, and they need help in all 3 levels of thier defense the most.

The Chiefs are one of the few teams that have the cap space to absorb any signing bonuses that will accelerate to the cap if they trade players.

I'd offer this year's first and third, Glen Dorsey, DJ and Kendrick Lewis for the #1 overall to take Luck.

You probably would...

[milkman]

Originally Posted by TEX

You probably would...

I probably would do something that I said I probaby would do.

That's an insightful observation right there.

[Extra Point]

Originally Posted by -King-

Pioli is smart. He knows what he's looking for in a QB. Before every interview with a QB at the Combine, he balls up a bubble gum wrapper and throws it on the floor. If a QB picks it up and throws it in the trash can, he'll get drafted. If not, he wont. Sanchez and Freeman both left the wrapper on the floor. Hopefully RGIII won't make the same mistake.



Side note: Stanzi picked up the wrapper, but in the process, he farted, that's why Pioli waited until the 5th round to draft him.

COMEDY GOLD, JERRY! COMEDY GOLD!

[Extra Point]

Let's face it: no QB in round 1, no high power trade. This article is a collective of snippets of posts here. "Wait til next year." Bold move: Sign Orton, skip the draft pick, get some help in the lineup, and get the OC position upgraded.

Try Chocolate Chip instead of plain vanilla on a cone, instead of a cup. Stand out, be bold.

Heh.

[boogblaster]

it ain't gona happen ......

[go bo]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I woke up this morning thinking positive for a change.

There's just NO WAY that the ENTIRE football world is smarter than Pioli. They're going to part ways with Cassel as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

your and idiot...

we can win it all with mark castle...

we don't need no stinkin' quarterback...

[siberian khatru]

So Mellinger says "Be bold!", but the truly bold move of trading up to grab a QB, he talks down.

Mellinger himself can't even be bold enough to support his own thesis. I mean, he even talks down the idea of signing Flynn.

The boldest thing he can come up with is sign someone to compete with Cassel?

Shit or get off the pot, Sam. Choose one of those options and ADVOCATE for it. Dismiss the potential pitfalls of trading up and make a STRONG argument for doing it. You're a goddamn columnist, give us some OPINIONS.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I woke up this morning thinking positive for a change.

There's just NO WAY that the ENTIRE football world is smarter than Pioli. They're going to part ways with Cassel as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

I read this article viewing a positive change in KC Sports Journalism: Somebody called for Cassel losing his job.

The thing is... ergh. Maybe it's because I'm an angry person, but the truth isn't getting acknowledged here. I wish a writer would say something to the effect of "Matt Cassel sucks". What was written here is too nice. People have to know that no, Matt Cassel is NOT fine. He's terrible. He's the one thing that will prevent the team from winning a playoff game next year.

[BossChief]

If we draft a quarterback and re-sign Orton, I don't see how Cassel would even make the team next year.

Time to move on.

[whoman69]

Originally Posted by malachi47000

I say trade down, pick up an extra first for next year by trading into the 20's. Fill as many key positions through draft and Free Agency (have to spend this year) and resign Orton. Orton has shown he can do well with this run first offense and is the most likely option that Pioli would play (safe). If the Orton experiment doesn't work, we have multiple 1st's to move up and get Barkley next year.

Every year I hear someone say trade down. It doesn't always work that easily. There has to be someone in our range that another team wants that they believe another team will draft before them. I can't see who that player would be.

[BigChiefFan]

We need to get better at QB...well, Melly, we aren't going to find a QB in FA or staying put in the draft, so...the only logical solution is to TRADE UP in the draft.

[ForeverChiefs58]

We could use both

Report: Peyton Manning, Jeff Saturday to Redskins 'Very Likely'

by Ricky Doyle on Sat, Jan 14, 2012 at 10:04PM

The Colts reportedly plan to draft future franchise quarterback Andrew Luck with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. If that spells the end of Peyton Manning's tenure in Indianapolis, the veteran could end up in the nation's capital.

According to ESPN's Bram Weinstein, a source indicates that it's "very likely" that Manning and center Jeff Saturday will join the Redskins.

Manning inked a five-year, $90 million last offseason, but the Colts could elect to rebuild with Luck at the helm going forward. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported last week that Indianapolis will not trade Manning, but with the quarterback's health still a question mark, the team could end up releasing him.

Saturday, who turns 37 in June, is set to become a free agent. He's protected Manning since entering the league in 1999.

Bringing in Manning would be a huge splash for a Redskins team that's received inconsistent quarterback play in recent years.

Manning has been named to 11 Pro Bowls in his career, and has earned MVP honors four times. Saturday has been selected to five Pro Bowls.

http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/ar...likely/9352094

[Extra Point]

Originally Posted by SNR

I read this article viewing a positive change in KC Sports Journalism: Somebody called for Cassel losing his job.

The thing is... ergh. Maybe it's because I'm an angry person, but the truth isn't getting acknowledged here. I wish a writer would say something to the effect of "Matt Cassel sucks". What was written here is too nice. People have to know that no, Matt Cassel is NOT fine. He's terrible. He's the one thing that will prevent the team from winning a playoff game next year.

You're just not titillated enough, then? Mellinger brings up more questions than conclusions. That's his perceived job, as a Whitlock spinoff.