Teicher: Chiefs owner Hunt puts emphasis on draft to rebuild team

[Tribal Warfare]

Chiefs owner Hunt puts emphasis on draft to rebuild team

By ADAM TEICHER

The Kansas City Star



Clark Hunt


Even after free agency became a vehicle for player acquisition, Lamar Hunt never lost his enthusiasm for the college draft. He, more than anyone, eagerly anticipated the Chiefs’ annual rookie haul.His son Clark, now the Chiefs’ chairman, may not be as outwardly enthusiastic, but he does understand the draft’s importance. The Chiefs are placing an emphasis on the draft like no time in recent years, at least partly by Hunt’s direction.
That, Hunt said, is not a one-time thing because the Chiefs have the fifth pick in this weekend’s draft or 10 choices in the seven rounds, the most they’ve had in years.
This, with the intermittent exception, is how the Chiefs will do business from now on.
“We’re going to be very focused every year on the draft as the key tool that we build this team with,” Hunt said. “Certainly there will be an occasional year where we might sign a free agent who the public considers to be a marquee player. That’s how it will shake out. I don’t want to say we’re never going to sign a player that has name recognition, because that’s not true.
“But the focus will always be on the draft. We need to make sure we have the people and the process in place that allows us to be successful drafting every year. We’ve seen that if you go two or three years with poor drafts, that eventually will catch up to you. There’s nothing you can do in free agency to make up for that.”
Hunt, as his father would do, spent time the last few weeks getting briefed on the Chiefs’ draft strategy and sitting in on the occasional draft meeting.
“What I really want to know is how our scouting department and player personnel department are going about the process and their rationale for how they end up putting our draft together,” he said. “That’s something I really need to be familiar with on an annual basis to ultimately evaluate how they’re doing.
“It’s a very good educational process for me to hear their comments about certain players.”
Hunt, after last season, was most supportive of Herm Edwards, saying he believed Edwards was an ideal coach not only to help the Chiefs locate good, young players but also to help them develop.
Those, Hunt said, were major factors in the decision to hire Edwards two years ago. The Chiefs, at that time with one of the league’s oldest rosters, knew this was coming.
“This process started, to some degree really started, a couple of years ago when Herm came in,” Hunt said. “We’ve had two very good drafts. The first one of those draft classes is entering its third year this year, and that’s a very important time for those players in terms of their development.
“Our hopes are to build on that. We have 10 picks, and that should give us a chance to get some additional good, young players. Having those extra picks really helps us rebuild the team.”
The Chiefs purged a large portion of their roster since the end of last season. Ten players who either started or received significant playing time are gone, leaving the Chiefs with serious shortages on the offensive line, at wide receiver and at cornerback, among other positions.
They signed only three free agents, and only linebacker Demorrio Williams has a strong chance to be a starter. In that respect, the Chiefs are asking a lot of this year’s draft class — perhaps as much or more than they ever have.

[Chieficus]

Well, I'll give him this: it's either going to be a philosophy that develops a good team (assuming we can actually keep our good draft picks past their first contract, Carl!), or it's going to leave a lot of people banging their heads against the wall...

Let's just hope that we spend our 10 picks wisely...

[RealSNR]

Well, Clark's heart is in the right place.

Too bad it involves the wrong people

[Chieficus]

Originally Posted by SNR

Well, Clark's heart is in the right place.

Too bad it involves the wrong people

I don't know... maybe just a reshuffling, and a few added pieces here and there: let Carl stay but solely as a money man; Herm can lead a team of scouts; bring Dicky V back to give the players hugs and bottles of wine (a moral boost); then all we'd have to do is hire a competent coach and a contract guy who doesn't ahve and STFD in his vocabulary...

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by SNR

Well, Clark's heart is in the right place.

When you are living in the shadow of a NFL legend one wants to make their mark also

[007]

To hell with that. I want Carl gone. heh

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

When you are living in the shadow of a NFL legend one wants to make their mark also

With all due respect to the Hunt family, I think the only people who know about Lamar Hunt and the Hunt family are Chiefs fans.

I highly doubt that the people filling the stands in Indy, Baltimore, New York or New England (et al) know who Lamar Hunt was (outside of the name of the trophy), let alone think he's a "legend".

[ClevelandBronco]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

With all due respect to the Hunt family, I think the only people who know about Lamar Hunt and the Hunt family are Chiefs fans.

I highly doubt that the people filling the stands in Indy, Baltimore, New York or New England (et al) know who Lamar Hunt was (outside of the name of the trophy), let alone think he's a "legend".

40+ fans of professional football know and appreciate his role.

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I highly doubt that the people filling the stands in Indy, Baltimore, New York or New England (et al) know who Lamar Hunt was (outside of the name of the trophy), let alone think he's a "legend".

Regardless, the statement is still true

[blueballs]

I see a long stay in KC for Herm Edwards
but somewhere in the front office
off the sidelines is good IMO

[ChiefsCountry]

About time, the free agent route didnt work - the best way to build a team is assemble the core through the draft. I dont know if Herm and Carl can do it, hopefully they can get some talent in place that the next regime takes to the next level.

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

With all due respect to the Hunt family, I think the only people who know about Lamar Hunt and the Hunt family are Chiefs fans.

I highly doubt that the people filling the stands in Indy, Baltimore, New York or New England (et al) know who Lamar Hunt was (outside of the name of the trophy), let alone think he's a "legend".

as usual you are wrong

[Mojo Rising]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

With all due respect to the Hunt family, I think the only people who know about Lamar Hunt and the Hunt family are Chiefs fans.

I highly doubt that the people filling the stands in Indy, Baltimore, New York or New England (et al) know who Lamar Hunt was (outside of the name of the trophy), let alone think he's a "legend".

Wrong. All of my football knowledgeable friends up here know about Hunt. I have also met many who know about the Hunts family financial success and failures.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Mojo Rising

Wrong. All of my football knowledgeable friends up here know about Hunt. I have also met many who know about the Hunts family financial success and failures.

"Football knowledgeable" being the key. Go to a dinner party in SF and ask if anyone's heard of Lamar Hunt. Go to a bar in the Haight or down around the Pier and ask if anyone's heard of Lamar Hunt.

"Legendary" implies Legendary. Michael Jordan. Muhammad Ali. Sugar Ray Leonard. Dick Butkus. John Elway. Joe Montana.

Originally Posted by J Diddy

as usual you are wrong

As usual, you're dumbfuck masquerading as an informed fan.

The Rooneys? Sure. The Mara family? Absolutely.

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

" heard of Lamar Hunt.

"Legendary" implies Legendary. Michael Jordan. Muhammad Ali. Sugar Ray Leonard. Dick Butkus. John Elway. Joe Montana.

Legend implies impact on the game, and Mr. Lamar Hunt is definitely in that category.