T-post Tom
03-24-2009, 12:27 AM
Hunt says Chiefs want to keep Gonzalez in KC
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
DANA POINT, Calif. | Tony Gonzalez appears likely to finish his playing career with the Chiefs. Larry Johnson and Brian Waters could receive their publicly stated wishes to finish theirs elsewhere.
Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said Monday during a break at the NFL meetings that the Chiefs had decided to hold on to Gonzalez, their longtime Pro Bowl tight end. Hunt also said decisions regarding Johnson and Waters haven’t been made but added that either or both could return to play for the Chiefs this season.
“It’s still my hope Larry will be a part of this team next season,” Hunt said. “We all saw the comments he made at the end of the season and repeated about a month later. Those were disappointing. Recently, I’ve heard he’s excited about being a Kansas City Chief again and expects to be in the offseason program and help us be successful.”
But Hunt declined to say the Chiefs will not seek to trade Johnson.
“That’s a decision (general manager Scott Pioli and coach Todd Haley) will have to make, and I think it’s probably too early to even ask them where they stand,” Hunt said. “They need to spend some time with Larry and figure out how he fits in.”
Hunt took much the same position regarding Waters.
“I have to say I was surprised by Brian Waters and his comments,” Hunt said. “My experience with him is that he’s been a leader for the team and wants to play for the Chiefs. Those comments were probably made in the heat of the moment. It’s important for Brian and Todd and Scott to get to spend some time together working with each other before any kind of decision is made there.”
Hunt said there was no such indecision regarding Gonzalez. The Chiefs came close to trading him last fall at Gonzalez’s request.
“We certainly will not seek a trade for Tony,” Hunt said. “I think he’s excited about the changes we’ve made here. I think he recognizes that with Todd as the head coach, we’re going to have an exciting offense and one that will feature the passing game. No matter our starting quarterback, it will be someone who will look his way quite a bit.”
The three veteran players have been unhappy with the Chiefs at various times and for different reasons. Gonzalez has said he would like the chance to play for a Super Bowl contending team and asked last fall for a trade.
After last season’s trading deadline — and since then — Gonzalez softened his position some, taking a wait-and-see attitude regarding the Chiefs’ offseason moves before deciding whether he would again request a trade.
Johnson, a two-time Pro Bowl running back, publicly asked to be traded or released from the Chiefs immediately afte their season-ending loss in Cincinnati. Johnson said he was no longer comfortable living in Kansas City and didn’t believe he fit in the Chiefs’ offensive system and wanted out regardless of what offseason changes they would make.
He repeated those thoughts later in the winter during an interview with a Kansas City radio station.
Waters, a guard who in February made his fourth trip to the Pro Bowl, requested to be traded or released after a brief discussion with Haley and being told by Pioli that he had no interest in meeting with him.
Waters had wanted to talk about the Chiefs’ offseason plans.
One player who will definitely be with the Chiefs next season is quarterback Matt Cassel. Acquired in a trade along with linebacker Mike Vrabel in a trade with New England, Cassel could provide the Chiefs with something they’ve lacked in recent seasons: stability at a most important position.
Hunt, in following Chiefs policy, was careful not to call Cassel the starter. Haley has promised a competition that also includes Tyler Thigpen.
But the trade could help the Chiefs accomplish one of Hunt’s major goals since becoming chairman. Cassel, who played four seasons for the Patriots, will turn 27 in May.
“Matt has not been given the starting position,” Hunt said. “It’s something he’s going to have to earn. But if we want to be successful and we want to be a team that can regularly compete for the playoffs and hopefully eventually the Super Bowl, having a quarterback in his prime and who is one of the top players in the league is something we have to accomplish. The last couple of years we clearly have not had that type of player. Matt gives us a possibility there.”
The Chiefs started the free-agency period swamped with salary-cap dollars. The trade for Cassel and Vrabel chewed up some of that, but they still had plenty to go on a spending spree in free-agency.
They’ve signed four unrestricted free agents: wide receivers Bobby Engram and Terrance Copper, linebacker Monty Beisel, cornerback Travis Daniels.
None is likely to be a starter. All will be situational players, backups or help on special teams if they make the roster.
Hunt indicated the Chiefs wouldn’t change their strategy to build mainly through the draft, even though they changed their general manager and head coach.
“We’ve not had a philosophical change,” Hunt said. “If you sit down with Scott, he will tell you absolutely that you build championship teams through the draft. But he showed in New England and we’re seeing a little bit of that now in Kansas City that he’s willing to sign free agents. Maybe not big free agents, but guys who can come in and play a role. He’s looking to fill holes whether it’s on special teams or at backup positions or guys who can be leaders in the locker room.
“From time to time there will be an opportunity to sign the right free agent who may be high-profile and high-dollar. Typically that kind of player is re-signed by his own team, and the guys who are available are available for a reason. Scott feels that much of the time, those types of players are overpriced or bring a quality to the locker room that he’s not looking for. I won’t say we’ll never sign a high-profile free agent but I think that would be the exception. On the other hand, I think you could see us signing five to 10 free agents in a given offseason.”
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
DANA POINT, Calif. | Tony Gonzalez appears likely to finish his playing career with the Chiefs. Larry Johnson and Brian Waters could receive their publicly stated wishes to finish theirs elsewhere.
Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said Monday during a break at the NFL meetings that the Chiefs had decided to hold on to Gonzalez, their longtime Pro Bowl tight end. Hunt also said decisions regarding Johnson and Waters haven’t been made but added that either or both could return to play for the Chiefs this season.
“It’s still my hope Larry will be a part of this team next season,” Hunt said. “We all saw the comments he made at the end of the season and repeated about a month later. Those were disappointing. Recently, I’ve heard he’s excited about being a Kansas City Chief again and expects to be in the offseason program and help us be successful.”
But Hunt declined to say the Chiefs will not seek to trade Johnson.
“That’s a decision (general manager Scott Pioli and coach Todd Haley) will have to make, and I think it’s probably too early to even ask them where they stand,” Hunt said. “They need to spend some time with Larry and figure out how he fits in.”
Hunt took much the same position regarding Waters.
“I have to say I was surprised by Brian Waters and his comments,” Hunt said. “My experience with him is that he’s been a leader for the team and wants to play for the Chiefs. Those comments were probably made in the heat of the moment. It’s important for Brian and Todd and Scott to get to spend some time together working with each other before any kind of decision is made there.”
Hunt said there was no such indecision regarding Gonzalez. The Chiefs came close to trading him last fall at Gonzalez’s request.
“We certainly will not seek a trade for Tony,” Hunt said. “I think he’s excited about the changes we’ve made here. I think he recognizes that with Todd as the head coach, we’re going to have an exciting offense and one that will feature the passing game. No matter our starting quarterback, it will be someone who will look his way quite a bit.”
The three veteran players have been unhappy with the Chiefs at various times and for different reasons. Gonzalez has said he would like the chance to play for a Super Bowl contending team and asked last fall for a trade.
After last season’s trading deadline — and since then — Gonzalez softened his position some, taking a wait-and-see attitude regarding the Chiefs’ offseason moves before deciding whether he would again request a trade.
Johnson, a two-time Pro Bowl running back, publicly asked to be traded or released from the Chiefs immediately afte their season-ending loss in Cincinnati. Johnson said he was no longer comfortable living in Kansas City and didn’t believe he fit in the Chiefs’ offensive system and wanted out regardless of what offseason changes they would make.
He repeated those thoughts later in the winter during an interview with a Kansas City radio station.
Waters, a guard who in February made his fourth trip to the Pro Bowl, requested to be traded or released after a brief discussion with Haley and being told by Pioli that he had no interest in meeting with him.
Waters had wanted to talk about the Chiefs’ offseason plans.
One player who will definitely be with the Chiefs next season is quarterback Matt Cassel. Acquired in a trade along with linebacker Mike Vrabel in a trade with New England, Cassel could provide the Chiefs with something they’ve lacked in recent seasons: stability at a most important position.
Hunt, in following Chiefs policy, was careful not to call Cassel the starter. Haley has promised a competition that also includes Tyler Thigpen.
But the trade could help the Chiefs accomplish one of Hunt’s major goals since becoming chairman. Cassel, who played four seasons for the Patriots, will turn 27 in May.
“Matt has not been given the starting position,” Hunt said. “It’s something he’s going to have to earn. But if we want to be successful and we want to be a team that can regularly compete for the playoffs and hopefully eventually the Super Bowl, having a quarterback in his prime and who is one of the top players in the league is something we have to accomplish. The last couple of years we clearly have not had that type of player. Matt gives us a possibility there.”
The Chiefs started the free-agency period swamped with salary-cap dollars. The trade for Cassel and Vrabel chewed up some of that, but they still had plenty to go on a spending spree in free-agency.
They’ve signed four unrestricted free agents: wide receivers Bobby Engram and Terrance Copper, linebacker Monty Beisel, cornerback Travis Daniels.
None is likely to be a starter. All will be situational players, backups or help on special teams if they make the roster.
Hunt indicated the Chiefs wouldn’t change their strategy to build mainly through the draft, even though they changed their general manager and head coach.
“We’ve not had a philosophical change,” Hunt said. “If you sit down with Scott, he will tell you absolutely that you build championship teams through the draft. But he showed in New England and we’re seeing a little bit of that now in Kansas City that he’s willing to sign free agents. Maybe not big free agents, but guys who can come in and play a role. He’s looking to fill holes whether it’s on special teams or at backup positions or guys who can be leaders in the locker room.
“From time to time there will be an opportunity to sign the right free agent who may be high-profile and high-dollar. Typically that kind of player is re-signed by his own team, and the guys who are available are available for a reason. Scott feels that much of the time, those types of players are overpriced or bring a quality to the locker room that he’s not looking for. I won’t say we’ll never sign a high-profile free agent but I think that would be the exception. On the other hand, I think you could see us signing five to 10 free agents in a given offseason.”