joesomebody
04-16-2009, 12:21 PM
Chiefs needs: Fortifying positions around new king Cassel
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/11633263
http://images.cbssports.com/u/photos/basketball/nba/img11633370.jpg
The Chiefs are banking that Matt Cassel is the real deal. (Getty Images)
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<!-- T11633263 --><!-- Sesame Modified: 04/15/2009 16:41:24 --><!-- sversion: 9 $Updated: lylec$ --> Have the Kansas City Chiefs (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/KC) found their long-term franchise passer?
Or have they traded for a one-year wonder?
Check back in a year and we'll know if their trade to get Matt Cassel (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/552470) from the New England Patriots answered their problems at quarterback. New general manager Scott Pioli comes from the Patriots, so he will likely build this team the way they did things in New England.
That is, finding tough, hard-nosed players and doing it in secret.
Asked at the scouting combine the type of player he's looking for in the first round with the third overall pick, Pioli gave a Patriots-type answer.
"The same kind of player we're looking for with the 34th pick, that we'll look for in the third round, the fourth round," he said. "Big, strong, tough, smart, disciplined football players. That's the kind of team we're going to build."
We get it, Scott. You will tell us nothing.
That's OK. We'll be watching and waiting, ready to evaluate your every move.
If the Cassel deal doesn't work out, the rest of the moves won't matter. This is a league driven by quarterbacks. A year from now we'll know if you have one.
QB: The Chiefs really believe Cassel is their long-term answer. He had one good year, so they might want to hold off on that a bit. Tyler Thigpen (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/435413) played well at the end of last season, so he is a capable backup, along with Brodie Croyle (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/408998). Unless Cassel is a bomb, they are set here.
RB: Larry Johnson (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/396164) is still the starter, but he didn't play well last season. Getting Cassel to improve the passing game should help open things up for Johnson. Jamaal Charles (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/564952) and Kolby Smith (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/436530) back up Johnson and they both showed well when given the chance. Charles might be their starter of the future.
WR: It's too bad Dwayne Bowe (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/406856) hasn't played with better quarterbacks. If he were on another team, he'd already be considered a Pro Bowl-type player. He might be this year's breakout player with Cassel around. But he's about all the Chiefs have. They did sign Bobby Engram (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1205), but he's a third receiver. Mark Bradley (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/406951), Jeff Webb (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/423316) and Devard Darling (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/492920) are also in the mix.
TE: Tony Gonzalez (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/12400) remains a real threat in the passing game, but for how much longer? He wants out of Kansas City, but that might not happen. Brad Cottam (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1615563) showed well as a rookie last year and is the starter of the future.
OL: The line struggled last season, but the improvement of second-year left tackle Branden Albert (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1243029) and the signing of free-agent guard Mike Goff (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/12399) should make this a better unit in 2009. Left guard Brian Waters (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/146550) is the holdover from the good Chiefs lines of a few years back and right tackle Damion McInstosh is adequate, but upgradeable. Center Rudy Niswanger (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1109986) is a young center whose best football is in front of him.
DL: They used the fourth overall pick last year on defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/518156) and he didn't play as well as expected. But he did flash at times. He'll be fine. Tank Tyler (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/427188) is solid next to him inside and there is depth. Ends Tamba Hali (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/412000) and Turk McBride (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/431500) need to bring more in terms of the pass rush. The depth isn't as strong outside.
LB: Landing Mike Vrabel (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/4445) and Zach Thomas (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/4392) gives the Chiefs a veteran presence at linebacker, but it also slows down the unit. They don't run well. Derrick Johnson's (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/552552) play tailed off last season and he needs to step it up inside. Demorrio Williams (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/493115) starts on the other side. Depth comes from Monty Beisel (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/235021) and Darrell Robertson (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/502651).
DB: In Brandon Carr (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/582248) and Brandon Flowers (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/502818), the Chiefs have two second-year corners who played well as rookie starters. Travis Daniels (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/409179) offers backup help. Bernard Pollard (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/418839) and Jarrad Page (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/418184) form a nice safety tandem, although they need to play better in coverage. DaJuan Morgan (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/504763) might push for time.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/11633263
http://images.cbssports.com/u/photos/basketball/nba/img11633370.jpg
The Chiefs are banking that Matt Cassel is the real deal. (Getty Images)
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<!-- T11633263 --><!-- Sesame Modified: 04/15/2009 16:41:24 --><!-- sversion: 9 $Updated: lylec$ --> Have the Kansas City Chiefs (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/KC) found their long-term franchise passer?
Or have they traded for a one-year wonder?
Check back in a year and we'll know if their trade to get Matt Cassel (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/552470) from the New England Patriots answered their problems at quarterback. New general manager Scott Pioli comes from the Patriots, so he will likely build this team the way they did things in New England.
That is, finding tough, hard-nosed players and doing it in secret.
Asked at the scouting combine the type of player he's looking for in the first round with the third overall pick, Pioli gave a Patriots-type answer.
"The same kind of player we're looking for with the 34th pick, that we'll look for in the third round, the fourth round," he said. "Big, strong, tough, smart, disciplined football players. That's the kind of team we're going to build."
We get it, Scott. You will tell us nothing.
That's OK. We'll be watching and waiting, ready to evaluate your every move.
If the Cassel deal doesn't work out, the rest of the moves won't matter. This is a league driven by quarterbacks. A year from now we'll know if you have one.
QB: The Chiefs really believe Cassel is their long-term answer. He had one good year, so they might want to hold off on that a bit. Tyler Thigpen (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/435413) played well at the end of last season, so he is a capable backup, along with Brodie Croyle (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/408998). Unless Cassel is a bomb, they are set here.
RB: Larry Johnson (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/396164) is still the starter, but he didn't play well last season. Getting Cassel to improve the passing game should help open things up for Johnson. Jamaal Charles (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/564952) and Kolby Smith (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/436530) back up Johnson and they both showed well when given the chance. Charles might be their starter of the future.
WR: It's too bad Dwayne Bowe (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/406856) hasn't played with better quarterbacks. If he were on another team, he'd already be considered a Pro Bowl-type player. He might be this year's breakout player with Cassel around. But he's about all the Chiefs have. They did sign Bobby Engram (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1205), but he's a third receiver. Mark Bradley (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/406951), Jeff Webb (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/423316) and Devard Darling (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/492920) are also in the mix.
TE: Tony Gonzalez (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/12400) remains a real threat in the passing game, but for how much longer? He wants out of Kansas City, but that might not happen. Brad Cottam (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1615563) showed well as a rookie last year and is the starter of the future.
OL: The line struggled last season, but the improvement of second-year left tackle Branden Albert (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1243029) and the signing of free-agent guard Mike Goff (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/12399) should make this a better unit in 2009. Left guard Brian Waters (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/146550) is the holdover from the good Chiefs lines of a few years back and right tackle Damion McInstosh is adequate, but upgradeable. Center Rudy Niswanger (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1109986) is a young center whose best football is in front of him.
DL: They used the fourth overall pick last year on defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/518156) and he didn't play as well as expected. But he did flash at times. He'll be fine. Tank Tyler (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/427188) is solid next to him inside and there is depth. Ends Tamba Hali (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/412000) and Turk McBride (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/431500) need to bring more in terms of the pass rush. The depth isn't as strong outside.
LB: Landing Mike Vrabel (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/4445) and Zach Thomas (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/4392) gives the Chiefs a veteran presence at linebacker, but it also slows down the unit. They don't run well. Derrick Johnson's (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/552552) play tailed off last season and he needs to step it up inside. Demorrio Williams (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/493115) starts on the other side. Depth comes from Monty Beisel (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/235021) and Darrell Robertson (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/502651).
DB: In Brandon Carr (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/582248) and Brandon Flowers (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/502818), the Chiefs have two second-year corners who played well as rookie starters. Travis Daniels (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/409179) offers backup help. Bernard Pollard (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/418839) and Jarrad Page (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/418184) form a nice safety tandem, although they need to play better in coverage. DaJuan Morgan (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/504763) might push for time.