ChiefsPlanet - Football ESPN's frontpage "Rumor: Pioli to Grab Another Star for Chiefs"

The Chiefs get mentioned 3 times:

Another team in the mix for JT?
Jason Taylor | Redskins | Interested: Chiefs? Buccaneers? Dolphins? Patriots?
According to the Bucs Beat blog of the St. Petersburg Times, there could be an aggressive intrastate bidding war for the services of Jason Taylor in 2009.

Or not.

Taylor is still seeking work following his release by the Washington Redskins after a disappointing 2008 campaign, and the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots were thought to be the front-runners. After the Phins failed to address the pass rush with any high-level collegiate talent, it was postulated that a signing of Taylor made more sense than ever, but there's still been no deal. A source has told Stephen Holder of the Bucs Beat that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have some interest in Taylor, although a different source indicated to Holder that the Bucs actually have no interest.

We're inclined to go with Unnamed Source No. 2 on this one. While the Pats and Dolphins run a 3-4 scheme on defense and could use Taylor as a dedicated pass-rusher, the Bucs would need him to be an effective run-stopper as well. In case you've forgotten, that was the same set of expectations for Taylor in Washington, and that experiment was an unmitigated disaster. Taylor's main focus on the field is getting after the quarterback, so to cast him in a different role would be similar to the Oakland Raiders deciding to line recent signee Jeff Garcia up as a tight end. It might work out, but the best case scenario is mediocrity.

One team whose rumored interest still lingers in spite of no official word from management is the Kansas City Chiefs. With the trio of Glenn Dorsey, Tank Tyler and Tyson Jackson ready to man the front line in the Chiefs' 3-4, Taylor could be utilized as a pure pass-rusher. Bill Williamson of the AFC West blog gave his take on this potential signing weeks ago, and the Chiefs did not do anything over the weekend that would rule this move out.

Where will James end up?
Edgerrin James | Cardinals | Interested: Chiefs? Seahawks? Buccaneers? Dolphins? Jaguars? Saints?
With the second-to-last pick in the draft's first round, the Arizona Cardinals took running back Chris Wells, and the bells you hear tolling are there to signify the end of Edgerrin James' time in the desert.

According to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, the team will likely be cutting the veteran running back within the next week. While James would've had a few more teams after him had he been released at the start of the free agent signing period, he could still find some work.

One team rumored to be interested in James is the New Orleans Saints. The Saints bid adieu to Deuce McAllister earlier this offseason, and if James were willing to accept a diminished role on the roster at first, there is a spot for him in a backfield led by Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush. With just four picks available in this year's draft, the team elected to focus on defense and special teams, selecting three defenders and a punter.

With Larry Johnson's situation not yet figured out, the Kansas City Chiefs have also been rumored to be a destination for James. If Johnson winds up being traded, the team would have unproven commodities in the backfield. To wit, Tyler Thigpen was the team's second-leading rusher in 2008 behind LJ. The Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have some question marks in the backfield as well, and could be in the mix for James too.

As with the Bucs, both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins have also been mentioned as possible destinations for James, given that he is a Florida native. However, Miami already has a long-in-the-tooth running back in Ricky Williams, and the Jaguars would be using James only as an insurance policy should Maurice Jones-Drew break down. Jags coach Jack Del Rio has already emphasized that Greg Jones will be seeing a heavier workload this season, and seventh round draftee Rashad Jennings may also get some work in his rookie campaign.

James proved throughout the playoffs last season that he still has a bit of fuel left in the tank. The tough part now will be to find a new team that will give him a legitimate chance to earn the starting job, because he'll be most effective as the primary back in an offense. Although he's nearing the 3,000 carry mark on his odometer - with 430 receptions to boot - a few teams will certainly come calling upon his official release.

Leroy climbs Hill as top free agent
Leroy Hill | Seahawks | Interested: 49ers? Dolphins? Chiefs? Colts? Broncos? Browns?
According to what Seattle Seahawks general manager Tim Ruskell indicated during a press conference - as reported by Mike Sando on his NFC West blog - Leroy Hill's franchise tag was lifted for two reasons. One, the team wanted the flexibility to sign Hill to a long-term deal, and the contrived framework of the franchise tag was seen as limiting in this regard. Two, the team just made Aaron Curry the highest-drafted linebacker since 2000, when the Washington Redskins took LaVar Arrington with the No. 2 overall pick, and this gave the team some depth in the linebacking corps if things didn't work out with Hill at all.

According to Sando, Seahawks coach Jim Mora spoke with Hill on Sunday morning, and the linebacker seemed "shook up" and "disappointed" at the team's decision to withdraw the tag. It's possible that Hill's agent Todd France may be able to draw some nice offers from other teams, but the original offer that the Seahawks made of $36 million over six years is unlikely to be matched, and the $8.3 million tender Hill would've earned under the franchise tender is a pipe dream at this point.

But there's no doubt that Hill will have some suitors. At just 26, and coming off an 84-tackle season in 2008, he will draw interest from a few teams with the cap space and the roster need at outside linebacker. The Miami Dolphins waited until the seventh round to grab an outside linebacker and they may show some interest in Hill. On the other hand, before the draft weekend, Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland instructed Jason Taylor that they would negotiate with him after the draft if the team didn't select a pass-rusher. Officially, Ireland tells the Palm Beach Post that the team has yet to discuss a Taylor signing, but since the only player taken by the team at either linebacker or defensive end was seventh-rounder J.D. Folsom, there's a strong possbility that Taylor returns for his farewell tour in Miami, and this might take the 'phins out of the Hill sweepstakes depending on Taylor's compensation.

Staying in the AFC, the Cleveland Browns need an upgrade to the outside linebacker position and the team waited until the fourth round to address the need with Kaluka Maiava. Given that the team traded out of the fifth overall pick, they won't have to commit a large amount of money to their recent draftees, and would be able to make a sizable offer to Hill if necessary. It was a bit surprising that the Denver Broncos didn't wind up with an outside linebacker amongst their draftees, and they too might have some cap space left depending on the type of packages they offer their dual first-rounders. Other AFC teams expected to give France a call are the Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs, although the Colts' likelihood of signing Hill is more remote given their usage of the Tampa 2 defensive scheme, which Hill would have to learn from scratch.

Finally, in spite of recently extending Parys Haralson through 2013, the Seahawks' NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers could sniff around Hill in the coming days. The team has a force at inside linebacker in 24 year-old Patrick Willis, and a Willis-Hill tandem would give the Niners a great core to build around.

There are questions about Hill's character that stem from an offseason incident where he was found asleep at the wheel in the Atlanta area, and investigating police officers found him to be possession of marijuana. This may impact the payday Hill will receive on the open market, but he is certain to be signed somewhere soon.