The play of some of those players forces the narrative to change, at least for people that are willing to adjust their opinions when the evidence supports it.

Five key players?!

They lost four guys in Jackson, McCluster, Asamoah and Albert who most couldn't wait until they and their mediocre, underperforming assess were off the team.

The fifth guy was a journeyman GUARD who is on his fourth team in four years.

They have all been replaced.

And remember last year when we were to play the dreaded NFC East that was going to kick the living shit out of us?

Yeah...

We've got six Pro Bowler on this team and a year under the belt in Reid's system.

This should and will be a better team in 2014.

Said people are few and far between in these parts.

Replaced by worse players or no one at all.

Likenbach? Significantly lower Pro Football Focus grade last year than either Asamoah or Schwartz.

Vance Walker? Significantly lower Pro Football Focus grade last year than Tyson Jackson.

Who has replaced McCluster? The almost signing of Emmanuel Sanders doesn't count.

You sound like a dumbshit True Fan in complete denial.

I think I see your first problem

Walker had quite a few more QB pressures. I think he'll be a better pass rusher, but not as good against the run.

Yes. Overall it may be a wash, but Walker is a significantly better pass rusher IMO.

If dexters 511 yards are that thought to replace, we've got bigger problems

I think they're putting a lot of trust in AJ Jenkins, so yes, we do have bigger problems.

Holy hell, indeed.

If you don't understand that putting a higher percentage of a contract's worth into a signing bonus spreads the cash out over the length of the contract and stretchs out the cap hit, making the individual years less impactful, I don't know what else to say.

It's good for the players because they get more guaranteed money and get it now. It's good for the team because it spreads things out and makes it easier to cut the player down the road, rather than being on the hook for the whole amount.

Clarks spent a lot of money last offseason. Be happy with that.

Um, okay. Thanks. This is news.

Calm down, cupcake.

You're severely overstating things (and severely overreacting). Come on, man. You're better than that. Wanting the Chiefs to be more aggressive with signing bonuses and manipulating the cap is not the same as wanting to severely overpay and take a Daniel Snider approach.

People are upset because a team that NEEDED to get better to build on 2013 has not added talent. It has watched some talent walk, while other talent ages another year (which matters a lot with guys like Johnson, Hali, Flowers - and even Jamaal Charles), and is relying entirely on the draft and bottom barrel FA to create the talent upgrades. Oh, and internal broke dicks like Kelce and Commings, who might hit but should not be counted on yet due to injury situations ... and the fact that neither has done squat in an NFL uniform.

The individual talent losses are not enormous or hugely significant on their own (though it's asking a lot to ask Eric Fisher to play like a top 10 LT next year, considering what we've seen so far). It's more the combination of those losses with sitting still.

This is a Chiefs team that was LUCKY to get to 11 wins and make the playoffs last year. Facing a huge string of worthless backup QBs... and going 0-6 against teams that had a QB with a pulse. To continue having success and taking advantage of this core group of players, they needed to add talent around the core group of players. Instead, they've subtracted.

They need upgrades at several spots - notably a playmaking WR/TE and a good FS - to make that happen.

When that playmaking WR/TE practically falls in KC's lap, and a guy who still is young and in his prime, and they don't take advantage of it because "CAP" ... how can you be surprised that people are disappointed and upset?

When several solid Ss who would be big improvements cycle through the FA cycle and the Chiefs don't sniff one of them (apparently planning to either start Sanders Commings or find that FS in the draft - which, by the way, is a very weak safety draft)... how can you be surprised that people are disappointed and upset?

Right, because I've said a million times what a wonderful offseason we had last year. The team is spending money. They just haven't spent it well.

It sure seems to be.

No one is saying the Chiefs should be employing some sort of secretive tactic to pay under the table dollars.

Just that maybe, in the right spots (like when a 27-year-old gamebreaking WR who is explosive in the short, intermediate and deep passing games, has a history with this head coach and is available at a SIGNIFICANT discount considering his ability) the Chiefs should use a widespread and accepted NFL tactic to create some cap room and bring in that guy.