Originally Posted by Douche Baggins (Post 10551939)

This is why it's so important to have a difference maker at QB.

They are good deodorant for otherwise powerful stink.

Originally Posted by milkman (Post 10551950)

So true.

The fact is, outside of Rodgers, the receivers, and Clay Matthews, the Pack's drafts have been pretty damn smelly.

And we are relying on the guy who had been heading that scouting department to change our draft fortunes.

Originally Posted by Baby Lee (Post 10551936)

I think this is all the downside of parity. Parity is a HUGE part of what makes the NFL so great, compelling games week-in, week-out. But parity also means that even shitty teams are pretty damn good.

For as bad as we had it last year with a Jeckyl Hyde defense and a meltdown in the playoffs, imagine being a Packer fan, they are a blessed franchise, a model franchise, but one arm going up to Aaron Rodger's collarbone and they're INSTANTLY a middle of the road ho-hum team playing out the string, they had to know right away.

Same with us, after the 2011 string of ACLs, we breathe a sigh of relief. That was a fluke, that'll never happen again. Then we see what even minor irritations for Hali and Houston mean for us this past year.

Every single game in the NFL, there are things that happen off screen that, if a savvier set of players recognized it, would have resulted in vastly different outcomes. Some of the most moribund offenses in the league just plain fail to see free-running WRs open for TDs, or flailing OLmen whose deficits aren't being exploited.

The key these days is keeping healthy and having quality depth.

This is what made the Seahawks so exciting to watch throughout the playoffs. Were they the most dominant at every position in the history of the league, no. But they were the best at maximizing positives and minimizing negatives. Is this guy a ferocious playmaker? No, then have him occupy a player in space and let the playmakers make plays elsewhere. They weren't the '854 Bears, . . . but they looked like it because they met power with power and let weakness hide over with weakness.

I've said it before and I'll say it again here, an NFL team is like a naturally aspirated, carburetor fueled engine. One thing gets out of whack and the entire feedback loop is disrupted and the whole machine runs like dog shit. We have a lot of quality players who, if the MACHINE is running clean can rape faces, on O and on D. But you slow down the pass rush 1 millisecond and now you're relying on your FS to keep it all together and his dog shit rises to the surface and the entire swamp looks like a pile of dog shit. Alex can led a well oiled offense, but let Bowe have a few drops, or some of our less savvy WRs run bullshit routes, or barely concuss our best RB and take our 2nd best RB out with injury as well, and we're running the O with a Yugo power plant.

Originally Posted by Baby Lee (Post 10551936)

I think this is all the downside of parity. Parity is a HUGE part of what makes the NFL so great, compelling games week-in, week-out. But parity also means that even shitty teams are pretty damn good.

For as bad as we had it last year with a Jeckyl Hyde defense and a meltdown in the playoffs, imagine being a Packer fan, they are a blessed franchise, a model franchise, but one arm going up to Aaron Rodger's collarbone and they're INSTANTLY a middle of the road ho-hum team playing out the string, they had to know right away.

Same with us, after the 2011 string of ACLs, we breathe a sigh of relief. That was a fluke, that'll never happen again. Then we see what even minor irritations for Hali and Houston mean for us this past year.

Every single game in the NFL, there are things that happen off screen that, if a savvier set of players recognized it, would have resulted in vastly different outcomes. Some of the most moribund offenses in the league just plain fail to see free-running WRs open for TDs, or flailing OLmen whose deficits aren't being exploited.

The key these days is keeping healthy and having quality depth.

This is what made the Seahawks so exciting to watch throughout the playoffs. Were they the most dominant at every position in the history of the league, no. But they were the best at maximizing positives and minimizing negatives. Is this guy a ferocious playmaker? No, then have him occupy a player in space and let the playmakers make plays elsewhere. They weren't the '854 Bears, . . . but they looked like it because they met power with power and let weakness hide over with weakness.

I've said it before and I'll say it again here, an NFL team is like a naturally aspirated, carburetor fueled engine. One thing gets out of whack and the entire feedback loop is disrupted and the whole machine runs like dog shit. We have a lot of quality players who, if the MACHINE is running clean can rape faces, on O and on D. But you slow down the pass rush 1 millisecond and now you're relying on your FS to keep it all together and his dog shit rises to the surface and the entire swamp looks like a pile of dog shit. Alex can led a well oiled offense, but let Bowe have a few drops, or some of our less savvy WRs run bullshit routes, or barely concuss our best RB and take our 2nd best RB out with injury as well, and we're running the O with a Yugo power plant.

Originally Posted by Douche Baggins (Post 10551993)

It's just weird. Going to a Chiefs game feels like going to Six Flags now. It's like a theme park for barbecue and gallows humor. SEE the latest episode in the Tragedy of Arrowhead!

Originally Posted by Baby Lee (Post 10551915)

That's not very Sporting of you.

Originally Posted by temper11 (Post 10551990)

This was an excellent post.

Originally Posted by SNR (Post 10550792)

The idea is you get those guys now in free agnecy, and that lets you draft purely for BPA. It goes hand in hand with your draft strategy to stock up on as much talent as possible. And in doing so, you cut dead weight every year and replace it with those draft picks. It means that next year you cut guys like Daniel, Flowers, and Fasano. If you drafted right, you might even be able to save money on letting go of a Sean Smith or Mike DeVito. If you're REALLY doing it right, Tamba Hali would also get let go. And that's how you afford to keep Berry, Houston, and Alex Smith.

No, the system isn't perfect. You're going to get some sour picks and sour free agents, but the key is it grants flexibility. That's the most important part. For example, let's say we signed TJ Ward. That means there is less pressure on us to take a Calvin Pryor at 23 when potentially a player like Eric Ebron drops to our spot. Or Mike Evans. Or Darqueze Dennard. Or ****... perhaps even Teddy Bridgewater. The draft is fully of unexpected surprises, and in a deep class like this one, there will be several players that we're shocked to see still available.

If you take care of pressing needs in free agency, that means there's no pressure to take need into account when making your choices. It's the difference between the Chiefs taking Xavier Suo'Filo because they have to and taking Dee Ford or Rashede Hageman because they WANT to.

Originally Posted by scott free (Post 10552102)

Totally agree with this, the judicious import of young, proven free agents to fill starting spot needs gives you so much much more leeway in the draft, while almost guaranteeing a high level of production at those starting spots... it simply allows a team to be creative in the draft.

One TJ Ward signing has a domino effect on the entire team and draft process... not even one real difference maker this year, I still don't get it.

Originally Posted by htismaqe (Post 10551637)

OK, so your statement about getting depth through the draft was false then...

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501 (Post 10552340)

What gives you the most leeway is walking into the draft believing you can take anybody, even if you have a starter already at that position. If you sign TJ Ward and send the message that you're trying to "win now" then you just took Safety off your draft board and are now forced to target a draft pick who is ready to start right away. That means drafting a safe pick and pigeonholing yourself to filling a few positions of need, versus walking into the draft with an open mind.

Originally Posted by milkman (Post 10552380)

You have this backwards.

This team has 2 major holes.
Ignoring free agency means you have to go into this draft targeting those holes.