Quote:
Originally Posted by Pittsie
The Lawson move is less defensible, as neither Stude or Houston are proven commodities. But Franklin vs. Gregg is a closer call, if for no other reason that Gregg was in demand as a starter and Franklin will be competing for PT with Shaun Rogers.
Now, if Pioli doesn't upgrade off of Thomas Jones, add a swing tackle, and a backup DL (e.g., Jamal Anderson), I'd grade the offseason out as a D.
Regarding Brees' point, the Chiefs were in transition in 2009. Clark Hunt throwing money at the mostly brokedick players listed below wouldn't have improved their result significantly. Moreover, it's always easier to recruit FA to teams with superstar QBs that have won a SB.
http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/...hty-impressive |
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Gregg sign for about 1/2 of what Franklin signed for?
Don't you think Franklin would've been in higher demand than Gregg had he gone out there with the same contractual demands as him? Franklin mis-read the market; I think it's more than fair to at least consider the possibility that Pioli did the same. I think both parties overplayed their hands pretty badly.
And you're right to the extent that Pioli didn't really have a lot of options in '09. That said - perception is reality among NFL players. The longer it goes with the Chiefs passing on guys like Lawson and Harris (another really bad miss) with the only outward explanation being $$$, the harder and harder its going to be for them to get guys here without overpaying for them.
A perfect example is in Philly - the Eagles investment in Asomugha paid immediate dividends by improving their reputation among players. Were guys really talking about Philly as some destination franchise before they came out of nowhere and snaked Nnamdi? Suddenly guys like Harris are signing there for less than they could've grabbed elsewhere.
The Chiefs could make the playoffs this season, break through and be on their way. That said, they could also slip back again, further cement that reputation and get closer to being the Royals of the NFL. Pioli has had ample opportunity to make the former more likely than the latter (even incrementally so) and has not done so. That bothers me.