Originally Posted by KCDC
Okay, maybe it's too early to freak out; but, I'm concerned as a whole. While I support the Cassel/Vrabel trade, I sense a lack of urgency to do anything to this team, other than plug some holes with players of questionable value, add a few veterans, and roll the dice, hoping to win 4 or more games.
The trade of TG, IMO, was a clear statement by Pioli that he has no intention of really competing in 2010. It was done in the hope that we could compete in 2011 or 2012 maybe. Yeah, maybe it takes a kool-aid drinker to think that this team could have competed in 2010, but if you kept TG, picked a good RT, and traded for a decent WR, Cassel (or Thigpen) could have been expected to keep the Chiefs in the upper third of the NFL teams in offensive statistics.
Instead, we draft a Mizzou lineman that way too early apparently. Sign Goff (a good move at RG), pick up a WR discarded from Pats practice squads, a blocking TE that has been out of football, but once made an impression on Haley in Dallas several years ago (but no other team wanted).
On the defensive side, maybe there was a greater urgency displayed (judging by the focus of our draft this year) , which was warranted, but; the one way to make sure you will not compete soon is to change the scheme in a major way. Take a bunch of guys that have talent in a 4-3 scheme and switch to a 3-4, or vice versa. Again, it is like forfeiting 2010, and maybe 2011, until you can draft enough guys.
There is nothing wrong with a 3-4 or a 4-3. I'm no expert on which is better. I defer to the coaches. Yet, I do think one of life's maxims is that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade ... rather than try and convert the lemons to oranges. Marty was a big believer in making orange juice, for example. He took over a competitive Redskins team and tried to transform them into the Chiefs. It destroyed them, especially the first half of the season. When he took over the Chargers, he destroyed them for a year or two. There is something to be said for finding the talent you have and designing a defense to capitalize on those skills. That has been Haley's mantra since joining, so it's not my words.
Yet, the selection of Tyson Jackson and Magee prove the opposite. Though what talent exists on the defense seems to be geared towards 4-3, the coaches ignore that, and draft 3-4 players regardless. This seems to be inconsistent with their own mantra of designing a defense that best showcases the talent you have. So, the defense is neither fish nor fowl. We don't thave the personnel now for a good 4-3 or a 3-4 it seems, setting us up to use a hybrid and to likely embarrass us.
I've given up on the hope that Pioli had a secret plan to trade for Julius Peppers and get us competitive now. There is no reason. He has decided that he wants a mediocre offense and a transitioning defense. Might as well keep Clark's money. No need to spend all the cap money available. It is an excellent plan for 2012. Cassel struggles this year and Pioli can sign him to a cheap long-term contract. The age 32+ veterans will be gone by 2012, so that the young guys will be in position. Since he had no intention to win until 2012, he could let TG go. LJ could be kept around to amuse fans for a year or two, if he works cheaply enough.
So, the plan is to hope that the former Cardinals coaches can win 4 games in 2010 and convince the fans that we are getting better. Then, we win 6 games in 2011. Fans will be restless, but the media will play along.
So, maybe this forfeit of two seasons is a good long term move, but speaking as a fan that was 12 years old when the Chiefs won Superbowl IV in 1970, and nothing much since, I've getting too old to write off two years of my favorite pastime so that we might make the wild card in year 3. I wanted to drink the Kool-aid and hope that we could have gotten a pass rush from Peppers, strengthened our offense a bit, and focused our defensive picks on good 4-3 defenders that would compliment our existing talent. I was foolish enough to believe that we could have competed in 2010. Now, that's not possible. Many of you believe that was never possible, even with all the cap room to spare, but you are most likely too jaded by the Herm years to ever hope again.
Sorry for such a long post.
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