TEICHER: Chiefs have some tough personnel decisions to make

[booger]

Chiefs have some tough personnel decisions to make
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

Casey Wiegmann was a free-agent find for the Chiefs last year. The veteran center returned for his second tour of duty with the Chiefs and played perhaps better than any of their other offensive lineman.

But Wiegmann will be 38 in July and the Chiefs face an interesting decision whether to re-sign him for 2011. Wiegmann isn’t the only player with an expiring contract. He’s just one of 25 players on their roster without a contract for 2011.

The Chiefs have six significant unsigned players on defense, including both of their top pass rushers, outside linebacker Tamba Hali and end Wallace Gilberry. Hali led the AFC with a career-high 14 1/2 sacks last season and added another two in the playoff loss to Baltimore.

Gilberry added seven sacks in the regular season. No other Chiefs player had more than three. Their combined total of 21 1/2 was more than half of the team’s 38.

The Chiefs re-signed some of their better young players during the season, including linebacker Derrick Johnson and running back Jamaal Charles, but made no apparent move to re-sign either Hali, who is 27, or Gilberry, 26.

Outside linebacker Mike Vrabel is 35 and has no contract for 2010. The Chiefs have been grooming Andy Studebaker to take Vrabel’s starting spot eventually. Vrabel lost some of his playing time last season to Studebaker, but the Chiefs would face a leadership void without Vrabel.

Other defensive players without 2011 contracts include cornerback Brandon Carr and defensive linemen Ron Edwards and Shaun Smith. Carr was drafted to play the zone system used by former coach Herm Edwards, but survived nicely last season when the Chiefs asked him to play more man-to-man coverage.

Edwards and Smith are the only true nose tackles on the Chiefs’ roster.

Offensive players without 2011 contracts include Wiegmann and quarterback Brodie Croyle. Wiegmann won the starting job from the incumbent, Rudy Niswanger, during training camp and never gave it back. Wiegmann was a key factor as the Chiefs led the league in rushing during the regular season.

Croyle is 0-10 in his career as the Chiefs’ starting quarterback. The Chiefs lost 31-0 at San Diego last month when Croyle replaced the ailing Matt Cassel as the starter.

The Chiefs have no other serious backup quarterback candidates on their roster, so they will have to acquire one if Croyle is not re-signed.

Because the league’s collective-bargaining agreement is set to expire in March, it’s unclear which of the Chiefs’ unsigned players would be unrestricted, restricted or exclusive rights free agents or whether there will be free agency at all.

The Chiefs had 61 players on their roster at season’s end, including eight on injured reserve. Linebacker Mark Simoneau was one of them and has announced his retirement.

The Chiefs signed on Wednesday the eight players who finished the season on their practice squad: linebackers Justin Cole, Micah Johnson and Pierre Walters, defensive lineman Dion Gales, offensive linemen Darryl Harris and Bobby Greenwood, wide receiver Jeremy Horne and tight end Cody Slate.

To reach Adam Teicher, call 816-234-4875 or send e-mail to [email protected]
Posted on Wed, Jan. 12, 2011 11:05 PM

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by booger

I agree. He's done. Time for him to go into coaching.

Guys like Studebaker have show leadership on special teams and he did get plenty of snaps on D. He may start next year but i would expect him to come out on passing downs. Studebaker hasn't shown enough to justify anything other than being the first OLB off the bench IMO.

Back to the leadership point though it's the same with McGraw and to an extent Weigmann. The team won 10 games and the youngsters gained plenty of experience in a winning season and one playoff game that they lost. Some of these vets have served their purpose. Bringing in others like Lilja and Jones would make plenty of sense again next year IMO.

What makes people think he will go into coaching? For some reason there is a large amount of people on this site that think old veteran Chiefs players immediately want to get onto the Chief's coaching staff after their playing careers are over. And it's not just Vrabel. Count this with the group of people that want Trent Green to be out QB coach.

I haven't heard Vrabel state that he wants to coach. Hey let's hire Priest Holmes to be our RB coach after Haley promotes Carthon to OC!!!!!

[Brock]

I don't see any tough decisions. It's obvious who to keep and who to replace.

[Chris Meck]

You can't just let half of your team walk. Then you'd literally have to have 22 guys off the street.

I'd think Gilberry would like a chance to start somewhere as a 4-3 RDE, and he's probably got a good shot at it. So he won't likely be back.

Wiegmann needs replacing badly. But right now, we've got nothing at C. Bring him back, but get a young FA or draft a good one for Casey to help coach up.

Smith and Edwards should be brought back, but a true, NFL ready NT must be brought in. Edwards is too small, and Smith is a 'tweener in a 3-4.

Keep Carr, he made big strides.

Just off the top of my head.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by DenverChief

WTF?

Was Croyle a serious backup?

He must be. I know that I never smiled when he was in the game.

[Rain Man]

I don't understand the questions that arise related to a player's age. With Wiegman and Vrabel, you say "Do we have someone better on the roster?" If yes, then they get demoted or let go. If no, you keep them because they're the best player available. Age shouldn't be a factor.

[booger]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

What makes people think he will go into coaching? For some reason there is a large amount of people on this site that think old veteran Chiefs players immediately want to get onto the Chief's coaching staff after their playing careers are over. And it's not just Vrabel. Count this with the group of people that want Trent Green to be out QB coach.

I haven't heard Vrabel state that he wants to coach. Hey let's hire Priest Holmes to be our RB coach after Haley promotes Carthon to OC!!!!!

He coaches his kid's pee wee( or whatever) team. He's talked about that when player safety and concussions came up he said when he's coaching he tells his players if they hit their head and don't feel right to sit out. During the bye week this year Haley let the vets Coach the younger players and gave the vets the week off from the physical part of things. There was talk about Vrabel someday going into coaching but he told haley he learned he'd never work for Todd and they all laughed and that's how i remember that. He also fits the mold to a T of players who do end up coaching. The overachievers and guys who are called coaches on the field and extremely smart and understand the game. I don't know what his plans are i was just basing that off of those things i read.

Don't lump me in with any dipsticks who think everytime a pro bowler retires i think he would be a good coach.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by booger

“Good competition is the key to players pushing themselves to the maximum and developing our team and we’ve just got to keep doing that and we’ll keep getting better.”

Your "competition" is glaringly absent at the most important position on the roster, sweet pea. Get crackin'.

[booger]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I don't understand the questions that arise related to a player's age. With Wiegman and Vrabel, you say "Do we have someone better on the roster?" If yes, then they get demoted or let go. If no, you keep them because they're the best player available. Age shouldn't be a factor.

I agree but my main issue with Vrabel is i think he's declined too far. For leadership purposes maybe he could contribute as a backup OLB/Situational guy plus add depth at TE in short Yardage and Goaline. A role player like that better play special teams and i don't see Vrabel covering kicks. So in the age of the 45 man game day roster and the overall 53 he isn't going to fit many places.

Weigmann had a good year, stayed healthy, and drew plenty of praise from Haley's end of the season presser. What was my main concern before the season started and now that it has ended is how the OL would play with him at 285(probably lighter) and lilja at 290 playing side by side. I don't think this OL, and Cassel can go through another year of that. I wouldn't be suprised to see Weigmann keep playing, just a matter if it's here or not.

McGraw has lost some foot speed too(not his best skill to begin with) and usually misses 2-4 games a year in his KC career. His range isn't good enough for FS and I don't think he could hold up at SS. As a 3rd Safety and Nickel package guy maybe he has another year. But again it comes back to special teams and he was a good one in the past but i didn't notice him this year. If not a starter or playing high number of snaps as a backup these guys don't fit.

As far as declining skills you can throw Chambers in that catagory too, imo.

[Chiefnj2]

Must Keep: Hali.

Should keep: Carr and Gilberry.

One or the other until you draft and develop someone: Weigman/Niswanger (preferably Weigman), and Edwards/Smith (preferably Smith).

[booger]

Originally Posted by DenverChief

WTF?

Was Croyle a serious backup?

No kidding. He's as good as gone IMO. Palko would be a better #2 instead of Croyle. It just hasn't come together for him and don't know if it will.

[buddha]

Croyle should be cut loose. Palkow showed more in limited time, and it's time to look elsewhere for the QBoftheF. Smith and Edwards are keepers. They may not be great, but they are at least average...maybe a bit better than that. It's hard to find good interior DL. You don't give up on two young ones who played pretty well. Hali should be brought back if the price is right, but I wouldn't over pay. Vrable was WAY too slow this season to play his position. Leadership or not, he needs to hang 'em up. Carr is a keeper.

The Chiefs need LBers in the worst way. Our LBer prospect for the future is Andy Freaking Studdebaker? Really? That's sad.

WR and LB should be the Chiefs priority during the off season.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by booger

No kidding. He's as good as gone IMO. Palko would be a better #2 instead of Croyle. It just hasn't come together for him and don't know if it will.

Plankton is utter garbage. He's a "22-er" if ever there was one.

[boogblaster]

We need a serious QB back-up ... plus a new young QB too learn our system .......

[The Franchise]

Keep the following:

Originally Posted by booger

unrestricted
OLB Hali
C Weigmann
WR Copper
NT Smith

Restriced or Exclusive Rights
OT Richardson
DE Gilberry
CB Carr
FB Cox
RB Battle

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by Jethopper

keep tamba, cut the rest loose.

From the unrestricted list, pretty much...