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

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by 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).

Yeah, I could go with this one...

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by RINGLEADER

From the unrestricted list, pretty much...

Smith is a really good role player. He cares about playing and winning.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

Smith is a really good role player. He cares about playing and winning.

Agreed, i love his vocal passion & he's been something of a pleasant surprise to me at DE, he's a big reason why our run D improved to where it did IMO, he holds his ground at the POA & sheds blocks well.

Every team needs a good Hype Man.

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by scott free

Agreed, i love his vocal passion & he's been something of a pleasant surprise to me at DE, he's a big reason why our run D improved to where it did IMO, he holds his ground at the POA & sheds blocks well.

Every team needs a good Hype Man.

I think Gilberry is a similar player. 7 sacks from a role playing DE in a 34 is pretty good productivity, especially without a stud NT.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

I think Gilberry is a similar player. 7 sacks from a role playing DE in a 34 is pretty good productivity, especially without a stud NT.

Absolutely, that many sacks off the bench says a lot about his effort. His size is oddball for a 3-4 end, but he makes it work somehow.

[Halfcan]

How could they let Hali become a F A?

Some team will offer him a big contract.

[suzzer99]

If this team lets Hali go I will lose a lot of faith in Pioli. I'd be shocked if that happened.

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

If this team lets Hali go I will lose a lot of faith in Pioli. I'd be shocked if that happened.

Like when they gave away Jared Allen and Tony G??

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

Like when they gave away Jared Allen and Tony G??

Gave away Allen?

Hardly.

I'd make that deal again.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

Like when they gave away Jared Allen and Tony G??

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by 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).

This is pretty much my list. Others if they sign reasonable deals. If we have a season hopefully some of the other signees get knocked out by new pickups / draft choices.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Jethopper

keep tamba, cut the rest loose.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by booger

unrestricted
QB Croyle
OLB Hali
NT Edwards
CB Daniels
OLB Vrabel
C Weigmann
OLB Charlie Anderson
WR Copper
ILB Mays
RT O'Callohan
C Niswanger
S McGraw
NT Smith
WR Urban
ILB Simineau
WR Curtis

Restriced or Exclusive Rights
OT Richardson
DE Gilberry
CB Carr
FB Castille
FB Cox
RB Battle
TE Cottam
CB Leggett

That's a guess and comes to 25. Maybe TE Pope is an UFA too i don't know.

Have to wait for Looney at kcchiefs.com to come out with an official list.

Charles, DJ, Studebaker all got extensions but so did LS Thomas Gafford and his didn't get much press. Could be others not announced but hard to tell.

This is all a guessing game as to who does or doesn't fall under restricted and the frachise and transistion tags because of the CBA.

I'd give Leggett and Cottam a shot at a roster spot because they've shown flashes of ability in between their injuries. They are significantly better than any of our backups at those positions.

Shitcan Vrabel, Anderson, Copper, Wiegmann, Mays, O'Callaghan, Niswanger, Urban, Simoneau, Curtis, Castille and Cox

[BossChief]

OLB Hali
NT Smith
DE Gilberry
CB Carr

These guys should be absolute priorities going forward. After that, lock up Flowers long term.

Everyone else on that list should be considered no more than quality depth.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by BossChief

OLB Hali
NT Smith
DE Gilberry
CB Carr

These guys should be absolute priorities going forward. After that, lock up Flowers long term.

Everyone else on that list should be considered no more than quality depth.

Those are the four I picked. Everyone else got shit-canned.