Clark Judge: Rating smartest, boldest, scariest offseason moves

[DaneMcCloud]

Rating smartest, boldest, scariest offseason moves
May 13, 2009
By Clark Judge
CBSSports.com Senior Writer

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/11743195

Five boldest moves

Kansas City hiring Scott Pioli

Some people automatically put this one in the win column. Not me. Not after Charlie Weis fizzled at Notre Dame and Romeo Crennel bombed out in Cleveland. OK, so they were former New England coaches, and Pioli was a decorated GM. They still fall from the same tree. The question I have is this: How much was Pioli responsible for what happened in New England? "I guess we're about to find out," said one NFC general manager.

The good news is that Thomas Dimitroff had New England ties, too, and he circled the bases in his first turn as a GM in Atlanta. The bad news: Pioli's first draft with Kansas City: There are reaches everywhere. He also reversed the team's Get Young Now policy by adding 30-something discards like Bobby Engram, Zach Thomas, Monty Beisel and Mike Vrabel. You can do that when you're at or near the top, like New England. But this is a team that lost 23 of its last 25, for crying out loud.

Five biggest gambles

Kansas City acquiring Matt Cassel

I know what he did with New England. But that was the Patriots, and tell me where you find Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Richard Seymour and Bill Belichick in the 816 area code. Cassel was surrounded by a raft of talent on the field and on the sidelines in New England, and I'm still looking for that support group here. So he produced a couple of 400-yard passing games and won 10 of 15 starts. That was nice. But I want to see him reproduce it here. OK, I know what you're thinking: What do the Chiefs have to lose -- especially when all they surrendered for Cassel and Vrabel was a second-round draft pick? Try this: They're paying Cassel $14.65 million in guaranteed salary. If he turns out to be the next Scott Mitchell I know some bean counters in red suits who will demand explanations.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

With the exception of Tom Brady & Brad Johnson, high first round QB's (if not #1 overall) have won the Super Bowl this decade.

Regardless of what you think, the NFL has become such a level playing field that for the most part (exception being the 2000 Ravens and 2002 Bucs), stellar play at the QB position is what separates good teams from Super Bowl teams.

If you don't have a high first round draft pick, your chance of winning the Super Bowl in today's NFL is greatly diminished.

Of the last 10 Super Bowls, 5 were won by quarterbacks not drafted in the first round.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Where I do agree is that we need to place a heavier weight on the Cassel vs. Sanchez battle. For example, if Sanchez is much better than Cassel, but Tyson Jackson becomes a pro bowler, the Chiefs still lose. However, I believe that if Sanchez is only slightly better than Cassel, but Jackson becomes a very good pro, then the Chiefs still win out.

With all due respect, that is the most convoluted football theorem that has ever passed before my eyes.
Please explain, because Tyson Jackson in this equation makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

I don't agree for a few reasons:
-If Sanchez isn't a top 10 QB in 4-5 years, then the Chiefs made a great trade regardless of whether Cassel succeeds, assuming Jackson ends up being a solid Defensive Lineman (which I think he's a pretty low-risk player).
-I think this is a clear case of a different bar being set for a first round pick versus a late-round pick. You're basically suggesting that if Cassel ends up being a better QB than Sanchez, but isn't a championship QB, then it's a worthless trade? What I find interesting about that is that I think that if we drafted Sanchez and he never won us a Super Bowl but won us a few playoff games, people would hesitate to call it a wasted pick. I know it's not an apples to apples comparison, but Cassel deserves to be measured by the same standard as Sanchez.

That's a fair position. I disagree with it, though. To me there is a massive difference between taking a shot at a big-time QB prospect in the top 5 and trading for a career backup who, at times, flashed pro-bowl potential (I'm being super-generous, there). The trade was the "safe" way to address the QB situation compared to drafting one. It could wind up being the right move, but taking my Chiefs blinders off and looking at it that way the move feels "safe" at the best and scared at the worst.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

Of the last 10 Super Bowls, 5 were won by quarterbacks not drafted in the first round.

Gee, thanks.

Tom Brady accounts for 3, Brad Johnson for 1 and Kurt Warner another.

If you think you can find HOF players like Warner & Brady anywhere, you're sadly mistaken.

And in retrospect, they'd both be taken #1 overall.

Brad Johnson? Not so much.

[L.A. Chieffan]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

Of the last 10 Super Bowls, 5 were won by quarterbacks not drafted in the first round.

fo real yo, kurt warner was an arena league quarterback! we gotta get us one of those

[Reaper16]

BTW -- I do want to make it known that I'm totally wishing that Matt Cassel has all the success that he possibly could have. I'm not going to be dogging on him every chance I get or gloating over his mistakes or any such bullshit. Just trying to ward off any accusations, seeing as how I am taking a minority position in this thread.

I'd like to think that we can talk about contentious issues like this in the interest of discussion.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

With the exception of Tom Brady & Brad Johnson, high first round QB's (if not #1 overall) have won the Super Bowl this decade.

Regardless of what you think, the NFL has become such a level playing field that for the most part (exception being the 2000 Ravens and 2002 Bucs), stellar play at the QB position is what separates good teams from Super Bowl teams.

If you don't have a high first round draft pick, your chance of winning the Super Bowl in today's NFL is greatly diminished.

And the NFL becomes more of a passing league with each year, too.

[L.A. Chieffan]

Originally Posted by Raised On Riots

With all due respect, that is the most convoluted football theorem that has ever passed before my eyes.
Please explain, because Tyson Jackson in this equation makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever.

we took jackson instead of sanchez because we traded for cassel who replaced brady who was knocked out by pollard who was pushed by sammy morris whos a running back which is the same position as LJ who we ALSO drafted in the first round therefore we should have drafted a fullback.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by L.A.Chieffan

we took jackson instead of sanchez because we traded for cassel who replaced brady who was knocked out by pollard who was pushed by sammy morris whos a running back which is the same position as LJ who we ALSO drafted in the first round therefore we should have drafted a fullback.

Well played.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by L.A.Chieffan

we took jackson instead of sanchez because we traded for cassel who replaced brady who was knocked out by pollard who was pushed by sammy morris whos a running back which is the same position as LJ who we ALSO drafted in the first round therefore we should have drafted a fullback.

You can pass to a FB every down on Madden. Works great.

[L.A. Chieffan]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

BTW -- I do want to make it known that I'm totally wishing that Matt Cassel has all the success that he possibly could have. I'm not going to be dogging on him every chance I get or gloating over his mistakes or any such bullshit. Just trying to ward off any accusations, seeing as how I am taking a minority position in this thread.

I'd like to think that we can talk about contentious issues like this in the interest of discussion.

taking the safe route. pussy.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by L.A.Chieffan

taking the safe route. pussy.

Considering the alternative is a pack of vicious n00bs ready to add to the Mecca, Hamas, et al body count, yeah.

[DaneMcCloud]

I miss T-Rich

[L.A. Chieffan]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

Considering the alternative is a pack of vicious n00bs ready to add to the Mecca, Hamas, et al body count, yeah.

im with ya dawg, **** CASSEL!

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I miss T-Rich

Damnit, Carl