The Leading Authority of the NFL Draft

A whopping six wins over the past two seasons have brought about sweeping changes in the City of Fountains.

The newly-installed GM/head coach tandem of Scott Pioli and Todd Haley has been entrusted with revamping a Kansas City squad by jettisoning a number of fading and ineffective veterans that don’t quite mesh with the new regime’s winning attitude.

As prominent members of organizations that have participated in five of the last eight Super Bowls, Kansas City’s new dynamic duo has brought in a new combative style of managing in sharp contrast to prior head coach Herm Edwards’ player-friendly ways.

Haley is an in-your-face leader who can often be seen jawing at his players on the sidelines in the heat of the game.

That type of attitude, plus an infusion of new talent and newfound discipline are just some of the changes Haley’s banking on to turn around a team that hasn’t won a playoff game since the days of Joe Montana in 1994.

Right now, the coach remains realistic in his expectations, and isn’t all too concerned with style points.

Said Haley: “If it doesn’t look pretty, it is not going to matter to me if it’s a W. We are going to do what we have to do to give us the best chance to win. If that is three yards and a cloud of dust, we don’t turn the football over and we play great defense, I’ll be the happiest guy sitting here after games.”

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks: After poor-to-mediocre quarterback play with the likes of Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard at the helm, the Chiefs have finally secured themselves a young signal caller who’s shown the ability of being a franchise player in Matt Cassel. A glass half-full guy will tell you that the newcomer threw for over 3,600 yards last season along with a 21-to-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio. The eternal pessimist, on the other hand, will be quick to point out that in addition to playing with premiere receivers as a Patriot (which won’t be the case in KC), the 27-year-old was sacked more than any other passer in the league (47). Playing behind a weaker offensive line could hamper Cassel’s progress, but the USC product has the arm and athleticism to eventually thrive in Haley’s system, which employs a lot of shotgun formations much like Josh McDaniel’s offense. Backing up Cassel will be Tyler Thigpen, who was also a revelation that no one expected much out of. The 6’1” signal caller is very much a shotgun passer that can elude the rush and throw on the run. The fragile and inept Croyle is the third-stringer.

Running Backs: Larry Johnson is trying his darnedest to get into the coaching staff’s good graces by diligently participating in all off-season activities. As a result of his hard work, Haley has been effusive praising the high-maintenance back. A skeptic would read the coach’s actions as a ploy to increase LJ’s trade value. But to be fair, Johnson is still an effective power back with tremendous leg drive to move the pile. He gained 874 yards with a 4.5 yards-per-carry average in 12 games last year disciplinary issues and all. Second-year man Jamaal Charles will most likely be used as a third-down back thanks to his explosiveness and pass-catching prowess. The shifty back plays hard, but needs to solve his fumbling woes if he hopes to earn a bigger role down the road. After a promising rookie season, Kolby Smith endured a sophomore slump before eventually succumbing to a season-ending knee injury. Prior to the injury, Smith only averaged 2.9 yards–per-carry, but has shown the size and instincts to be a quality inside runner in the past. Seventh-round pick Javarris Williams is a patient runner, who follows his blocks to daylight.

Wide Receivers: Young Dwayne Bowe is a fabulous wide out who gains separation with his strength and quickness off the line, along with his ability to shield and overpower defenders in tight spaces. Bowe can be an even bigger factor if he learned to consistently hold on to the football and improve his work ethic. Chicago castoff Mark Bradley rose from the ashes and proved himself to be a stretch-the-field deep threat, capable of making tough grabs. Kansas City has brought in 36-year-old grizzled veteran Bobby Engram to contribute as a third-receiver. It was only two years ago that the journeyman caught 94 receptions for 1,147 yards. His sharp route running makes him a useful security blanket. Devard Darling is an inconsistent downfield threat, while Jeff Webb is big, but not quick or agile enough to be a consistent target. Former Saint Terrance Copper is strong runner after the catch, who will have to perform on special teams to stick around. Rookie Quentin Lawrence is a speed-burner, who can be a weapon on returns and reverses. Last year’s fourth-round pick Will Franklin reportedly asked out of Kansas City after a run-in with Haley, who rode him hard. He has since signed with the rival Oakland Raiders.

Tight Ends: After all the talk and speculation, life after Tony Gonzalez begins this season. Second-year pro Brad Cottam gets first dibs at replacing the iconic tight end. As a rookie, the 6’7” Cottam was limited to serving as a blocker in two-tight end sets. While many don’t regard the tall athlete as much of a pass catcher, he did show the ability to run and make plays as a Tennessee Volunteer, although he is very injury prone. Tight ends typically don’t get a lot of passes thrown their way in Haley’s offenses. Joining Cottam are Sean Ryan and Tony Curtis. Ryan is a offensive lineman in disguise, while Curtis has some pass-catching ability, particularly in the red zone area. Seventh-round pick Jake O’Connell is a longshot.

Offensive Line: Brandon Albert was a rock at left tackle. Through 15 starts, last year’s first-round pick allowed only four sacks, while displaying excellent technique. The situation isn’t quite as stable at right tackle, as KC goes into training camp with Damion McIntosh playing opposite Albert. D-Mac is pretty light on his feet for a 320-pounder, but his tendency to play upright prevents him from being a true power player. Drive blocking has never been a problem for left guard Brian Waters, however. The 32-year-old road grater sets the tone for the running game, although he’s lost a touch of quickness over the years. Newly-acquired veteran Mike Goff is penciled in at right guard. Although the former Charger isn’t the physical presence he once was, he remains a fundamentally-sound player who effectively picks up the blitz. Center Rudy Niswanger gets by with his intelligence, all-out toughness, and ability to seal off the opposition. Eric Ghiaciuc was brought in to compete with Niswanger, but the ex-Bengal was a sieve last season, and is better suited as a reserve. Backup tackle Barry Richardson saw action in a handful of games in 2008, but doesn’t seem to be aggressiveness enough to take advantage of his physical skills. The versatile Herb Taylor is a more consistent and reliable performer, while the 6’7” 335-pound rookie Colin Brown is a physical marvel that will spend his first year learning the ropes. Outside of Albert and Waters, there are a host of question marks on this offensive line. This group was eminently penetrable last season, and looks to be the same in 2009 unless some younger options step to the forefront.

DEPTH CHARTS

		FS					SS
	CB	JARRAD PAGE		SLB	MLB	WLB	BERNARD POLLARD	CB
	PATRICK SURTAIN	JON MCGRAW		MIKE VRABEL	ZACK THOMAS	DERRICK JOHNSON	DAJUAN MORGAN	BRANDON FLOWERS
	BRANDON CARR			DEMORRIO WILLIAMS	NAPOLEON HARRIS	MONTY BEISEL	RICKY PRICE	DIMITRI PATTERSON
	TRAVIS DANIELS			ERIK WALDEN	JOVAN BELCHER	DARRELL ROBERTSON		MAURICE LEGGETT
	K			COREY SMITH		PIERRE WALTERS		DONALD WASHINGTON
	NICK NOVAK		LDE	LNT	RNT	RDE		JACKIE BATES
	RYAN SUCCOP		TURK MCBRIDE	TANK TYLER	GLENN DORSEY	TAMBA HALI		LONDEN FRYAR
	P		ALFONSO BOONE	RON EDWARDS	T.J. JACKSON	BRIAN JOHNSTON
	DUSTIN COLQUITT		TYSON JACKSON	ALEX MAGEE		DION GALES
	COACH					ROBERT GREENWOOD
	TODD HALEY
	WR	LT	LG	C	RG	RT	TE	WR
	DWAYNE BOWE	BRANDEN ALBERT	BRIAN WATERS	RUDY NISWANGER	ADRIAN JONES	DAMION MCINTOSH	BRAD COTTAM	BOBBY ENGRAM
	WILL FRANKLIN	HERB TAYLOR	WADE SMITH		BRIAN DE LA PUENTE	BARRY RICHARDSON	JOHN PAUL FOSCHI	JEFF WEBB
	MAURICE PRICE		CAMERON GOLDBERG		MIKE GOFF	COLIN BROWN	TOM CRABTREE	DEVARD DARLING
	MARK BRADLEY	FB	DARRYL HARRIS	QB		RB	JAKE O'CONNELL	TERRANCE COOPER
	TAURUS JOHNSON	MIKE COX		MATT CASSELL		LARRY JOHNSON		QUINTEN LAWRENCE
				BRODIE CROYLE		KOLBY SMITH
				TYLER THIGPEN		JAMAAL CHARLES
						JACKIE BATTLE	JAVARRIS WILLIAMS

DEFENSE

Defensive Line: Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast is the new sheriff in town as he tries to breath new life into a moribund 31st- ranked defense. Pendergast will look to implement a hybrid 3-4 system with a number of younger players and a few grizzled veterans sprinkled in. Priority number one is to generate a pass rush, which was inexistent last year. The majority of sacks probably won’t be coming from KC’s defensive front, but first-round pick Tyson Jackson will contribute in other ways with his preponderance of skills. The 6’4” 296-pound end has the strength and balance to hold his ground, along with the agility, lateral quickness, and hand skills to disrupt the offense. Fellow LSU man Glenn Dorsey mans the other end position, but that job may no longer be his unless he shows immediate progress. Dorsey was often invisible last year due to his inability to win one-on-one battles. The big-ticket defender totaled all of one sack last season. He’ll be challenged by third-round pick Alex Magee, who combines good quickness off the snap with remarkable strength as a bull rusher. Tank Tyler seems to be the leading candidate to play nose tackle. The third-year lineman actually has experience at playing the zero technique from his days at NC State, and certainly has the wide base to take on double teams. Tyler can do well here if he builds up his stamina. Backing him up is the non-descript, but powerful Ron Edwards. The unheralded and versatile Alphonso Boone will fill in when called upon.

Linebackers: The Chiefs were dead last in sacks (10) under their previous regime. The new order is hoping to at least triple that number by bringing in Mike Vrabel, who despite no longer being an every-down player, is a pass-rush specialist with top-notch instincts. The 13th-year veteran is technically a strong-side defender, but can line up just about anywhere. Also contributing at outside linebacker is the new slimmer, trimmer Tamba Hali. The former Nittany Lion reportedly feels more comfortable at his new position. The jury is out on Hali, whose production fell off dramatically without Jared Allen alongside him last year. Pendergast hopes to get something out of weakside linebacker Demorrio Williams as well. The Texas native failed to make an impact in 2008, but possesses the athleticism and quickness to chase down ball carriers that every coach covets at his position. The Chiefs are also trying to transform the 278-pound Turk McBride from defensive end to outside linebacker in what looks to be a dubious experiment. The inside has been bolstered by the addition the soon-to-be 36-year-old Zach Thomas. Just how much the undersized Thomas has left is anyone’s guess, but he’s still a sure tackler provided he gets enough penetration from his defensive line. Joining forces with the one-time Dolphin on the inside is Derrick Johnson. The gifted playmaker brings tremendous range to the table and is especially talented in open space. His pass-rushing skills may be utilized on some well-timed blitzes up the middle. Ex-Cardinal Monty Beisel is an experienced backup, who’s well-versed in Pendergast’s scheme. Corey Mays and Darrell Robertson will be counted on as special teams players.

Secondary: Rookies Brandon Carr and Brandon Flowers took their lumps as rookies, but have both shown enough to continue as the starting tandem at cornerback. Flowers was picked on early and often last year, but continually improved despite his less-than-ideal height at 5’9”. In addition to being a physical cover man that can re-route receivers, he’s also adept at reading double moves. Carr took over for aging veteran Patrick Surtain, and never looked back. What the 6’0” defender lacks in pure speed, he more than makes up for in quickness and leaping ability. Maurice Leggett and rookie Donald Washington could challenge Carr. Leggett has already flashed playmaking skills as a nickel back, while Washington boasts some eye-popping physical tools. In particular, the former Buckeye’s 45-inch vertical leap during pre-draft workouts, which made many teams take notice of the youngster’s potential upside. His confidence and toughness as a slot corner will help him see early playing time. Jarrad Page is a capable centerfielder that masterfully and aggressively tracks down passes at the free safety position. Page comes off a season where he led the team in pickoffs with four. Strong safety Brandon Pollard is better known for his season-ending hit on Tom Brady than he is for his physical attributes. He needs to work on his tackling if he hopes to retain his job. DaJuan Morgan has been a total non-factor so far. Jon McGraw is a special-teams ace.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Connor Barth is a serviceable short-to-medium range kicker, who will compete with rookie Ryan Succop. The 2009 “Mr. Irrelevant” is a big kicker (6’3” 221-pounds), who can perform punting duties in a pinch. Punting is the least of KC’s problems. Punter Dustin Colquitt continues to make life difficult for returners with the vicious spin he puts on his punts. He downed 27 of his attempts inside the 20-yard line during his injury-plagued 2008 campaign. Scat-back Dantrell Savage is the favorite to return punts. Jamaal Charles will put his acceleration to good use on kick returns with some help from Kevin Robinson.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS OFF-SEASON TRACKER

Acquired
QB Matt Cassel (trade)
WR Bobby Engram
WR Terrance Copper
TE Sean Ryan
TE Tony Curtis
OG Mike Goff
OL Eric Ghiaciuc
LB Zach Thomas
LB Mike Vrabel (trade)
LB Monty Beisel
CB Travis Daniels
Drafted
RB Javarris Williams, Tennessee State
WR Quinten Lawrence, McNeese State
TE Jake O’Connell, Miami (OH)
OL Colin Brown, Missouri
DE Tyson Jackson, LSU
DT Alex Magee, Purdue
CB Donald Washington, Ohio State
K Ryan Succop, South Carolina
Undrafted Free Agents
WR Taurus Johnson,, South Florida
TE Tom Crabtree, Miami (Ohio)
OT Cameron Goldberg, Duke
OG Darryl Harris, Mississippi
DE Dion Gales, Troy State
DE Robert Greenwood,, Alabama
LB Jovan Belcher, Maine
LB Corey Smith, Cincinnati
LB Pierre Walters, Eastern Illinois
CB Jackie Bates, Hampton
CB Londen Fryar, Western Michigan
S Ricky Price, Oklahoma State
Re-signed
WR Jeff Webb
C Rudy Niswanger
S Jon McGraw
Departures
QB Quinn Gray (released)
QB Damon Huard (released/failed physical)
WR Will Franklin (released)
WR Kevin Robinson (released)
TE Tony Gonzalez (traded Falcons)
TE Michael Merritt (released)
G Adrian Jones: UFA Texans; terms unknown
LB Donnie Edwards (released/failed physical)
LB Curtis Gatewood (released)
LB Pat Thomas: UFA Bills; 1 yr, terms unknown
LS J.P. Darche (released)
CB David Macklin (released)
CB Patrick Surtain (released/failed physical)
Unsigned
DE Jason Babin
LB Rocky Boiman
CB Jarrad Page (tendered at $1.545M with second-round pick as compensation)
S Oliver Celestin

PROJECTION

There’s no way the Scarlet and Gold can be any worse than they were last year, and should see a considerable boost in victories thanks to upgrades in their coaching, defense, and at quarterback. It also doesn’t hurt residing in a poor division. But, question marks along the offensive line, linebacker, and special teams will prevent this team from even sniffing the playoffs. Gradual improvement should be seen once various unsettled roles become better defined. The Chiefs’ projected record is 6-10.

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media, College Press Box (Missouri)