JohnMorrow
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Well, he personnaly chose Brandon Carr when King Carl allowed him to decide as a "birthday present".
This off season, the Chiefs have done exactly as I hoped. IMO, they are doing a masterful job of building the "right 53", including better QB depth. Lyle, I think and hope you are correct about how Cassel will perform surrounded by such a supporting cast, but the truth is I really don't know and can only wait and see. I do know (believe) this much, however. If, surrounded by such a team, Cassel does NOT perform @ 2008/2010 levels in terms of W-L record (the only stat that really matters for QBs), then the verdict will be in and we will know for sure what JOB 1 will be or next off season!
Moreover, we should have a better idea of what Quinn and/or Stanzi have to offer. If it turns out that we need to look to next year's likely deep QB draft class, then this off season's work will make it possible for the Chiefs to focus on the QB position next year.
Another, little appreciated part of the Chiefs' positioning for next year involves the number and higher round numbers of the compensatory picks the Chiefs figure to be awarded next season. While comp picks themselves are not tradeable, having them eases the pain of trading away others that are.
Doesn't help 2012, nor was my comment directed at 2012. It was specifically directed to the 2013 Draft Needs section at the end of the post.
Figured the Art of War would be in your post somewhere and was about to be disappointed until near the end...and there it was!
And, OTAs/training camp/pre-season figure to be the MOST DARWINIAN in my memory. So many quality players trying to make the team will lead to intense competition. Just hope we don't injure ourselves in the process!
Regarding 2013, we could have a couple of compensatory picks (one as high as R3 for Carr and another as high as R4 or R5 for Orton) in addition to our 7 regulars. This is because the vets we've been signing (Routt, Winston, Hillis, Boss) were released by their teams, whereas Carr, Orton, McClain, etc were UFAs (not released) by the Chiefs. While compensatory picks themselves are not tradeable, having them makes it less painful for us to trade regular picks if necessary. Having 9-10 picks next year surely would be nice with the diminishing number of holes to fill on our roster.
Anyone else getting the feeling that Pioli is having a "masterful" off season?
Merlin, feel like I have been in the foxhole with you during the entire runup to this draft. I, too, was in the DeCastro camp for R1 and was initially disappointed--not because NT was not an R1 need, but because I kept hearing that the best NT prospect (Poe) did not have the game film to support the pick at #11. Since the draft, I have listened to both Crennel's and Pioli's press conference videos TWICE to understand what they and their scouts/experts saw that the rest of us missed. I encourage others to do the same.
No one disputes Poe's freakish athleticism or the fact that he has a NT-prototype body. But I did not understand the magnitude of Poe's "want to" and other intangibles OR the fact that he had to play almost every defensive snap OR that he had to play every DL position for a really bad team for different defensive coaches every season. AND YET, Pioli said twice that Poe kept playing "a hundred miles an hour" until the end of every game--he never quit! In addition, they played against so many "spread offenses" that on 49% of Poe's plays there was no opportunity for Poe to have any measurable "production".
I am now much more optimistic about this pick than I originally was because: in Crennel and Pleasant we have the defensive coaches to teach Poe what he never had an opportunity to learn; AND they will narrow his focus to just the NT position until he masters the techniques of that position before gradually expanding his role.
My main concern now is that we ADDICTS/FANATICS allow Poe and his coaches sufficient time/space/support to realize his exceptional potential. If we do and he does, then this mere 22-year old lad and our defense could develop into something far more special than it has already shown!
FYI, we have 82 of the maximum 90 allowed for camp. So we have some space, but have to be firing with a "rifle" not a "shotgun".
Had a better time watching one of my grandson's baseball game Thursday evening and another grandson's track meet Friday evening. Followed picks on daughter's phone (and eliminated all the "blather") and on NFL.com Saturday.
Ask me again in 3 years! As for Mel Kiper, I've had much longer than 3 years and my grade for him is...! (Suffice it to say, I stopped watching him years ago.)
Complete rehabilitation of OL and add depth! CHECK
Obtain starting NT and add DL depth! CHECK
Strengthen secondary nickle/dime packages! CHECK
Add slot/speed WR! CHECK
Add RB depth! CHECK
Strengthen special teams return and coverage! CHECK
Obtain a Franchise QB! A BRIDGE TOO FAR THIS YEAR (Unless it turns
out we have him already)
BIG UGLIES become unheralded BIG SEXIES by enabling the Chiefs to WIN!
In college, Sims was a Prius drafting behind a Ferrari by playing next to Julius Peppers. Dontari Poe's situation at Memphis was precisely the opposite; he was a Ferrari being held back by a team full of Prius pace cars!
"HEAD SLAP + OH, I SEE!" (Not "WTF PIOLI!")
"THE ONLY REASON THE CHIEFS WILL TRADE DOWN IS IF THEY BELIEVE THE PLAYER(S) THEY HAVE TARGETED WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE LATER PICK."
"ANYONE ELSE GETTING THE FEELING THAT WE DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT PIOLI IS GOING TO DO?
From recent comments by a Once and Late DeCastro Fan.
Go Chiefs, and still "MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU, PIOLI!"