At this point, after tinkering with a bunch of mocks, here is my October 2009 ideal mock right now.

First, a discussion of my goals:

• I largely throw out best player available because I honestly have no earthly clue who will be the best player available anywhere. The Draft turns into a mad scramble halfway into the second round. So I projected players to a likely round and made my selection.
• This draft is intended to be a meat-and-potatoes draft, designed to make our trenches that much better. Pioli has eight picks -- five of them go to the trenches, both in offensive line (2) and in pass rushers (2).
• All defensive players were selected primarily by their ability to get into the backfield. I believe you can teach defensive players to play the run -- pass-rushing is much harder to learn.
• Even though the biggest holes on this team may be WR and CB following this draft, I know Pioli will be in the FA market for both.
• This draft is pretty solid in the midrounds with passrushers, so I used that to my advantage.
• This draft also has about three players that are insanely fast but incredibly little. They all are prime targets as kick returners, and will likely be available in the 5th.
• As long as this draft is not a massive bust, I will spend the next two drafts focusing on primo WRs and pass rushers.
• I want four immediate starters, at least one additional eventual starter, and a couple consistent contributors. Of these starters, at least a couple have All Pro potential.

<!-- / message --><!-- edit note -->

Continue reading this post »

We have a notorious bias on ArrowheadPride, but let's give it a shot anyway.

Positives

Negatives

In short:

We Chiefs fans are so used to Tyler Thigpen's play that we give him his own category.  How many times have you heard "Thigpen looks like Thigpen" from a Chiefs fan over the relatively small time we've known him?  He's exciting, radically different, radically inconsistent, brilliant sometimes and idiotic other times, but very well liked by his teammates.

I say he's a career backup in this league for the teams that are willing to try to harness his unique set of skills.  There shouldn't be that many teams that are.

I say he's a 5th rounder.

Bringing in two players from the Dolphins, it is more than likely that both of these players will have a spot on the nine-man OL roster come opening day against the Ravens.  As much as Haley argues that the best players will be on the team (and I have every reason to believe that Alleman and Ndukwe are among the best 9 OL we have right now), draft picks are currency.  We just spent some of that currency by trading for Andy Alleman and Ikechuku Ndukwe, and there's no chance we release these guys as we whittle down to the 53. They will be on the roster when we face the Ravens.

But where?  And who does this push out?

Well as I drew up a depth chart not too long ago on this site that attempted to place what I thought would be the starting OL on this team (forgive the fact that I put ten players down instead of nine):

LT: Albert, Taylor
LG: Waters, Smith
C: Niswanger, Ghiaciuc
RG: Goff, Brown
RT: McIntosh, Richardson

So something is going to get shaken up here. We have gone from what was a fairly uncontroversial slotting of players into what is going to now be a very competitive fight. There will be at least one player released that may be controversial.

Joel did his damnedest to figure out what the right side of the line may look like, but I think the center position is now in flux as well, and the left side may also be affected by this trade.  I am not fooled by the mothership's official depth chart.

I try to tackle the implications of this trade after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

1800 comments?  In one preseason game, by a team most project will end the season under .500 and have no prayer of a playoff birth?  Yes, in the second preseason game, in which the starters played less than a half, Arrowhead Pride racked up 1800 comments over the course of the entire game.  You guys are animals for Chiefs talk, and I don't see a passion like that hardly anywhere on SB Nation's other NFL sites.  Certainly nothing like 1800 comments stacked up over four open threads for a meaningless preseason game.  No other Chiefs site on the internet can match that tenacity.

So in addition to being animals, you guys are also being treated to the most exciting rebuilding effort this town has seen in my young lifetime.  I was nine years old when Schottenheimer drafted Derrick Thomas and changed this town.  His rebuilding job was by far the most intriguing of the bunch up to this point; his defense not-so-slowly ascended to heights the franchise had only dreamed of for the Dark Ages that preceded.  But the Schottenheimer rebuilding period depended on past-their-prime veterans at QB.  I was about 20 years old when Vermeil came to town and declared it takes three years to build Super Bowl teams.  But instead of rebuilding, Vermeil just brought in a slew of veteran talent on offense and never produced squat on defense.  I was 25 years old when Herm Edwards was traded here.  His rebuilding effort, a complete destruction of the previous regime so that the complete construction of his regime of youth could begin, was clouded by the fact that Herm was very poor at his job.  The reliance on stopgap QBs of Schottenheimer, the impatient veteran importation of Vermeil, the incompetence of Edwards... these rebuilding efforts were exciting in their own ways, but incomplete.

Well I'm 28 years old now, and Haley is presenting us with the most exciting rebuilding process we've seen, in that he leans on the Draft but does utilize veteran acquisitions.  He does lock down QBOTFs, but loves to hedge his bets.  This is the most complete rebuilding effort this town has ever seen, and games like today underscore that.  There are negative things to be said about today, as there will be for virtually every preseason game imaginable, but the biggest positive is that across the entire team, you can see a vision forming.  Whether it's going to be realized is another question altogether, but there's no denying that it's there and it's the most satisfying one we've seen since Marty, if not since the days of Stram (which is what I'd argue).

My top threes are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

via www.uwrf.edu

Simple exercise: guess the depth chart on opening day. 53 players.

Your thoughts, welcome.

All I can say is that the leap from Herm to Haley, in terms of talent on the roster, has been quantum. I know I'm not alone when I say I've caught the fever again.

Continue reading this post »

Photo via David Eulitt of the Kansas City Star

Yet another failed preseason game down for the Kansas City Chiefs, but unlike the previous two seasons, not all hope is lost. This was as energizing a preseason loss as we've experienced in a few years, and it's mainly because the team that Pioli/Haley is trying to build is coming on strong.  The formations all looked very distrinct on offense, the defense's three- and sometimes four-man push up front was occasionally successful, and the calls were all of a different shade than we're used to.

All in all, after watching this game, I think one post that addresses just one aspect of anything that happened in this game (which the Star will undoubtedly do) is unfair, because sooooo much happened in this game. I'm going to try to single out particular performers that deserve some recognition for their work and their foibles, and even then I can't fit everything in that I'd like to say about a whirlwind of a game.

Mental mistakes lost this game, as did the bizarre playcalling by Chan Gailey at crucial moments throughout the game.  The defense bent, but rarely broke -- which is a vast improvement over a defense that broke constantly last year. The first offense faltered with mental mistakes, the second offense brought life back to the game but faltered with mental mistakes, and Thigpen was Thigpen -- at times dazzling, at times hauntingly dumb, but always never quite looking like a traditional quarterback. He brought us to within a chance, and lost it, much like he did throughout his 2008 campaign.

With that in mind, the lists follow after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Hey folks. Just trying to keep my end of the bargain. Enthused about this idea.

OLB has been unfairly described on draft boards across the interwebs as one position, when in fact it is two distinct positions that are just as different from one another as right tackle and left tackle. Guys who play well on the weakside may not fair well on the strong side and vice versa. Weakside linebackers ("Wills") are the fastest linebackers on your team. They are adept at zone coverage, but mostly they cover a ton of ground, and should be particularly adept at zipping to the QB. Strongside linebackers ("Sams") do not need to be as fast, but they definitely need to be the stronger of the two, as any path to the backfield must fight through the heavy side of the OL, including the TE, and they must be particularly adept at man coverage, as they are often responsible for TEs.

Our strongside linebacker situation isn't too bad, with our best defensive player, Derrick Johnson, as the incumbent there. Rocky Boiman has been a pleasant surprise as a young, undrafted nobody who, turns out, has a good nose for the ball. I believe Boiman has earned the opportunity to compete to be DJ's backup.

The weakside situation is dire. Donnie Edwards will likely retire this offseason, and that leaves us only with DeMorrio Williams. Williams is easily our fastest linebacker, but his play has underwhelmed this season. He is our current incumbent, but this team definitely needs more talent there. At the very most, we could use a stud to start with D-Will backing up. At the very least, we must have some depth there.

So my list will include my favorite 7 Wills, and favorite 3 Sams.

Wills:

1. Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri -- Call me a homer if you must. Lord knows I've bene susceptible to it before. But Weatherspoon is arguably the best Will this upcoming Draft, and it's very likely he'll be available for our second round pick. He has a great nose for the ball, and his speed is a great fit for the Cover 2.

2. Gerald McRath, Southern Miss -- McRath is a bit raw and will need some work, but his ability to get to the QB is what sells him as a solid 2nd round pick. This team needs a pass rush like oxygen this Draft, and McRath may be a future playmaker.

3. Anthony Heygood, Purdue -- Heygood is, in my mind, the fastest linebacker in the 2009 Draft. His athleticism is ridiculous and Purdue LBs have a good track record in the NFL, but he's very, very raw. He will need good coaching to realize his full potential.

4. Tyrone McKenzie, South Florida -- McKenzie is the opposite of Heygood in terms of attracting teams like the Chiefs: he doesn't have Heygood's ridiculous speed and he's a bit big for the weakside. But unlike Heygood, he has an impeccable track record, averaging over 120 tackles a year for two schools during his college career. Great 3rd round prospect.

5. Zach Follett, California -- Yet another Will who's displayed a good amount of speed and an ability to get to the QB in a hurry. Follett also has the advantage of playing in the Pac 10, which I always like because they face the toughest offenses.

6. Brian Toal, Boston College -- In terms of sheer talent, there are other Wills who are more talented than Toal, but few have his speed. Toal's stock has fallen recently because of a serious shoulder injury, but I love the smarts of Boston College players, and Toal's natural abilities could make an impact at the Combine.

7. Maurice Crum Jr., Notre Dame -- Crum plays well in coverage, and he's a fiery leader that this defense could always use in the linebacker corps. He's a well rounded player but he may be lacking the speed this defense needs on the weak side. Might be worth a shot in the 4th. Might.

Sams:

1. Brian Cushing, USC -- Cushing is probably the best OLB talent coming out this Draft. Cushing has shifted from position to position in his time at USC, and has excelled everywhere. He is smart, versatile, incredibly athletic and like all USC defenders, suited to the Cover 2. He is a 1st round pick, but not where the Chiefs will be picking.

2. Aaron Curry, Wake Forest -- Curry is a good fit for the Chiefs, should he fall into their laps late in the 2nd (if they trade down) or even into the 3rd. His strength is man coverage, which is exactly what he'll be asked to do in the NFL.

3. Cody Brown, UConn -- Brown will need to improve in his coverage, but there's no denying that this guy makes constant noise in the backfield. This is a Draft more than ever where the Chiefs need to be thinking pass rush, and Brown may fit the bill in the 3rd or 4th.

Second-year nobody Tyler Thigpen licked his palms at the ten-yard line and extended his forearms into the warm San Diego air, preparing his hardcount in shotgun formation. Gonzalez was in motion yet again, Bradley staggerred back a yard or two off the line of scrimmage, and Bowe stood wide, motionless as he eyed Thigpen's cadence.

I was in my correct stance, too: jack-knifed over the television set, squeezing my fists so tight my knuckles exploded. The classic Sunday afternoon of a Chiefs fan. The intensity rarely relented over four thrilling quarters in Qualcomm Stadium.

It was in these final moments of the game, however, that presented the most dramatic departure of the past two seasons for Chiefs fans everywhere: Tyler Thigpen's emergence as a potential force in the NFL. Statistically, he has torched two decent-to-good defenses and one downright superior one. Competitively, he has kept all three of his most recent starts winnable.

But his immense field presense was the most dramatic change of pace for a squad that's endured, for three seasons, low-key, frail quarterbacks (Brodie Croyle), elderly, frail quarterbacks (Trent Green, Damon Huard), quarterbacks who aren't actually quarterbacks (Ingle Martin), and pure, downright incompetent quarterbacks (Tyler Thigpen against the Falcons). But above all, the Chiefs endured quarterbacks who have struggled to provide the feeling that Thigpen exuded against the Chargers this afternoon: that come hell or high water, he was the leader under center (kind of) who can will this team to succeed.

Now, to be clear, we didn't succeed. Not today. But Thigpen left no doubt that it was possible. He played today like he owned the place.

But hopes were only high amongst the most blindly patriotic that Croyle could ascend to QBotF status after six sorry losses in 2007. Few believed that Huard could make chicken salad out of YouKnowWhat when he took the reigns. Heck, few believed Green had a final run in him when he returned to lead this team in 2006.

Really, the last time a Chiefs fan felt this good about his starting quarterback... may be beyond my ability to remember. Huard inspired in his short run in 2006, but he was accepted as a stopgap. The last time Green was his splendid self was in the 2005 season, the last of his heyday, and that doesn't compare to the QBotF feelings Chiefs fans are starting to generate towards Thigpen. No, the best I can do is 2000, when it was clear we had wisely traded for Green, and that we'd reap the benefits for years.

Thigpen's performance of potential yesterday, boosted by the sure hands of Bradley, Bowe, and Gonzalez, was the potential stuff that potential dreams are potentially made of. His decision-making was uniformly superb. He made brilliant decisions with ball placement, pocket manuvering, and trusting his receivers to make a play. His arm is impressive. His unflappability was remarkable. His passion is obvious.

It's possible that defenses start to figure him out, that his hot streak fades, that he's not cut out for the under-center style of football that prevails in December.

But like this entire team, he's starting to get it and it shows. He is a one man distillation of what this team is growing capable of. And he's already commanding a completely new enthusiasm for Chiefs fans for Sundays to come.