Tony G Traded to Atlanta
Apparently it’s official, Tony G has been traded to Atlanta for a 2nd round pick in the 2010 draft. What do you think Chiefs fans, did we get a good deal? Too bad it isn’t for a pick this year, but a 2nd rounder for a 33 year old TE is still a decent trade. I wouldn’t put it past our new management to trade that pick for a 2nd rounder this year instead. Tony, you will be missed and will forever be a Chief. Best of luck with the Falcons!
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Rumor: Clancy Pendergast to be named Chiefs DC
Word on the street is that Clancy Pendergast will be announced as the new defensive coordinator for the Chiefs. Clancy (who names their kid that?) worked with Haley in Arizona as DC there, so obviously they know each other. None of his numbers have been stellar by any means, but his knowledge and schemes could help our young team. He’s used to running a combination of the 4-3 and 3-4, so look for us to run a similar defense in 2009. Hopefully more details will come out over the weekend to confirm this report. This would indicate the Gary Gibbs will most likely be taking over as linebackers coach too. Any thoughts Chiefs fans?
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Roster Moves: Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2009
Yesterday the Chiefs officially parted ways with three veteran players:
LB Donnie Edwards - unspectacular in his return to the Chiefs - 36 in August
CB Patrick Surtain - Outplayed by rookies last year - 33 in June
QB Damon Huard - I believe “unofficially” retired after the first Denver game last season - he never played the same - 36 in July
Also cut was 7th round TE Michael Merritt after being arrested for marijuana charges Feb. 5th
For a team that is in the process of “rebuilding” these moves make sense. They are all aging and have been out performed by their younger brethren.
The three moves combined (not including Merritt) will save the Chiefs almost an additional $10 million in salary cap this season. Not that we weren’t far enough under already, but this will now leave us with upwards of $50 million to work with through free agency and the draft. If Pioli and Haley are serious about winning now and making a real impact, at least one thing is certain…money shouldn’t be an issue.
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Two Mid/Late Round Prospects
We all know the Chiefs have many holes to fill this off season. Obviously the draft is a great place to set the building blocks of a team, but not everyone can be a 1st round pick. Here are two prospects projected to go in the mid to late rounds of the draft that could potentially help our team going forward:
(Courtesy of National Football Post)
Tyronne Green, OG, Auburn (6-2, 305)
Like many of the draft-eligible prospects at Auburn this year, Green fell victim to the team’s overall lack of performance more than his own effort. His strong interior line play at times was forgotten as the Tigers stumbled to a 5-7 record, and he was considered more of a late-round pick than a potential top-five prospect. After receiving an invitation to the Senior Bowl, however, Green didn’t disappoint. He lacks ideal size for the guard position, but he possesses a dominant punch and consistently jars defenders on contact. He did a great job all week moving defensive linemen off the ball and showcases the lateral mobility to slide in pass protection. He’s been steadily moving up draft boards since his strong performance in Mobile and now ranks among the top-five guards on most boards. Green still needs to add some polish to his game, but he possesses intriguing upside and could hear his name called as early as the third round.
Jovan Belcher, OLB, Maine (6-2, 229)
After Belcher was selected All-Colonial Athletic Association at linebacker as a junior, the Maine coaching staff thought it was in the team’s best interest to move him to defensive end last season. Belcher responded with a 7½ sacks and 17½ tackles for loss, good enough to garner him All-America honors. Then, at the Texas vs. the Nation Bowl, he had a fantastic week showcasing not only the ability to attack downhill but also the fluidity to flip his hips and play in space. He displayed the versatility to play both inside and outside linebacker positions and is becoming an intriguing option for 3-4 defenses. He lacks great size and speed but plays a lot faster than his times and consistently showcases an ability to get after the quarterback. He started the year way off the radar as a possible midweek free-agent signee, but now Belcher looks like a possible late-round pick who, worst-case scenario, will be signed soon after the draft.
So what do you think Chiefs fans? Should we go after Green or Belcher in this draft? Sound off!
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Chiefs Offensive Leaders
There is a distinct possibility that not a single 2008 statistical leader for the Chiefs offense will either be with the team or start in 2009:
Offensive Leaders
Passing Yards: T. Thigpen 2608
Passing TDs: T. Thigpen 18
Although Thigpen played well in 2008 he has yet to prove himself under center in a base NFL style offense. There is a good chance he may not be the starting QB in 2009.
Rushing Yards: L. Johnson 874
Rushing TDs: L. Johnson 5
Obviously LJ wants out of town, and frankly if we can get any sort of value out of him I’d be surprised. A mid round pick, salary dump and one less whiny RB would be motivation enough to trade LJ. With the massive overhaul of the front office this off season though, I could see Pioli/Haley convincing LJ to play out at least one more year and see how he fits into the new schemes.
Receiving Yards: T. Gonzalez 1058
Receiving TDs: T. Gonzalez 10
I know it’s hard to imagine the Chiefs trading Tony, but it’s a real possibility too. If we can get a 2nd round pick, or a 3rd plus change, I’d say we do it. TG deserves the chance to win a Super Bowl and we could most definitely use the extra draft picks. Although it’d be sad to see him go, it may be best for both parties involved.
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Chiefs Search for a New Coaching Staff
With my first post as a new writer on this blog I would like to welcome any and all criticism, debate, kudos, etc. I know Chiefs fans do not always see eye to eye, but in the end we all want the same thing. A winning football team and a chance at a championship. We can debate all day long about the proper path to achieve this, but just remember we are all on the same side.
At this point it sounds like Todd Haley will be the new Chiefs Head Coach, awaiting a few details and signatures to make it official. So with that finally resolved the next big questions will surround the staff he will assemble. Will he be able to coax any of his buddies from Arizona to follow him? Will Chan Gailey stay on as Offensive Coordinator? Who will he hire at Defensive Coordinator? In this short post I will look at a couple of options.
Offense:
Frankly I believe our offense, at least the last half of the season, was not to blame for the majority of our loses. The defense ended up losing quite a few winnable games in 2008. I’ve long been a fan of Gunther, but he and Herm just did not see eye to eye when it came to defensive schemes. A new start in Detroit should prove productive for Gunther, given he can find any talent to surround himself with.
So with that said, I whole heartedly believe Chan Gailey should stay on as Offensive Coordinator in 2009. He was able to take Tyler “Getting Thiggy Wit It” Thigpen, and transform him into a respectable NFL QB. Thiggy is not your “typical” under center, NFL style quarterback, but he has proven himself as a viable option given the appropriate game plan. Don’t let our record fool you, we were a much more competitive team the last half of the season, rather it produced wins or not.
Combining Gailey’s knack for making something out of nothing, and Haley’s obviously offensive prowess, we could easily have a top 15 offense this year. I will discuss my thoughts on the draft at a later date.
Defense:
So what about our defense that ranked near the bottom of the league in virtually every statistical category in 2008? If we can find a Defensive Coordinator that is on the same page as Haley, that alone can only help this unit. Having Gunther “handcuffed” into playing Herm’s style wasn’t productive, and it obviously showed.
So who may be next? One name I’d like to throw out there is Romeo Crennel. What!? The same Romeo Crennel that just got fired by the Browns? Yes. Crennel has shown promise in the past, but as a Defensive Coordinator, not a Head Coach. Some people just aren’t cut out for leading a team, but that doesn’t mean he can’t lead a defense.
In his time as Defensive Coordinator with the Patriots he won three Super Bowls in four years. Not a bad track record. He has been a part of six different Super Bowls and has came out of top five out of those six times. Again, sounds promising right?
Crennel has worked with both Pioli and Haley in the past, along with Parcells and Belichick. He coached with Parcells from 1993-1996 with the Patriots and from 1997-1999 with the Jets. While with the Jets, Pioli was the Director of Pro Personnel (97-2000) and Haley was the Wide Receiver’s Coach (95-2000), so he has history with them. In 2000, Crennel became the Defensive Coordinator for Belichick in New England until 2004. Having both Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick want you as their DC is quite a vote of confidence.
Well that’s my first two cents. I hope I didn’t drag that on too long. As I stated before, please feel free to comment on my style, ideas, etc. Should I post multiple, shorter posts or combine them into one like this? Also, I do pride myself with be at the fore front of most all rumors and/or happenings with the Chiefs and hope to have more “breaking news” rumors posted on a regular basis.
Thanks for reading and please, be gentle!
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