AFC offseason grades: Chiefs get an "F"

[AZ~ 15]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/07/21/afc-offseason-grades/12943103/

[mongo 92]

Um, yeah.  

[oldtimer 8,683]

yawn

[wilkie 1,518]

Not surprised.  Are you?

[Mugsy 225]

  Pretty funny imo.

[kcchief4lif 910]

Definitely wasn't a "sexy" off season.  But again, until they win they will get no love.

[AlwaysChiefs 82]

It's all supposition, and doesn't mean a thing. At the end of the season, we'll know if the guy had any insight at all. At this point, all the guesses are on the presupposition that everyone performs at the same level as last year, and that never happens.

 

Having some homer faith in Dorsey and Reid, perhaps the Chiefs offseason moves don't rate an F, but on paper it sure looks like a net loss in talent. Hopefully not...

 

As much as it hurts me to admit it, you have to give Horseface some credit. Reeling in Giraffe-neck was a major coup, that made it a lot easier to woo big names since. He landed several big names this offseason, and the Donkeys look really strong on paper before the season begins. It sure looks like the Chiefs will have to wait around until PM retires to gain the edge. That's not to say that we can'r compete with them or anyone else even now, but the Donks will be the favorites until he's gone. :-(

[kcchief4lif 910]

It's all supposition, and doesn't mean a thing. At the end of the season, we'll know if the guy had any insight at all. At this point, all the guesses are on the presupposition that everyone performs at the same level as last year, and that never happens.

 

Having some homer faith in Dorsey and Reid, perhaps the Chiefs offseason moves don't rate an F, but on paper it sure looks like a net loss in talent. Hopefully not...

 

As much as it hurts me to admit it, you have to give Horseface some credit. Reeling in Giraffe-neck was a major coup, that made it a lot easier to woo big names since. He landed several big names this offseason, and the Donkeys look really strong on paper before the season begins. It sure looks like the Chiefs will have to wait around until PM retires to gain the edge. That's not to say that we can'r compete with them or anyone else even now, but the Donks will be the favorites until he's gone. :-(

Hell at this rate the same can be said for Phyllis Rivers.  That guy has been a huge corksoaker to the chiefs!!

[West 6,713]

I think the big questions are well documented:

 

1. O-line    (I think Reid knows how good the young guys will be)

2. DB's

 

There are pluses as well;

 

Year Two in "the system"

Houston and Tamba are back & healthy

Kelce is back

Knile Davis is back and a better blocker

Dee Ford will help

Vance Walker will really help.

D'Anthony Thomas could be better than DMC

 

 

I am optimistic and see 9-7 at least.

 

w

[mongo 92]

Andy Reid is no OL savant.  He's had as many OL misses in Philly as hits.  See Danny Watkins.  There are others.

 

Anyone who isn't worried about the WR corp, please pass me what you are smoking.

 

An offseason grade maybe a yawn to some, but the grade is accurate -- on paper.  The Chiefs did not improve at any one starting position talent wise.  We'll see if the cast of band-aids proves to be more.

[West 6,713]

Hang in there Mongo....It's hell being a Chiefs' Fan for sure.

 

Even after 46 years.... I keep coming back for more.

 

 

 

 

 

w

[mongo 92]

Hang in there Mongo....It's hell being a Chiefs' Fan for sure.

 

Even after 46 years.... I keep coming back for more.

 

 

 

 

 

w

Me too.  I just bought my DirectTV streaming package.  Not bad $199.  

 

I hope when my time comes this loyalty counts for something.  You can divorce your wife.  You can renounce your government or religion.  You can disown your kids.  But a guy who quits on his team, well, has serious character issues and is not to be trusted.

[AlwaysChiefs 82]

Me too.  I just bought my DirectTV streaming package.  Not bad $199.  

 

I hope when my time comes this loyalty counts for something.  You can divorce your wife.  You can renounce your government or religion.  You can disown your kids.  But a guy who quits on his team, well, has serious character issues and is not to be trusted.

LOL! Mongo, if you express your loyalty to your wife, your government, your religion, and your kids as positively as you express your loyalty to your football team, you're going to end up a very lonely old man!! ;-)

[mongo 92]

LOL! Mongo, if you express your loyalty to your wife, your government, your religion, and your kids as positively as you express your loyalty to your football team, you're going to end up a very lonely old man!! ;-)

Is that why I got 0 birthday presents?  

[dhitter 1,424]

In the off season everyone is an expert until proven wrong. Grades do not allow for a lot of variables. Therefore, no player can ever improve...he is what he is. Coaching has zero effect on a player becoming better. Getting into the right system has no effect. There are as many wiffs with grades....and predictions for that matter as hits. The NFL is built on parity. The difference between good teams and not so good isn't night and day. It's closer than in any other pro sport. What if Peyton Manning got hurt and missed significant playing time. Does that change anything? I think Reid is a solid coach with a good system and some talent. Not as much as I would like but the Chiefs will compete...we'll see how far that gets them.

[mongo 92]

In the off season everyone is an expert until proven wrong. Grades do not allow for a lot of variables. Therefore, no player can ever improve...he is what he is. Coaching has zero effect on a player becoming better. Getting into the right system has no effect. There are as many wiffs with grades....and predictions for that matter as hits. The NFL is built on parity. The difference between good teams and not so good isn't night and day. It's closer than in any other pro sport. What if Peyton Manning got hurt and missed significant playing time. Does that change anything? I think Reid is a solid coach with a good system and some talent. Not as much as I would like but the Chiefs will compete...we'll see how far that gets them.

The difference may be closer, but I can tell you the Denver Broncos are significantly better than the Jags or Bucs.  Of course an injury to a player like PM or Charlie could devastate a team.  TB and JAX have the "luxury" of not a having a great player to be dependent on.  I'm sure they wish they did.

 

In addition, no team has made a bad FA decision yet.  No young player has failed to progress or take a step back.  There are no draft busts yet.  There are no bad scheme fits.  

 

We can only, logically, speculate on what we've seen and what we know.  What I know is:

 

• Rishaw Johnson has struggled to make an NFL roster in his career.  His alternative is an R6 pick not likely to be in the league in 4 years.  
• Jeff Allen is a bust.  
• Rodney Hudson is ordinary.  His alternative is an R6 pick not likely to be in the league in 3 years.  
• Donald Stephenson is below average.  
• Eric Fisher is a project.  
• Who is Travis Kelce?  
• Donnie Avery and A.J. Jenkins are below average.  
• Husain Abdullah is a backup.  His alternative is an R5 player not likely to be in the league in 3 years.  
• Vance Walker is expected to provide a pass rush when he's never scored more than 3 sacks in a season.  
• Joe Mays is mediocre.  
• And the secondary lost its best CB. 

 

 Lots of red flags.  I believe that a few of these things will work out, but all of them?  Not likely.

[Mugsy 225]

My version

 

• Rishaw Johnson was the best player in the San Diego game. He has turned the corner and deserves a shot at starting.
• Jeff Allen is coming off his best season.
• Rodney Hudson is solid.  His alternative was the second best player in the San Diego game and will start when Hudson's contract is up. Reid likes the big maulers and Hudson is undersized.  
• Donald Stephenson is better than average and is experienced in both tackle spots. How quickly we forget the pile of shit we had at right tackle just a few years ago.
• Eric Fisher was a project a right tackle. He'll be better in his natural position.
• We don't need Travis Kelce to be a star.
• Donnie Avery is coming off a season in which he played injured the whole year and is entering a contraqct year. A.J. Jenkins had his best season and showed signs of growth.  
• Husain Abdullah got his feet wet last year after taking a year off. He'll be better..  Commings is a project at FS but will be an upgrade on special teams..  
• Vance Walker will provide a pass rush and will excel as a roleplayer. I expect to see a standard nickel package from time to time with four d-linemen.
• Joe Mays is at least as good as Jordan.  He's perfect in that #2 MLB role and will bring some much needed nastiness to our defense.
• And the secondary lost a CB that was more reputation than anything at this point in his career. 

 

 Lots of green lights.  I believe that most of these things will work out, but all of them?  Not likely. We'll win 8-9 games and hopefully get a wildcard spot. The goal is to win a playoff game and that is not out of the question.

 

[West 6,713]

Winning a Playoff game is a Great Goal as far as I am concerned......

 

I can't imagine how nice that would feel after almost 20 years....

 

w

[mongo 92]

Mugsy, I have an exercise for you.  Go through the league and list the RT that are better than Donald Stephenson.  If you come up with 13 or more, he cannot be above average.  FYI:  As per PFF, Donald Stephenson placed 61 out of 76 OT playing 25% or more snaps last year.  That's D- territory.

 

Joe Mays is not as good as Akeem Jordan.  Mays play slipped which is why DEN cut him.  He's not the same player

 

Any other replies to your fantasies have covered before.  

 

Parting shot:  Hopefully the Chiefs play SD 16 times next season.  Then they might be okay with Rishaw Johnson and Eric Kush.

[Mugsy 225]

I don't get the hate for Stephenson. He got his butt whipped by Robert Mathis last year but who didn't? He was very solid.

[mongo 92]

I don't get the hate for Stephenson. He got his butt whipped by Robert Mathis last year but who didn't? He was very solid.

I don't hate him.  He's a fine backup.

[wilkie 1,518]

Its the offensive line that will be our Achilles heel.   We can survive with our receivers.   We have some first class linebackers and with the addition of the Oakland Raider should put more pressure on quarterbacks and that's got to help our defensive backs.   But man oh man,  that offensive line.    I think losing Albert was the big thing but Schwartz was pretty impressive.   Time will tell but it really seems like we have regressed.   Some of it was the money.   We didn't have much to work with.   But it seems to this uneducated observer that the talent level has regressed.   Worried about those guys.

[West 6,713]

Time will tell....I agree that the O-line is a question mark.

 

This time last year people were freaking out that we lost Winston ( he was a huge disappointment) and Schwartz was nothing more than a trash heap journeyman.

 

If you liked last years line, you gotta think  that the coaches and GM  know what they are doing with this years line.

 

 

I think the bigger question are the  CB's and the inability to cover the last few weeks of the season.  Are they as bad as they looked or was it more of a function of our pass rushers being hurt?

 

 

 

w

[Mugsy 225]

Good post West. I agree that the o-line has something to prove. However, I have a good feeling about it. Last year's line was pretty average. At the very least, I think we can duplicate the skill of that line.

[artsy 1,137]

Yep, the CB's are my major concern. Even with a solid pass rush, can they play press man good enough to win? We saw what happend in the colts game when Flowers went out....Albeit, Dunta Robinson and K. Lewis was still in the game, so was cooper, parker and Hussein Abdullha.

 

Like everyone else, I have to assume that Reid and co. know what they're doing. But damn, it looks pretty shitty on paper.