Post by lazarus on May 11, 2003 19:11:49 GMT -5
AFC team needs revisited
By Ryan Early Updated: May 9
Back in February we identified the top offseason priorities and position needs for every NFL team. Since then, over four hundred new contracts have been signed, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent in signing bonuses alone, risks have been taken, trades have been made, and a rookie draft has been completed.
Despite all that, it may surprise you how little has been accomplished in terms of addressing obvious personnel weaknesses.
Kansas City Chiefs
Offseason Priorities
1. Sign Trent Green to a contract extension - Complete. Green's old contract had too high of a cap number to after a renegotiation last year. So the options for the team was either to sign their quarterback long term, or go looking for a new quarterback. Two years ago, Elvis Grbac used an identical situation to leave the team. This time, Trent Green got a new 7 year, $50 million contract including a $9 million signing bonus.
2. Improve the pass defense, starting with the defensive line - Incomplete. 2002's starting right defensive end Duane Clemons had just 2 sacks last year. The Chiefs wanted to replace him with Hugh Douglas, as that move alone would add 10 sacks to their 2003 team total. Alas, they lost out on the Douglas sweepstakes and there was no other end available with close to his pass rushing skills.
3. Improve the run defense, starting with the defensive line - Complete. Instead of Douglas, the Chiefs signed former Packer Vonnie Holliday, a more complete defensive end who was asked to play the run more than rush the passer in Green Bay. Holliday is confident he'll get a career high number of sacks this year, but his presence, along with the return of last year's top rookie pick Ryan Sims from injury should dramatically improve the team's run defense.
Position Needs
1.DE Grade: B Hugh Douglas he ain't, but Vonnie Holliday will still be a much better starter than Duane Clemons was for the Chiefs. While he won't be a terror to opposing quarterbacks, Holliday will improve the team's rush defense as well as the pass defense. In the draft, the Chiefs took Jimmy Wilkerson of Oklahoma in the sixth round. He came out a year early, even though he still is learning how to play the position.
2.CB Grade: B-minus Head coach *beep* Vermeil and defensive backs coach Peter Giunta tapped a familiar source in replacing Ray Crockett at cornerback. They signed Dexter McCleon, who was a starter for the Rams when both coaches were there just a few seasons ago. McCleon lost his starting job in St. Louis and will start off as the nickel back in Kansas City behind Eric Warfield and William Bartee.
3.LB Grade: B-plus Mike Maslowski was re-signed to a 6 year deal and is being moved inside with the assumption he will become the new starting middle linebacker. Marvcus Patton is currently still on the roster, and he doesn't have too high of a cap number so it is conceivable that these two will battle it out for the starting job in training camp. Scott Fujita takes over the starting strong side job full-time, and the team signed Shawn Barber from the Eagles with an impressive 7 year, $30 million deal to become their weak side starter.
4.S Grade: C-plus The position automatically gets better with the return from injury of Jerome Woods. He was lost last year during preseason and the Chiefs secondary never recovered. Julian Battle out of Tennessee was drafted in the third round. He's a bit of a project but could eventually challenge woods at free safety.
5.WR Grade: C Since the start of the offseason, the Chiefs have made no moves at the position. Both Eddie Kennison and Dante Hall were signed to contract extensions before free agency even began. Sylvester Morris and Marvin Minnis are still on the official roster, but for how long only the Chiefs front office knows.
By Ryan Early Updated: May 9
Back in February we identified the top offseason priorities and position needs for every NFL team. Since then, over four hundred new contracts have been signed, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent in signing bonuses alone, risks have been taken, trades have been made, and a rookie draft has been completed.
Despite all that, it may surprise you how little has been accomplished in terms of addressing obvious personnel weaknesses.
Kansas City Chiefs
Offseason Priorities
1. Sign Trent Green to a contract extension - Complete. Green's old contract had too high of a cap number to after a renegotiation last year. So the options for the team was either to sign their quarterback long term, or go looking for a new quarterback. Two years ago, Elvis Grbac used an identical situation to leave the team. This time, Trent Green got a new 7 year, $50 million contract including a $9 million signing bonus.
2. Improve the pass defense, starting with the defensive line - Incomplete. 2002's starting right defensive end Duane Clemons had just 2 sacks last year. The Chiefs wanted to replace him with Hugh Douglas, as that move alone would add 10 sacks to their 2003 team total. Alas, they lost out on the Douglas sweepstakes and there was no other end available with close to his pass rushing skills.
3. Improve the run defense, starting with the defensive line - Complete. Instead of Douglas, the Chiefs signed former Packer Vonnie Holliday, a more complete defensive end who was asked to play the run more than rush the passer in Green Bay. Holliday is confident he'll get a career high number of sacks this year, but his presence, along with the return of last year's top rookie pick Ryan Sims from injury should dramatically improve the team's run defense.
Position Needs
1.DE Grade: B Hugh Douglas he ain't, but Vonnie Holliday will still be a much better starter than Duane Clemons was for the Chiefs. While he won't be a terror to opposing quarterbacks, Holliday will improve the team's rush defense as well as the pass defense. In the draft, the Chiefs took Jimmy Wilkerson of Oklahoma in the sixth round. He came out a year early, even though he still is learning how to play the position.
2.CB Grade: B-minus Head coach *beep* Vermeil and defensive backs coach Peter Giunta tapped a familiar source in replacing Ray Crockett at cornerback. They signed Dexter McCleon, who was a starter for the Rams when both coaches were there just a few seasons ago. McCleon lost his starting job in St. Louis and will start off as the nickel back in Kansas City behind Eric Warfield and William Bartee.
3.LB Grade: B-plus Mike Maslowski was re-signed to a 6 year deal and is being moved inside with the assumption he will become the new starting middle linebacker. Marvcus Patton is currently still on the roster, and he doesn't have too high of a cap number so it is conceivable that these two will battle it out for the starting job in training camp. Scott Fujita takes over the starting strong side job full-time, and the team signed Shawn Barber from the Eagles with an impressive 7 year, $30 million deal to become their weak side starter.
4.S Grade: C-plus The position automatically gets better with the return from injury of Jerome Woods. He was lost last year during preseason and the Chiefs secondary never recovered. Julian Battle out of Tennessee was drafted in the third round. He's a bit of a project but could eventually challenge woods at free safety.
5.WR Grade: C Since the start of the offseason, the Chiefs have made no moves at the position. Both Eddie Kennison and Dante Hall were signed to contract extensions before free agency even began. Sylvester Morris and Marvin Minnis are still on the official roster, but for how long only the Chiefs front office knows.
. A younger and leaner roster might give the Chargers more energy late in the year to avoid that recurring end of season slump. An easier training camp could help as well, but we won't know if that will happen until August.