A Quick Look at Remaining Free Agents

[Buck]

As free agency kicks off, I've decided to compile a list of available and virtually available players the Chiefs could look at. The Chiefs can't fill all their holes in the draft, so we need to make a move or two in FA. They don't have to be "big splash" guys, just good quality starters or critical backups. I'm excluding guys we don't have a realistic shot at or don't make sense for us. The player's 2009 team is listed, whether released, UFA, or RFA

(All Gone)WR - we need serious help here, even more so if we don't re-sign Chris Chambers:
Anquan Boldin, Cardinals - trade for 3rd/late 2nd-round pick - acquired by Baltimore
Antwaan Randle-El, Washington - back with Pittsburgh

(Accomplished)Backup RB - our current stable of backups are coming off injury or are just plain unimpressive: Update - we have signed Thomas Jones, thereby fulfilling this need.
LaDell Betts, Washington
Chester Taylor, Minnesota - signed with Chicago
Michael Bennett, San Diego
Justin Fargas, Raiders
Thomas Jones, NY Jets - signed by Kansas City, 2 yr/$5 million contract

(Accomplished, sort of) NT - only if a good possiblity comes around, and this still an area to be addressed in the draft:
Ma'ake Kemoeatu, Carolina - signed with Redskins
Jamal Williams, San Diego - signed with Denver, 4-yr deal
Anthony Montgomery, Washington - tendered, fifth-round pick
Chiefs sign Shaun Smith

LB - we're awfully thin and the draft is looking almost as thin:
Karlos Dansby, Cardinals -- signed by Dolphins
Kirk Morrison, Raiders - tendered, third-round pick
Scott Fujita, Saints - signed with Cleveland

C - few good draft prospects and Niswanger is not a starting-quality C:
Hank Fraley, Cleveland
Rex Hadnot, Cleveland

S - we had to start converting CBs to fill holes in this spot, though good values are in the draft:
Gibril Wilson, Miami
Ryan Clark, Pittsburgh - resigned with Pittsburgh
Marlin Jackson, Indy - played CB and FS in Indy - signed with Philly
Antrell Rolle, Cardinals - although he is wanting huge money - gone to Giants
Oshiomogho Atogwe, St. Louis

Feel free to add names, update, etc. I will try to add to this and update every couple of days until FA really dies down.

Originally posted on 12:30pm CT on 3/5, updated 8:10pm CT on 3/10. I am done updating, as only 5 guys are left on this list.

[VAChiefsFan]

Buck: I completely agree with your approach to FA and the draft:

Quote:The Chiefs can't fill all their holes in the draft, so we need to make a move or two in FA. They don't have to be "big splash" guys, just good quality starters or critical backups.

As for the players referenced, my thinking is:

WR > We are in desperate need for help; even if we draft a WR in the early rounds as we likely wi;ll, it normally takes WR's a year or so to learn the NFL game... We needed to secure a solid WR in FA or the draft - or to re-sign Chambers -- and I cannot figure out why we have not done the latter... As for the FA crop: I guess Antwaan Randle-El can play some, but I have seen him here in Washington, and can take or leave him...

Backup RB > My preference here is LaDell Betts - and I am glad we are giving a look at Justin Fargas. Thomas Jones had a solid year, but I had not realized he was so old - No wonder he was looking at K.C.; sort of like being "put out to pasture"... I had seen a bit of Ladell Betts here with the Redskins -- He is a gritty hard-working player, but he also must be getting up there.

NT > This needs to be addressed in the draft, but we should take a look at all three of the following players: Ma'ake Kemoeatu is a solid player, but I believe he was injured last season, so there may be an injury issue here; Jamal Williams of San Diego is a very tough NT, but he, too, was injured and is getting up there in age; I do not know much about Anthony Montgomery, but the cost of a fifth-round pick is marginal - Heck, we blew that on that idiot, "Baby Huey" Brown Colon...

LB > Err, we need to repeat Buck's words like a "mantra": "We're awfully thin and the draft is looking almost as thin..." There does not appear to be much out there, and Kirk Morrison is pretty decent; he might almost be worth the third-round pick -- What do you guys think...? he is an established player and reaonably young - and the Raiders only blow most of their draft picks, anyway...

C > Agree that we need to up-grade here, and either Hank Fraley or Rex Hadnot of Cleveland would be major improvements; I believe Hadnot may have been injured last season. Fraley used to be a very tough, mean player - He would be my choice... It is players like this that we should be targeting, and I am troubled that we are not seeing any of them to visit K.C.... I am having very serious reservations as to Pioli...

S> I also see the value in the draft; none of the players listed appeals to me; and it always seems there is a "new sucker" each year that takes a gamble on Gibril Wilson!! This reverts to Bernard Pollard: Sure the guy had flaws, but from all accounts he was a hard worker -- It would have been better to have him at Safety for a few years and then replace him...

---

NOTE: As for O-line, there are a few decent players that are floating around there, in addition to the centers noted above. One is RT Tony Pashos who was with the 49ers; the 49ers tried to reach a deal to keep him, but they could not work one out. He is a hard worker and a mauler - 6'6" and 325, and is only 29. Pashos impresses me as being in the category of high-quality FA's we should be looking at - but apparently there is little movement at One Arrowhead...

[Buck]

Pashos signed with the Browns, so he's off the market. Honestly, he's hardly any better than Ryan O'Callaghan, our current starter at RT, so I'm not too torn up about that. Besides, if we draft a LT and wanted to move Albert to RT, we would be handcuffed to Pashos.

As for Pollard, he did well in Houston, but I saw him in a recent article about how many players went from being UFAs to RFAs without a CBA in place. He was pretty much the only one going on record complaining about how the owners were screwing over the players for their own personal gain. Nevermind that the NFLPA agreed to those terms. Never mind the owners actually assume the business risk of owning the franchise. None of that matters, Pollard was too happy to cry and whine about on the record. I'm not saying this is a direct connection to football performance, but this team has had enough of crybabies and blowhard players. I can see why he was cut.

Here's a link to the story; it's non-premium content on ESPN:
Jeff Chadiha's Heart Bleeds for the RFAs

[VAChiefsFan]

Yup, Ryan O'Callaghan played pretty solid last season -- Disappointing to hear that about Pollard; perhaps this is the other side to him. He did have a reputation for being a real trash-talker, and that might have worn-thin with the new crowd. Maybe there is something to this, particularly for a player that builds up his reputation as "Bonecrusher" before one NFL play... Just goes to show us: Hermaroid sure knew how to pick 'em...

Buck: What do you think about Morrison at LB for a third round pick...? He might be the one player out there actually worth something like this. Could we arrange to negotiate that down to a 4th round pick...?

[TCF]

as far as i know we can't negotiate a team's tendered offer. but i like Morrison, Saga and I were both wanting him way back when.

[VAChiefsFan]

I thought the tender offer established the compensation from a team that were to sign the player; if so, a third-rounder for Morrison might be worth it...

[Buck]

(03-09-2010 01:15 AM)VAChiefsFan Wrote:  Buck: What do you think about Morrison at LB for a third round pick...? He might be the one player out there actually worth something like this. Could we arrange to negotiate that down to a 4th round pick...?

I think Morrison would be an excellent value for just a third-round pick. Many third-round picks don't become starters, and those that do still have a learning curve to negotiate. Morrison offers a proven starter who is already up to NFL speed.

I also hope that Oakland's low-ball offer incenses Morrison enough to force a trade.

[VAChiefsFan]

I would really like to see us go after him -- He would be a solid solution at ILB, and this also would be a subtraction of a top player from the Raiders. Morrison is certain to be pissed-off at the Raiders, and were we to make a play for and land him, this would stir discontent within the Raiders as to management...

Since they placed the 3rd round value on him with their deal, are we simply free to negotiate with him and make a better offer? - and then he is ours for a third round pick...? Can Oakland counter-offer - as I believe to be the case - or do we just land him with a better deal? {I was under the impression this was the way it worked... I think there is a right to counter, but also recall we lost a player in the past where our deal was on the table - and we either did not counter or were not able to...}

[Buck]

Tendered players are basically RFAs, so the rules to acquire a player are almost the same, except compensation to the player's old team are expressly mentioned. We can offer a contract to Morrison, and if it beats what Oakland has, he's ours for whatever we agreed to pay him and a third-round pick to Oakland. Oakland can't prevent us from talking to him, but they will have every chance to match our offer.

Where this differs from old RFAs is that compensatory picks were assigned when a team had a net loss of RFAs. In this case, an individual player can carry draft compensation. Tenders benefit teams because outside teams will be reluctant to give up draft picks, especially in a draft this deep, but Morrison is a first-rate talent and Pioli should strongly consider it.

[VAChiefsFan]

I agree -- This would be a no-brainer, and the costs would be far less than say a name-brand p;layer the order of Dansby, or so... .