FanPost

Why the Chiefs Must Trade Glenn Dorsey

Scott Pioli, like Bill Belichick, chooses his words carefully. He speaks delicately to ensure his message is not misconstrued.

Pioli had a very distinct message following this year's draft: The future of the 3-4 DL for the Chiefs lies in his first two draft picks—Tyson Jackson and Alex Magee.

Jackson will start immediately at one of the DE spots, and Tank Tyler will in all likelihood start at NT, but the other DE spot is up for grabs. The main competitors will be Magee, Glenn Dorsey, and Alphonso Boone.

Jackson, at 6'4", 296 lbs., is the ideal size for playing DE in the 3-4 and was a dominating presence at LSU.

Magee, who is 6'3", 298 lbs., was known as a great run stopper at Purdue. Magee is also very versatile, as he played both DE and DT while in college. These attributes will translate well when learning the new 3-4 DE position, where the main concern is containing OL.

Glenn Dorsey, while at LSU, had very few two-gap responsibilities. His main focus was getting to the quarterback; this is how most DTs in a 4-3 defense operate.

Dorsey was very good at getting upfield and being a disruptor. He was a force to be reckoned with while he was on the field.

These kinds of talents are coveted by defensive coaches, especially those who play a form of the Cover 2 defense, and this is exactly why the Chiefs are paying Dorsey $51 million.

Unfortunately, there is no place for a one-gap, disrupting defensive lineman in a 3-4 defense. The responsibilities for these players completely change, and Dorsey doesn't have the body for this.

Just as a reference:

Dallas DEs

Igor Olshansky: 6'6", 310 lbs.
Marcus Spears: 6'4", 305 lbs.

Pittsburgh DEs

Aaron Smith: 6'5", 300 lbs.
Brett Keisel: 6'5", 285 lbs.

New England DEs

Richard Seymour: 6'6", 310 lbs.
Ty Warren: 6'5", 300 lbs.

Glenn Dorsey: 6'1", 300 lbs.

Just doesn't look right, does it?

Jackson and Magee fit in perfectly at 6'4" and 6'3" respectively, with both weighing in at 300 lbs. Not only this, but they were both proficient at stopping the run in college, while Dorsey didn't shoulder much of that responsibility.

Now, you know why Dorsey won't fit in a 3-4 scheme, but finding a trade partner is the hard part.

In Kansas City's defense last year, he was lined up head-up on the offensive guard and asked to try to control him, which didn't allow him to use his lightning-quick first step to try to fly into the backfield. This was much of the reason he didn't perform to expectations.

People around the league saw this bad coaching and still have a lot of faith in Dorsey's ability to be a star in this league. Reports from April were that Atlanta was offering a first and fourth for Dorsey.

The Falcons ended up selecting Peria Jerry, DT from Mississippi, who does a lot of what Dorsey does—disrupt the quarterback. Because of this, they are most likely out of the running for Dorsey.

There are several teams that would be interested, and when trade talks surfaced before the draft, these teams no doubt came out of the woodwork and showed themselves.

Tampa Bay is probably the most likely candidate, as a Cover 2 scheme relies heavily on DTs that rush the passer.

Carolina is another possibility—Julius Peppers wants out and wants to play in a 3-4. They already have a huge run-stuffing DT in Maake Kemoeatu, who is 6'5" and tips the scales at around 350 lbs., and Dorsey would compliment him nicely.

This would be a great trade for both teams, as this would fill the void in pass rushers the Chiefs have as well. Player-player trades rarely happen in the NFL, though, so I'm not getting my hopes up on this one.

The point isn't where Dorsey will go though; it's that he needs to go. He has no place in a 3-4 defense, he is eating away at the salary cap, and he may be riding the pine come Week One this year.

Pioli, before the draft, started the rumors about moving Dorsey, and after the draft started them again with his choice in draft picks.

The question in Kansas City is not if Dorsey is traded, but when.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Arrowhead Pride's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Arrowhead Pride writers or editors.