Chiefs' GM Scott Pioli Talks Depth Chart, Adding Players

Kansas City Chiefs GM Scott Pioli spoke with the gentleman from The Morning Rush on 610 Sports radio this morning.  Topics ranged from traveling to training camp, the depth chart and players like Amani Toomer and Mike Vrabel.

The most interesting item?  Pioli said he wasn't necessarily done adding players.  He guessed that there could be 3-5 players added to the roster before the season starts.  Of course, he also said the 2nd round pick received in compensation for Tony Gonzalez could be used to trade up or down and nothing happened with that.

But he's definitely keeping us on our toes.

You can listen to the interview here.  I've taken notes on it below.  (Thanks to ArrowSpread for the link)

On training camp in River Falls this year:

It's been interesting. It's a different thing for a number of us, going away to training camp. I've spent the last few years at a place where we were right there next to our normal offseason.  Same with a number of other people, you know Todd was right there in Flagstaff.  

It's an interesting experience in trying to pack everything up and get away and be seven hours from your home office.  But the guys have come up here and progressively the work has gotten much better.  

We're still not where we need to be but it's been a learning experience for a lot of guys, a lot of the players in terms of what they were used to and the way Todd's going to do things.

On the depth chart that was recently released:

I think the reality is that when I got here and then when Todd got here, and every time that we've spoken, what we've told everyone is that we're going to use the players that give us the best chance to win.  We're going to be putting players out there that can do things, and want to do things the way Todd wants to do them whoever those people are.  

We're pretty firm in competition.  We believe in competition and it's an open competition at every position.  The players that play the best and show they're the best and give us the best chance to win are going to be the players wer'e going to play with.

On attending practices during training camp:

This is the time of year when I go to practices.  When the season starts I don't generally go out to practice.  What we do in two hours of practice time I can generally get done on tape in about 45 minutes.  This time of year it's a good chance to see a lot of the teaching that goes on.  

In order for me to evaluate players and for the scouts to evaluate players we have to have an understanding of what they're being taught.  The only way we can do that is to be on the field and watch the players and what they're being taught and watch the reaction.  

It's a great opportunity to see and hear, and a great thing for the fans and media to do, to observe how many times someone has to be taught something. Is someone getting it?  How many times someone has to be reminded of something or be yelled at.  How quickly are guys picking thing sup.

You can't see on practice tape in between plays what guys are doing, who's gassed, who's not gassed, who's paying attention...you get a close up view of the entire picture, and insight into players and the players' attitude and their reaction to things.

There's a lot to look at during practice.  But once the season starts you're usually into the weekly game planning so I feel I can be much more effective at my job during the season by watching tapes of other teams to help find players that can help us in the future.

On how they're approaching the preseason:

Todd talked about it with the football temamand told them to make no mistake: Every game we play, whether its preseason or regular season, we're trying to win.  That's aprt of competitive ness.  If you're getting involved in any game, doesn't matter if its preseason or regular season, we're trying to win games.  That's what winners do.  Todd really wants to see, there's been a lot of infomration given here adn a lot taught.

One of the biggest things we've gotta find from an evaluation standpoint, can these players do what they've been taught to do?  And we want to find out who's willing to do what they're being told to do and also just execute and be smart football players.  There's been a lot of practice time and a lot of situations they've been put in.  Those situations will come up in more of a real setting and we'll see if they're ready to execute or not.  

As Todd has said time and time again and as we've talked about, all players will be given an opportuinty.  If someone doesn't know what they're doing they won't be given an opportunity and they can't complain about not getting an opportunity.  So there will be an opportunity given to all this weekend.

On making additions to the team, via waiver wire, free agency or trades:

Absolutely.  And I've said this even since the beginning of camp, there's still I'd say three, four maybe five guys that will be on our 53 man roster that probably aren't even on our training camp right now.  I don't know who those players are and Todd doesn't know who those players are.  But there will be players released by other teams, or players that are willing to be traded from other teams that we're keeping our eye on.  

We have an obligation to put the best football team out there.  If we feel there's a player available that's better than something we have here, there's no sacred cows on this team.  If there's a player out there who's going to help us be a better football team and win games that's an obligation we have to all the players in the locker room, the fans, the ownership and the rest of the coaches.  That's going to be our job.

And Amani's been a good addition. I don't know if you've been out to training camp but he's been staying after practice at least a half an hour to 40 minutes with Matt Gutierrez every single day taking extra reps and running routes.  Having Matt throw balls to him, and if Matt's not available, one of the coaches are out there and he's demanding that someone be out there and run extra routes.

And it's a pretty amazing thing for a guy who's had as many years in the league as he has but he's showing what it takes to be a professional and to be successful in this league.

But that's why he's been in the league so long.

You're exactly right. Same thing iwith Bobb yEngram, MIke Vrabel who's out there every day working pass rush drills.  He's either helping one of the young guys on pass rushing drills and you're right, that's how you stay in this league.