Draft Talk Thread With Updated Big Board - 1/7/2012 - 1/14/2012

well why didn’t you SAY so!

but I’ve never played either so I dunno much :-)

hes our very own ups.

I have a BS (haha, laugh all you want) in Math, so I’ve met plenty of people who are horrible with the English language. I like to poke fun at the little mistakes use “learned” folks make, though.

First order of business is to go for extra bases with a hit on Nicks. Wring every drop out of FA possible.

That’s why I’d be equally aggressive at OG as OT in FA. As much as could be afforded, as your #1 priority, and STILL go for a RT prospect to make B-Rich FIGHT just to be the #3 tackle.

We also get our middle run through in pass protection by Houston-like brutes. But I don’t think you can really put that on either Wiegs or Lilja…I think the blame has to go on the both of them being right side by side. If either one of them was a bigger guy, I don’t think this stuff happens. So, if Wiegs retires, I kinda expect Lilja to be back starting if he’s healthy, unless we sign a free agent like Nicks who’s clearly better. Even DeCastro I think would probably sit behind Lilja for at least a little while if Hudson is starting center next year.

But I can see him being more aggressive in the draft, especially in the trade-down scenarios. And I’d rather be the guy with the extra DB other teams want to trade for, than be the guy overspending for somebody else’s. 2011 is an object lesson in what everybody knows: Your starting secondary in September may bear little resemblance to your starting secondary in December. Reminds me of Jeff Fisher’s heyday as HC, and how he made his name as a special teams coach, thanks to DBs in droves.

I’d love to see Pioli re-sign Carr AND draft a guy like Chase Minnifield near the top of the 2nd. Others have spoken of the possible trade-down with Cleveland, and that #37 pick would be ripe for Minnifield. I wouldn’t be doing it for future 1st-round picks, as would those who want to load up for franchise QB in 2012, but just take Cleveland’s 1st and 2nd for our 1st.

Using the unverified (by me) Draft Value Chart on Walter, the #11 pick is 1250 to the 780 of Cleveland’s #22 pick, with a difference of 470 points, which corresponds to the 43rd pick, roughly in the upper half of the 2nd round. Cleveland HAS the #37 pick, valued at 530 points, which, according to the Walter chart is a profit of 60 points, by that system. Being a math nerd, my greatest strength is knowing what to ignore, and this would be in line with my overall strategy, even if I came out 60 points the OTHER side of the equation.

Then spend Cleveland’s later 1st pick on OT/BPA, the 2a pick on Minnifield, and a 3rd- or 4th-rounder on another tackle, with bias towards feet and bruising physique, but who’s maybe not 1st- or 2nd-round size, or a Matt Lepsis kind of TE, who’s basically just an athletic tackle, and who gives the Chiefs some interesting tackle-eligible possibilities, and a fall-back position on OT, who may need TE help all day long, but fall-back positions are good to have.

For me, LB is way down on the priority list, with a solid group of young ‘tweeners.. I’d be targeting late-rounders and UDFAs, with my main emphasis on football IQ and durability. Decisions, short-area quickness, reflexes, anticipation more important than just having great range. I want him to OWN what he’s doing, with a solid enough supporting cast so he doesn’t have to own too much. I’d rather have a 5th-round Kendrick Lewis kind of guy, who GETS IT, even if he’s not winning gold stars at the combine.

There are just other positions than ILB, where a potent combo of IQ and freakish speed/power/agility make a bigger difference to the team’s chances: DB, WR, DL, OL. I don’t think there’s a HINT of 1st-round urgency at WR. The only way that happens, though, is if Pioli and Bowe become antagonistic, which my gut tells me won’t happen, but it may’ve been more likely to happen if Haley had stuck around.

There was a fairly large amount of Free-Agent Flight in Haley’s time as HC. I remember being less than awestruck by Page and Pollard, but looking back over the last 3 seasons, I’m having a hard time convincing myself they’re better off at this point without those dudes. How much would it have cost to show Jarrad Page some respect, and reward him for giving great service through the entirety of his rookie contract? How hard would it have been to come to a meeting of the minds with Pollard? I can’t really say that Pollard would’ve made fewer good plays than Piscitelli. And with Pollard on the team, for all his faults, I bet McGraw would’ve had a hard time seeing the field on regular D.

I certainly can’t say that Page would’ve been a bad investment, and, again, he played his heart out for peanuts. Right when it was HIS turn to get some rewards, the Chiefs, sitting on a BIG-ole pile of money, wouldn’t give him more than a one-year deal. That’s an insult. Even if Page’s injury held him back, and he wasn’t quite the same as before, the kind of money we’re talking wouldn’t have put a dent in their salary situation. Sure, he might’ve been pushed to the bench by the new guy, but he’d’ve been there when Berry went down.

Maybe Pioli’s way of handling injured guys in their big contract years is smart, for the long run. But man, in the short run, it sure looked like mgmt puttin’ the squeeze on a guy, when they hadn’t enough reason to do so and lots of reasons, from the invisible-hand/enlightened-self-interest/good-will/public-and-player-relations angle.

DL’s kind of a weird one, with the way RAC deploys his role players. I’d still end up making more than my fair share of 5th-and-later-round picks @ NT, because I think RAC can train up those guys to play his 2-gap techniques. An important test of this belief will be whether Jerrell Powe ends ALL dispute at starting NT. But once the Chiefs start getting into the playoffs on a more regular basis, I can see that late 1st-rounder being a DE, every few years.

On OL, though, I think they’re at a place where they ought to be spending more or less lavishly, ’til they start making a real name for themselves.

And FINALLY, as it relates to players hitting their NFL stride, I can see that future promise, as well. But until I see ALL those guys come back @ 100%, I’m figuring you can take that IR list, and figure half of those guys might never be the same.

And ONE thing I really am nervous about is the injury possibilities for KC’s big men, next year. I think they hated Body by Haley, but they didn’t lose ANY starting linemen, which is a real achievement, that deserves to be laid at Haley’s feet. Sure Wade Smith headed for the hills, and Brian Waters WANTED to, and NONE of the “original” d-line managed to hang around, except for Glenn Dorsey. But KC was STILL in the mix, until they lost to Oakland, and they got there with everybody still in-harness.

more reasons NOT to trade away draft picks

And it’s not just a w/ or w/o Carr or depth issue, either. It’s about dictatorial defense.

I’m totally fine with a TE early. In fact, I like DeCastro, then TE & RT with the next two picks (in no particular order.

I’m going to be fine with pretty much anything though

…………..even lost a shoe like Earl Campbell (who was my favorite to watch run)