I'm almost positive that this Bob Gretz article from the mothership is in response to this one from Jon at MVN but judge for yourself. First, Jon's point about the Chiefs signing first round picks:

Ryan Sims’ Dad made a pretty glaring accusation a few months ago that Carl Peterson has a history of low-balling first round picks. He claims that at the NFL Draft, many NFL teams warned him about Peterson’s ways. While so many were quick to brush this off and claim that because Sims was fat and lousy as a player, he has no credibility. I, on the other hand, became concerned as to whether there is any truth to his comment. Quietly, Peterson has racked up a very lousy recent track record of bringing first round picks to camp on time. Dwayne Bowe was a holdout. Tamba Hali made it to camp literally hours before camp started. Derrick Johnson was a holdout (albeit, a short one). Ryan Sims was a holdout. John Tait was a holdout. Sylvester Morris was a holdout. The only recent player to make it to camp in plenty of time was Larry Johnson.

And here's part of what Gretz wrote and was posted this morning:

Based on what they write and what they say, who could possibly think otherwise that the Chiefs drag their feet and are extra tough in negotiations, especially when it comes to their earliest selections.

The truth, however, is something quite different. Over the most recent five-year period of signing first-round picks (2003-07), the Chiefs rank in the middle of the league when it comes to getting their first choice signed. They are neither the team that is the earliest of signers or the latest. They aren’t even close to being the team that suffers the most first round holdouts.

Gretz uses the end of July as his measure of what a hold out is because if a player gets into camp by August, he's only missing a few days of practice. I think that's a valid measure.

I think they're both right (Ha, way to take a stand I know). While Gretz is correct that at least recently the Kansas City Chiefs have done a decent job of getting picks signed in a timely fashion, Jon is also correct to point that Carl Peterson does indeed have a bad reputation when it comes to contract negotiations. What's missing from Gretz's article is other contract negotiations, not necessarily rookie ones. Jon ends with a valid point:

There seems to be a huge divide between the players and the front office. Kyle Turley ranted on Sirius NFL Radio shortly after his retirement about the front office’s tactics. Greg Wesley accused the Chiefs of lying to him about their intention to release him. Trent Green was clearly not happy about the way he was let loose (and long-revered Chief Will Shields chimed in on Sirius NFL Radio that he concurred). The Chiefs are having a hard enough time attracting marquee talent in Kansas City; they can’t afford to lose players because they can’t put up with the management.

And there's the point to be made about Carl Peterson that Gretz doesn't mention. It's not about just the rookie contracts. It's about resigning players without BS. That, is something that Carl Peterson can't claim to have done successfully and is really the whole point of this debate.

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section, where I'll flesh out my thoughts throughout the day.

38TheSpot has posted a short, sweet video interview with new Chiefs draftee, our lone 4th rounder, Missouri's WR William Franklin. He answers softball questions about playing alongside Dwayne Bowe and Brodie Croyle, underneathe Herm Edwards, and Chase Daniels' potential to shine in the NFL.

It's your standard offseason conversation with an active player. Probably the most interesting nugget of information isn't spoken, but implied: Franklin says that he's worked out with Bowe ("D-Bowe") in the past, and he received a call from Bowe soon after being drafted by the team. It may never sink in how far out of the park the Chiefs knocked their first pick in 2007; Bowe has already become a young leader for this offense. His production on the field is only a fraction of how he benefits this team.

We here in Missouri are very familiar with Franklin. A part of that magnificent offense with Daniels, Coffman, Rucker, Maclin, and Temple, Franklin emerged as one of the Daniels favorite targets downfield. That whole offense last year was incredibly fast, and you could always tell that the Missouri offense kicked into another gear against slower defenses that couldn't contain anybody anywhere. Franklin, for all rights and purposes, was a crucial part to that, often attracting two defenders who couldn't keep up with his downfield speed or precise route-running.

As a fourth round pick, Franklin could not have landed in a better professional situation. This team has a Kennison-sized hole at the #2 receivers, and the available bodies they have seem more like slot receivers and rotation guys more than consistent producers of starting caliber. Jeff Webb has shown great hands and churned out some good games against last year's poorer defenses. He's a decent red zone threat, but one wonders how much more he has to grow. Darling is an underachieving speedster who was stuck in a bad position in Baltimore behind the Ravens' preference for vets. And Bobby Sippio, for all his Arena League fame and velcro hands, doesn't seem to have the speed to get open in this league. The Chiefs also acquired a number of UDFA WRs, but none of them seem to be generating much buzz just yet.

Franklin's opportunity is as good as it gets, even considering how much trouble rookie receivers have in the NFL. Expect a rough rookie season from Franklin that will not be indicative of his NFL career. 300-500 yards receiving and maybe two or three starts would be satisfactory, giving him the requisite experience to make a push for the #2 starting slot come 2009.

But expect dropped balls. Expect bone-headed plays. Expect him to get leveled a time or two. And expect more than a couple 0 reception performances.

2008 is the Chiefs' extended preseason for 2009. It's not pretty but that's how you have to embrace it. We can tolerate these mistakes as we sift through which players we can build around, which players we should cast aside, and how many more pieces we need to become a more complete team.

It's rebuilding. As Herm Edwards has said, it's called life. And it gets off the ground by giving as many great chances as possible to young, promising talent like Will Franklin.

• Kansas City Star -- "'I've told people this is the best draft we've had since 1963,' Steadman said."


• Dave at Blogging the Boys is "almost convinced that T.O. is a changed person for good."


• Another fine installment of Football University at Mile High Report.


• Lots of good stuff from Bob Gretz in his latest column -- "Derrick Johnson is on the cusp of becoming one of the NFL’s most complete linebackers."


• Anyone else forget that Samie Parker signed with Denver?


• I'm not much of a gambler but I know enough to say that these odds aren't good for the Chiefs.


• More love for Dwayne Bowe -- "There was room for only one second-year player on this list, and Bowe gets the nod over the Lions’ Calvin Johnson. While Johnson battled back problems and struggled to get going in a pass-oriented, mistake-prone Detroit offense, Bowe started 15 games and starred in Kansas City’s run-oriented, conservative offense."

I'm a bit busy as I tie down the final loose ends at work this week so I'm going to throw out a topic that I read about on a Chiefs' message board - Which former Kansas City Chief can you absolutely not stand? Who do you hate?

The kicker who shall not be named will not be named in this post so choose someone different.

Like many of the posters in that forum said, I'm going to say Elvis Grbac. He spoke at a school event I was at and you could see his smugness as soon as he stepped into the auditorium. Plus, he was a terrible player. That could have something to do with it.

Man, I hate Elvis Grbac!

via i.a.cnn.net

Sippio needs me to get him into the club?

How'd you get this number?

Without the emergence of rookie Dwayne Bowe last year, the Chiefs wide receiving corp would have been in shambles. Bowe ended '07 with 995 yards receiving, which was nearly 60% of the total yards gained by all of the Chiefs' wide receivers. Jeff Webb, Samie Parker and veteran Eddie Kennison were nearly non-existent in 2007, with their 65 catches combined not even surpassing Bowe's own 70 catches. Parker and Kennison are no longer on the team, which means that the Chiefs most experienced WR on the roster is Devard Darling who is entering his fifth season. However, Darling has only started one game in his career so take his "experience" with a grain of salt. After that, the most experienced Chiefs receiver is Jeff Webb, who is entering his third season.

In other words, the Chiefs needed some help at the wide out position.

That help began with the signing of former Baltimore Raven Devard Darling this off season, who saw little action in Baltimore during his four years there. He came to Kansas City looking for an opportunity to start. Darling appears to be a quick, hard-working receiver who will battle for the #2 spot behind Dwayne Bowe. His signing isn't major by any means. He's an unproven wide out to throw into the mix with the others.

More than likely, Jeff Webb will be called on to be the #2 receiver but the job won't come without major competition. Webb's talent appears to be on roughly the same level as former Arena League player Bobby Sippio, who spent a mix of time on the active roster and practice squad last season. Neither have shown much of a spark, even when judged by #2 spot standards. Sippio didn't even catch a pass last year.

That brings us to the two receivers the Chiefs drafted this past weekend, Missouri's Will Franklin and Utah State's Kevin Robinson. Franklin should be familiar to most here - a burner who makes the occasional drop. He'll likely battle Jeff Webb for the #2 spot and there is no foreseeable winner in that fight. Franklin was a fourth round pick, which makes him a bit more touted than Jeff Webb, who was a 6th round pick back in 2006. Kevin Robinson initially appears to have been drafted for his fantastic return ability, something the Chiefs sorely need, even with the signing of another former Raven B.J. Sams this off-season.

The Chiefs receiving corp has only eighteen combined NFL starts. That receiving game is bolstered by the greatness of TE Tony Gonzalez but there is a dramatic drop off in "seen" talent after that. We have a clear cut #1 WR in Dwayne Bowe, with all four of our other receivers theoretically fighting for the #2 spot.

What happens when defenses key on Bowe and Tony Gonzalez? Who steps up? Will the Chiefs' receiving corp be another major problem for the development of QB Brodie Croyle? Does he have the help he needs to succeed?

Croyle better be living with his receivers and his offensive line this summer. He's going to need that chemistry.