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2010 NFL Draft: Chiefs GM Scott Pioli's Eric Berry Smokescreen

A few weeks ago, there was a semi-bombshell dropped on us in Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback column. King discussed the NFL draft, and specifically safeties in the NFL draft, with Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff.

Atlanta GM Thomas Dimitroff calls the safety-at-the-top-of-the-draft debate a conundrum. "It's been on my mind a lot lately," he said, "and I realize I'm speaking out of both sides of my mouth here, but Berry's a really good player. It's been on my mind quite a bit recently. You want the good hitter with hip movement, able to turn and run, but then reality sets in. I was talking to [Kansas City GM] Scott Pioli about Berry, and I said, 'Scott, this guy's your pick.' And he said, 'You know how I feel about safeties that early.' And I understand.''

That quote from Pioli (via Dimitroff) made some of us (read: me) think Berry was out of the question at that point.

However, judging by Todd Haley's remarks last night, the Chiefs had likely already decided on Berry by that point.

Was it just a smokescreen or is/was Pioli genuinely concerned about taking a safety that high?

I guess we'll never know.

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