Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 3/1

Good morning! Mock drafts, RGIII, Manning, Carr, Bowe, the 2011 defense, a WR signing, and more are waiting for you in today's Kansas City Chiefs news. Enjoy!

But every once in awhile, especially after getting a chance to see and meet so many of the names in the talent pool for April's draft, I like to sit down and create a dream draft.

The picks have nothing to do with any moves made by the other 31 teams. These selections are based on positions of need for the Chiefs and information I was able to gather in Indianapolis during the NFL Scouting Combine. It's a mere flight of fancy this dream draft, but it's as close as any other guesses one might see at this time of the year.

My dream draft is heavy on offense and heavy on the heavy, the big guys upfront on offense and defense. See what you think.

Don't Mock This Dream Draft... Thursday Cup O'Chiefs from Bob Gretz

The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Wednesday that the team has signed free agent WR Zeke Markshausen.

Markshausen (5-11, 185) spent time on Kansas City's practice squad after entering training camp with the Chiefs in 2011. He also appeared in training camp with Chicago in 2010.

Chiefs Sign Free Agent WR Zeke Markshausen from The Mothership

KC Star Video: Chiefs Need To Draft Right Tackle

NFL free agency begins Tuesday, March 13^th at 3:00 PM (CST). With the Chiefs looking to improve depth and competition across their roster, KCChiefs.com will preview 30 potential free agents in the 30 days leading up to the start of free agency. Today's featured player is Minnesota Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

30 FAs in 30 Days: Visanthe Shiancoe from The Mothership

The Kansas City Chiefs already had a couple of linemen who were possibly going to retire, both on offense on defense. Kelly Gregg and Casey Wiegmann are both reportedly leaning toward retirement, but another might beat them to it as Ryan O'Callaghan is also reportedly ready to retireaccording to Adam Caplan.

Chiefs Tackle Ryan O'Callahan Reportedly Set To Retire from SB Nation Kansas City

Kansas City Chiefs - Joe Montana took this sorry franchise to an AFC Championship game during the 1993 season and the fact that Todd Haley is gone and Romeo Crennel has a great defensive scheme working, it could pave way for Manning to control the offensive plan all by himself. However, Matt Cassel had signed a $63 million six-year contract in 2009 and I believe this is why Manning might or might not pursue. If I were a Chiefs fan, I'd want Manning because in the wild AFC West where every team is in last place -- err, I mean first place; he could be the catalyst that keeps the Chiefs in contention every year. With Jamaal Charles returning, this team would be a Super Bowl contender in my eyes (likeliness level) - 50/50

Some Teams Are "Manning-Up" For Manning from Scoop San Diego

This is the first in a series of a position-by-position analyses on the best free agents set to become available on March 13, when the free-agency signing period begins. The series will continue on Thursday with a look at the free agent wide receivers and on Friday with a look at the free agent running backs.

Because Drew Brees and Alex Smith are certain to return to their teams, the class of quarterbacks, for now, has only one option with the potential to be a good starter: Green Bay's Matt Flynn. That would change if Peyton Manning reaches the market.

2012 NFL Free-Agent Quarterbacks: Even If Manning Enters Market, Flynn Is Best Choice from Sporting News

The Kansas City Chiefs have been broadcast on KCFX-FM and the Chiefs Radio Network for more than two decades. Broadcasting a game on the radio may sound like a simple undertaking, but it's far from plugging in a small mixer and two mics. Dan Israel, executive producer (and pregame show host) has been involved with the broadcasts since 1989. Near the end of the 2011 season, he took time to tell Radio magazine how a broadcast is put together.

Chiefs Football Surrounds The Crowd from Radio Magazine

I remember when DJ came out of college at Texas the big rip on him was that he would try to go around blockers to get to the ball carrier. Well, he's not doing that now. He blows frickin' ball carriers to He77 and all their blockers with them. I have heard national media, more than once, compare DJ to Ray Lewis and say that DJ is better than Ray Ray right now. He has become my favorite defensive player to watch and I can't wait to see what a year of roaming free in the wonderful world of Crennel will be like for DJ. I also can't wait to see what kind of compound effect DJ, Hali and Berry have this year on all the other Chiefs defenders. Because of DJ, the team success arrow is pointing up. Way up.

Chiefs Team Success: Defense from Arrowhead Addict

Kansas City Chiefs: Another team that met with Griffin at the combine, thereby at least kicking the tires on this possibility. Kansas City picks 11th, so the Chiefs would have to offer up a trade package even more lucrative than what Cleveland, Washington, Miami or possibly Buffalo could. Maybe they'd have to toss in a worthwhile player too - and since I'm wildly spitballing scenarios, I'll toss out Jonathan Baldwin as a fit for the receiver-needy Rams if the Chiefs keep Dwayne Bowe in the fold.

Who Might Be 'Mystery' Team In Robert Griffin III Sweepstakes from Sports Illustrated

The Most Interesting Man in the World award -- Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor: Having interviewed him during Super Bowl week, I knew the league was going to swoon over the poised, polished and engaging RGIII. But the crushes that developed in Indy were perhaps unprecedented. Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli opined that he'd be thrilled if either Griffin or Andrew Luck married his daughter. The media fell under Griffin's spell in a 12-minute Friday afternoon press conference and really didn't care to talk to anyone else the rest of the weekend. And Kansas City head coach Romeo Crennel walked away from his 15-minute chat with Griffin saying, "we could have talked to him for an hour.''

2012 Scouting Combine Awards from Sports Illustrated

Think about what putting the franchise tag on Wallace would mean. They would have to pay him $9.4 million in 2012 unless they were able to negotiate a multiple-year contract for him. That also would be the starting point of any multiple-year contract because why would he sign for anything less than a $9.4 million annual average in a longer term contract since he would be guaranteed to earn $9.4 million in 2012?

That contract is guaranteed as soon as Wallace signed it, which would happen about 30 minutes after the Steelers, if they were foolish enough, applied the franchise tag. They are not as dumb as the Kansas City Chiefs, who are reportedly ready to put the franchise tag on wide receiver Dwayne Bowe.

Ed: Franchising Wallace Makes No Sense from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

9. Neil Smith, Defensive End, 1988-2000; drafted by: Kansas City Chiefs, 1988; Defensive statistics: 104.5 sacks, 30 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, 582 solo tackles, 41 assists. Awards/Honors: 6 Pro Bowls, 1 First-Team All-Pro-Smith had 10-plus sacks four straight seasons (1992-95) and led the league with 15 in 1993 when he was named an All-Pro. Smith's one more Pro Bowl nod in one less season gives him the slight nod over Bennett here.

Best Number Two Picks In NFL History from The Epoch Times

The Chiefs might be hanging just outside of the top 10 of the 2012 NFL Draft, but unlike most teams atop the board, they are only a few pieces away from competing within their division.

And two of those pieces - Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry - will come off of last year's injured reserve.

But if the Chiefs want to compete on a grander scale - within the upper ranks of the AFC - they are only a couple of extra moves away from having a well-rounded stock of talent.

Playbook: Chiefs Need To Keep (Or Replace) Bowe from NFL.com

The Steelers have announced that they will release receiver Hines Ward. I don't think there will be great AFC West interest in him, but I could see San Diego being interested in adding the reliable veteran on a short-term deal.

Does Hines Ward Fit In The AFC West? from ESPN

Jesse from San Antonio wants to know if I think the Chargers could sign Kansas City cornerback Brandon Carr.

Bill Williamson: I don't think so. I guess it's possible, but I think the Chargers have bigger in-house needs and outside needs at linebacker, the defensive line and at safety.

Mailbag: Brandon Carr To San Diego? from ESPN

Kansas City Chiefs

The Arrowhead Addict was speculating about the likelihood of the Chiefs getting in on the Griffin action with an early surprise trade, but there is not an overload of concrete info here. However, the Chiefs did meet with Griffin at the combine, and Romeo Crennel was all like, "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Robert is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon."

Or more like: "He's very sharp. He's well thought out. He gives great answers. We could have talked to him for an hour, but in the 15 minutes we had we came away very impressed with him."

RG3 Watch: So... Seattle? Or Maybe Kansas City? from Grantland