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The Kansas City Chiefs will see plenty of change in 2013

How much will the Kansas City Chiefs change in just one year? I took a peek at the Chiefs depth chart ahead of their Week 1 game against the Falcons in the 2012 season opener. Some position groups will make you chuckle knowing what we know now. A few others won't see much change. Take a look at how that Week 1 depth chart compared to everything we know now.

Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

OFFENSE

WR Steve Breaston, Jon Baldwin, Devon Wylie
WR Dwayne Bowe, Dexter McCluster, Terrance Copper

Add Mardy Gilyard and Tyler Shoemaker to the mix!

As it stands, it's possible that the Chiefs lose the receivers listed at the top for Week 1 last year. Breaston's 2012 makes you think he could be on his way out and Bowe is scheduled to be a free agent ... but the Chiefs probably aren't going to let him get away.

LT Branden Albert, Donald Stephenson
LG Ryan Lilja, Jeff Allen
C Rodney Hudson
RG Jon Asamoah
RT Eric Winston

I barely even recognize this offensive line! The Chiefs had a lot of changes on the line last year. Stephenson stepped in a few times at left tackle. Lilja went to center when Hudson went down, which made Allen a starter.

Next year's Chiefs line could basically be the same thing -- except swap Lilja for Allen.

TE Kevin Boss, Tony Moeaki, Steve Maneri, Jake O'Connell

Boss and Moeaki are still the top two guys for the position heading into 2013.

QB Matt Cassel, Brady Quinn, Ricky Stanzi

Uh, yeah. Could be a little different. The question no one seems to be asking though: What about Ricky Stanzi? He's still under his rookie contract so I suspect the Chiefs will hang onto him. Someone's gotta give him a good look, right?

RB Jamaal Charles, Shaun Draughn, Cyrus Gray
RB: Peyton Hillis, Nate Eachus

Remember the two running backs thing on the depth chart? I'm guessing that's going away. Charles is still the main event. That's what really matters here. I am curious to see who ends up being his running mate. Probably not Hillis.

DEFENSE

RDE Glenn Dorsey
NT Anthony Toribio, Dontari Poe, Jerrell Powe
LDE Tyson Jackson, Ropati Pitoitua, Allen Bailey

Remember, Poe didn't technically start the season as a starter. But he's the man in 2013. Big changes could be coming at the two defensive end spots -- the odds are probably on both Dorsey and Jackson leaving.

ROLB Andy Studebaker, Edgar Jones
RILB Derrick Johnson, Cory Greenwood
LILB Jovan Belcher, Brandon Siler
LOLB Justin Houston, Cameron Sheffield

Tamba Hali was suspended Week 1 last year so that's why he's not on here. Then there's Jovan Belcher, obviously, so one spot will be replaced. This is still the best position group on the Chiefs.

RCB Stanford Routt, Javier Arenas
LCB Brandon Flowers, Jalil Brown, Jacques Reeves
FS Kendrick Lewis, Travis Daniels, Tysyn Hartman
SS Eric Berry, Abram Elam

Routt! Oh man. I almost made it through a week without thinking how bad that deal was. I'll admit: I totally bought into it. On paper, at least, it looked like a shrewd move to replace Brandon Carr. And then we (read: Pioli) looked like fools.

So we're looking at a new cornerback to replace Routt -- maybe an in-house candidate? -- and possibly a safety to compete with Kendrick Lewis.


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