Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 2/23

General Manager John Dorsey - Combine from The Mothership

Q: Is your plan to pick based on best available?

DORSEY: "I do. I believe in the best available player philosophy."

Q: And that may not be a quarterback?

DORSEY: "Well, you know what? We haven't finished the final process of evaluations. When I made that comment it was the first phase of evaluations. It is an ongoing situation and at the end, we will see what happens, but it will be the best available player."

Former Boss Has High Praise For Chiefs' GM Dorsey from KC Star

"John doesn't need my advice,'' Thompson said. "I saw him earlier today. He's going a million miles an hour because he's trying to get up to speed and he and (new Chiefs coach Andy Reid) both are both really good football people. I've worked with both of them and the Chiefs are in good hands. I promise you on that. I haven't given him any real advice other than to be himself."

Reflections On John Dorsey's Combine Presser from The Mothership

Will WR Dwayne Bowe play for the Chiefs next year?

"Again, it has been an ongoing communication with his representatives. We've had those discussions for the last couple weeks. We will continue to have those conversations as we get to free agency."

Insider Take: It's been said before, marriages end often times because of a failure to communicate. That being said, Chiefs fans should know that Dorsey and company are communicating with Bowe's people and that's a good place to start, in search of the best resolution.

Geno Smith Makes His Case AS Top QB In NFL Draft Class from KC Star

"I don't feel any pressure," Smith said. "I'm totally confident in my abilities. I'm not cocky or trying to say I'm this all-world player right now because I have many areas where I need to grow. But I do feel like I have a great, tremendous skill set and that I have an opportunity to showcase that and it's something I look forward to.

"You can watch the tape and see all the throws I'm making. There still needs to be improvement. Inconsistency is something I've struggled with, I believe. Overall, I put up good statistics. But there are some situations where I could have made a better throw and I'll be the first person to say that. I'm athletic, I'm a very smart guy. I understand defense, I have a good knowledge of the game and I also put the work in necessary."

Smith's combine work, including the throwing he will do for scouts on Sunday, might have to be dazzling to interest the Chiefs, at least with the top overall pick. General manager John Dorsey said recently the Chiefs and other teams were having a difficult time ranking the quarterbacks in the draft because so many, Smith included, were inconsistent last season.

2013 NFL Scouting Combine Notebook: Day 2 from The Mothership

The second day, covering the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine, was fast and furious, as the quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers came, saw and conquered the media room and radio row. Oh yeah, there were also some offensive linemen, who stole the spotlight, as well.

Since there were so many great comments from the players on Thursday, I decided to list some of them, including some direct quotes.

Inside Free Agency - Day 13: Greg Jones from The Mothership

Fullbacks are often overlooked, at any level. So, it's easy for names like Greg Jones to not be talked about in free agency conversations and such. However, the numbers Jones has produced (when healthy), either running or blocking for his fellow backs, are worth a discussion.

Name: Greg Jones
Position: FB
Height: 6'1
Weight: 265
College: Florida State
Born: May 9, 1981 (Columbia, South Carolina)
Age: 31
Experience: 9 years
Drafted: 2004, 2nd Round-23th pick (55th overall) by Jacksonville Jaguars

Jones just completed his ninth NFL season, including 67 starts in 115 games.

2013 NFL Combine: Chiefs To Meet With 6 To 8 QBs from CBS Sports

Barkley, scheduled to meet with the Chiefs on Friday, and West Virginia's Geno Smith are widely considered the top two quarterbacks in this year's class, although opinions vary widely about whether they're worthy of top-pick consideration. Neither had met Chiefs coach Andy Reid but will do so this week.

"He's got a great reputation. It's a new situation for him, being in Kansas City," said Barkley. "I said I wanted to be the No. 1 quarterback, and if that's the No. 1 pick taken, that would be a dream come true. We'll see where that whole process takes (me)."

Chiefs GM Happy To Have Toub from ESPN Chicago

"Anybody who knows special teams and coaches knows that Dave Toub is one of the better special teams coaches in the National Football League," Dorsey said Friday. "I look so forward to working with him. I had to battle him so many years, and he's a real good special teams coach. I'm so glad he's with us."

OCHS Alumnus Szwanki Turns Sports Interest Into Career from The Ocean City Gazette

After graduating in 2009, the then-injured athlete headed to Rowan University with little idea what he wanted to do with his life, until he got involved with the university's sports medicine program.

With graduation on the horizon, Szwanki, who spent a season working with the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, has found his niche.

"I fell into it. Sports medicine almost found me in a sense, and it has worked out perfectly," he said.

Football Friday from Miami University Athletics

Former Miami University quarterback Zac Dysert is in Indianapolis this week for the 2013 NFL Combine.

Unfortunately, he's not able to participate in any workouts, as he injured his hamstring during a training session at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. on Feb. 11.

The 6-foot-4, 224-pound prospect sustained the injury when running a 40-yard dash. The small hamstring tear will take three to five weeks to heal...

...CBSSports.com projects Dysert as the ninth best quarterback prospect and a fourth- or fifth-round draft pick. The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles have shown the most interest so far, he said.

Eight In The Box: Biggest Cap Casualties from ESPN

It's going to be quarterback Matt Cassel. His release will reportedly save the Chiefs more than $5.8 million and his time in Kansas City is simply up. He was benched last year and the regime that brought him to Kansas City with the hopes of him becoming a franchise quarterback has been fired. This is a new era in Kansas City and there is no room for Cassel.

Quarterbacks Guru George Whitfield: Landry Jones A First Rounder from USA Today

Jones appeared poised and in charge during his combine interview before the national media. He met with Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, whose team holds the draft's top pick, at the Senior Bowl and came away hoping he made the same impression on Reid that Jones left with about a coach with the reputation for polishing quarterbacks.

"He's an awesome coach, and it would be an honor to play for him,'' Jones said. "This is definitely a wide-open year. There's a lot of guys with a lot of talent. ... The further we get into this process, there's going to be somebody who puts himself ahead.''

John Dorsey Looking For Best Talent from ESPN

Dorsey said the team has been in touch with pending free agents, receiver Dwayne Bowe and left tackle Branden Albert. He said the talks are ongoing. Dorsey also said the team has been in touch with quarterback Matt Cassel and defensive end Tyson Jackson. Cassel will almost certainly be cut, and Jackson will have to take a major pay cut to avoid being cut.

Dorsey praised 2012 the Chiefs' first-round pick, defensive tackle Dontari Poe. He said he think Poe came on strong last season and he thinks Poe can be a standout.

Left Tackles Top Draft Wish Lists from FOX Sports

New Chiefs head coach Andy Reid didn't tip his hand about the No. 1 pick Thursday other than to say the club would listen to trade offers. Munchak knows what he would do if facing the same decision as Reid.

"I don't know what their needs are. But if they want a tackle, you take him (there), Munchak said. "If not, you move onto something else.

"That's why you're going to see those guys get drafted high. If you have that need, you've got a special player who's going to play for a long time. If you could put a guy in there for 10 years, it's a good feeling."

Time Is Now For Patriots To Trade Ryan Mallet from WEEI

It's important to remember that the Chiefs would likely be cautious when it comes to landing one of Brady's backups -- after all, there's still some ill will in Kansas City when it comes to the Matt Cassel Era. But the price for Mallett would likely be either the second pick of the second round (34th overall) or the first pick of the third round (63rd overall), both of which would represent an upgrade for New England, which took Mallett in the third round (74th overall) in 2011.

Jim Harbaugh Refutes Tim Brown's Claim from ESPN

For what it's worth, former Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli offered his two cents on what the Chiefs should do in the offseason. I know, I know.

KCChiefs.com Video Page