Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 3/15

Chiefs Release QB Matt Cassel, Who Is Headed To Vikings from KC Star

Cassel had a big season in 2010, when he threw 27 touchdown passes and seven interceptions and made the Pro Bowl as the Chiefs won the AFC West championship.

But otherwise, his time with the Chiefs was a disappointment. The Chiefs repeatedly changed offensive coordinators, and other than Dwayne Bowe, failed to field a potent group of receivers around Cassel.

That all took its toll on Cassel. Not counting his Pro Bowl season in 2010, he threw 32 touchdowns and 37 interceptions with the Chiefs.

Bowe Believes In Chiefs Leadership, Direction from The Mothership

Sure, Alex Smith is excited to have Bowe running routes for him in 2013, but the excitement goes both ways.

"That was a great move," Bowe said of the Chiefs trade for Smith. "I can't wait to work with him."

The former Pro Bowler was also thrilled about the other moves, made by the Chiefs.

"They're just making great moves all around the board," Bowe told me, via phone.

Chiefs Sign Cornerback Sean Smith from KC Star

The moves to fortify at cornerback could be aimed at getting a better matchup against the Denver Broncos, the defending AFC West champions. The Chiefs last season found it most difficult to cover Denver's two 6-3 wide receivers, Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker. The two combined to catch 22 passes for 344 yards and four touchdowns in two games against the Chiefs last season.

The Broncos also recently signed the smaller but prolific pass receiver, Wes Welker, to be their third receiver. The Chiefs, with Flowers, Smith and Robinson, look better equipped to defend Thomas, Decker and Welker than they were last season with Flowers, Arenas and either Jalil Brown or Travis Daniels.

Chiefs Release QB Matt Cassel from ESPN

The decision to cut ties with Cassel came one day after new general manager John Dorsey and coach Andy Reid held a press conference to introduce Alex Smith, whom they landed in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers to be their quarterback of the future.

Cassel was the first major acquisition by the Chiefs under previous general manager Scott Pioli, and he was quickly given a six-year, $63 million contract. But after leading the Chiefs to the playoffs in 2010, Cassel struggled to live up to the same expectations.

Chiefs Rid Themselves Of Cassel from FOX Sports

The NFL's weak class of free-agent quarterbacks has a new addition - Matt Cassel.

Kansas City waived their former starting quarterback on Thursday morning, the team announced. Just hours later, Cassel agreed to terms with the Minnesota Vikings, FOXSports.com senior NFL writer Jay Glazer reports.

Sean Smith, K.C. Chiefs Have Three-Year, $18M Contract from NFL.com

When Andy Reid took over as Chiefs coach, there was a lot more work to be done on the offensive side. But there also is the framework in place for a very good defense. Smith should help the Chiefs compete right away under Reid; they might even have enough cornerbacks to slow down the Denver Broncos.

Alex Smith Thrilled To Be In K.C. from ESPN

Smith has even played a part in luring other free agents.

Avery and Fasano both said that playing in an offense with Smith was one of the reasons they were interested in signing with the Chiefs, and they'll all be tasked with overhauling an offense that was last in the NFL in passing yards and touchdown throws last season.

"It definitely mattered," Avery said. "I know Alex is a good quarterback. I played against him when I was in St. Louis, so I know what he can do."

Kansas City Chiefs Release QB Matt Cassel from ESPN

This has been a foregone conclusion for months, so the cheering from Chiefs fans in Kansas City may be somewhat muted.

But make no mistake; this is not a sad day in Kansas City. Matt Cassel is officially a former Chief as the team cut him Thursday morning. Again, no surprise here. The Chiefs agreed to trade for Alex Smith to be the new starter weeks ago. But Cassel's time in Kansas City actually expired last season when he was replaced by Brady Quinn.

The once-hopeful franchise quarterback bottomed out in 2012, and his failure to become the Chiefs' answer was a primary reason general manager Scott Pioli was jettisoned after the season.

Kansas City Chiefs Descend En Masse On Oregon Pro Day from NFL.com

Representatives from 27 NFL teams gathered at the pro day held at Oregon, where 15 players went through a workout held indoors on FieldTurf.

The entire defensive staff of the Kansas City Chiefs, plus head coach Andy Reid and general manager John Dorsey, were on hand for the workout.

Chiefs Beat Raiders For CB Sean Smith from ESPN

The Chiefs signed former Dolphins cornerback Sean Smith. Oakland was trying to sign him as well. He was one of the best cornerbacks available, but the market has been soft...

...Oakland badly needs a cornerback, and Smith would have been the team's best. But the Chiefs won the battle.

CB Sean Smith Reaches Three-Year Deal With Kansas City Chiefs from Yahoo! Sports

Smith is a big addition to a Chiefs defense that, despite ranking 20th in total defense, had four players make the Pro Bowl last season. The Chiefs are expected to utilize the 6-foot-3 Smith's length by playing him in press man coverage.

2013 NFL Draft: Chiefs Locking Into OT After Signing Cornerbacks? from CBS Sports

Dorsey has accomplished precisely what he'd said he'd do when speaking to the media at the combine -- he's put the Chiefs in position to trade or select the best available player No. 1 overall rather than be pushed into filling a need.

"Well, it's a very unique situation sitting here in the first spot, but I can say this, if anybody wants to come up they're more than welcome," Dorsey said when asked about his plans then for the No. 1 overall pick.

"But then again, I'm going to select the first-available player, or I'm going to trade. It all depends on the options that are presented to me. That's why I'm sitting here, because I want to explore every opportunity possible and what's best for the Kansas City Chiefs."

Pro Days: Despite Jordan's Absence, Scouts Flock To See Ducks from CBS Sports

While the media and agents were not allowed into the workout, representatives of 27 NFL teams, including Kansas City Chiefs' general manager John Dorsey and head coach Andy Reid were on hand for the workout. The Chiefs, of course, own the No. 1 overall pick of the 2013 draft.

The most highly regarded (and debated) prospect for Oregon, pass rusher Dion Jordan, was unable to work out today after undergoing surgery recently to repair a partially torn labrum. The 6-6, 248-pounder didn't have to work out anyway after a sparkling performance at the combine in which he ranked among the most impressive defensive linemen in the 40-yard dash (4.60-seconds), broad jump (10'02), short shuttle (4.35) and three-cone drills (7.02).

Mr. Smith Part 2 from Warpaint Illustrated

In the first day plus of free agency the Chiefs were busy signing, Cornerback Dunta Robinson, Tight End Anthony Fasano, Defensive End Mike DeVito, QB Chase Daniel, WR Donnie Avery, Offensive Lineman Bryan Mattson and made the trade for Alex Smith official.

And it's quite likely the Chiefs aren't done in their search to add players. With the financial market set in the NFL and the fact free agents are not finding the lucrative contracts they hoped to get after teams maxed out their dollars in the initial hours of free agency, Kansas City can sit back and find even more roster value in the coming days. There will be plenty of players this weekend that will get squeezed out of their roster spots due to salary cap restraints or large roster payouts.

What Sean Smith Signing Means from ESPN

The Kansas City Chiefs made a big deal Thursday in signing Sean Smith. Smith was one of the best cornerbacks available, and it was another nice move by the Chiefs.

Both Denver and Kansas City have made strong plays in the free-agent market, while the Raiders and Chargers are looking for some bargains because of salary-cap restraints.

Some thoughts I have regarding the AFC West after this signing:

Mr. Smith Goes To The Big 12 Tournament from KC Star

Think you might've seen new Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith in the crowd at the Sprint Center?

You sure did.

Smith got some face time during the KU-Texas Tech game as the ESPN2 broadcasters looked for ways to hold viewers' interest in what became a Jayhawks blowout.

Cosell's Take: 3-4 And 4-3 Concepts More About Personnel Than Defensive Fronts from Yahoo! Sports

Hall of Fame coach Hank Stram of the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs, one of the game's great innovators, also utilized the 3-4 defense. He had one of the most athletic outside linebackers of any era in Bobby Bell. Bell was 6-foot-4 and 228 pounds, yet he played at a time when linebackers were rarely asked to blitz. The 3-4 trend continued in the 1970s, with Chuck Fairbanks in New England, Bill Arnsparger in Miami and Bum Phillips in Houston among its devotees.

Chiefs Cut Quarterback Matt Cassel from The Pitch

All right, Chiefs fans, it's time to quit whining and climb aboard the Alex Smith bandwagon. As expected, the Chiefs released quarterback Matt Cassel on Thursday, cementing Smith's role as the team's new starter. The team also added former Mizzou quarterback Chase Daniel as Smith's backup earlier this week.

Free-Agency Winners A Myth In NFL from FOX Sports

Every year, about this time, my people start passing judgment. There is nothing we the media love more than declaring winners and losers of NFL free agency.

Signing a couple of players, even JAGs (which is a Bill Parcells-ism for Just A Guy) at insane price points, guarantees a spot among winners. And my FOX friends dutifully listed Kansas City and Cleveland among their admittedly early free agency "winners" using said criteria while Baltimore registered among the Day 1 losers.

I say this respectfully: This is all kinds of wrong.