Chiefs Without 2011 Contracts
Over the Super Bowl weekend the NFL Players Associated released the names of all the NFL players who do not have contracts for the 2011 season. That list included 25 members of the Chiefs. Their futures remain up in the air with the current unsettled labor situation.
OFFENSE (12)
- Quarterback (1) – Brodie Croyle.
- Running back (1) – Jackie Battle.
- Fullback (2) – Tim Castille, Mike Cox.
- Wide receiver (2) – Terrance Copper, Kevin Curtis.
- Tight end (2) – Brad Cottam, Leonard Pope.
- Offensive line (4) – C/G Rudy Niswanger, OT Ryan O’Callaghan, OT Barry Richardson, C Casey Wiegmann.
DEFENSE (13)
- Defensive line (3) – Ron Edwards, Wallace Gilberry, Shaun Smith.
- Linebackers (5) – Charlie Anderson, Cory Greenwood, Tamba Hali, Corey Mays, Mike Vrabel.
- Cornerbacks (3) – Brandon Carr, Travis Daniels, Maurice Leggett.
- Safety (2) – Reshard Langford, Jon McGraw.
What a list, makes you think. For a young team we have a lot of starters who can walk. Add the CBA and what do the Chiefs do? Cannot win for trying.
Things that pop out to me. Carr, Hali, all DL free agents, how do you not re-sign them? If the veterans walk, no Center left on roster (with experience) and no RT who played last year. Can a College FB start next year? If Thomas Jones is done, do you go into the season without Battle on roster? Does anyone want O’Connel at the second TE?
This is a very hard time for Pioli/Haley/OCs to pick and chose. Would not like their job with this.
Well said, el cid. Your thoughts echo my own.
Brodie Croyle – release, draft a QB (Stanzi or Kaepernick please).
Jackie Battle, sign-quality backup and ST contributor; Jones will be back, hopefully not as the starter.
Tim Castille, sign-very “Versatille”; Mike Cox, sign to compete
Terrance Copper, sign-the ST’s captain; Kevin Curtis, sign to compete; One of our top 3 immediate needs in the draft, there is immediate room for a starter (first 3 rounds).
Brad Cottam, release; Leonard Pope, sign 2 years; a TE with the ability to set the edge would be nice, Charlie Gantt in the 5th or 6th round.
C/G Rudy Niswanger, sign to compete-especially if Wiegmann retires; OT Ryan O’Callaghan, sign to compete, draft a tackle to compete; OT Barry Richardson, sign-I like his versatility, expect him to start at RT but draft Jah Reid w/ one of our 5th’s; C Casey Wiegmann, expect him to retire, offer him a coaching position, could we see Lilja make the move to pivot? Jake Kirpatrick in the 3rd Rd may be advisable.
DEFENSE (13)
Ron Edwards, sign to compete-may we see another 1st round D-lineman? Nose tackle is thin in the draft, Phil Taylor is a possibility in the 1st; Wallace Gilberry, sign-great in the pass rush rotation; Shaun Smith, sign-may start at any of the 3 DL positions.
Charlie Anderson, release; Cory Greenwood, release; Tamba Hali, sign to start; Corey Mays, sign to compete-look for the quick development of Micah Johnson; Mike Vrabel, look for him to retire-sign to 1/2 year, look for Studebaker to start. We will certainly find some additional pass rush support in the draft, Justin Trattou may be the pick.
Brandon Carr, sign to start; Travis Daniels, sign to compete; Maurice Leggett, sign to compete; Reshard Langford, sign to compete-maybe the best body on the team; Jon McGraw, sign to compete-offer him a coaching position if he doesn’t make the team.
“… how do you not re-sign them?”
Simple theory which Mr. Pioli has significant experience using from his days in New England, player on division-winning team wants big pay raise. General Manager doesn’t think they’re worth that much and lets them walk.
“no Center left on roster (with experience)”
Wiegmann is worth considering. Rudy is worth replacing…?
“Does anyone want O’Connel at the second TE?”
No…keep Pope.
I think one question we should be considering is…which of our top FA’s is most likely to be allowed to leave for another team? Don Pioli has proven history that shows he is prone to take this approach from time to time.
Expect some very wonkey stuff to go down this off season.
If they get a deal done there will be a lot of free agents, from every team, to go around. If the deal favors the players, we’ll see players we wouldn’t expect have a hard time finding a job.
If they squeak out another “band-aid” deal, expect for teams to not spend in whatever form free agency takes. The weak draft class this year takes on a whole new level of importance, especially when teams look at how the Packers have become Champions.
Not sure what “wonkey” means. I suggest Mr Pioli is not shown a interest in all 30+ teams in the NFL but if you think he will search for missing pieces, I guess you will be satisfied.
Did not know about the “weak class”, I heard it was strong at WR, LB, and Spec. Team types. Is that weak?
The Chiefs had a good year last year but if you lose the right side of the OL to free agency, isn’t that a concern even if you get new bodies? I say the Chiefs should decide who they consider the “right 53″ and re-sign them. It is just so many starters who can walk, that’s a problem.
First and foremost Tamba Hali, get him signed and pay the man. Next Shaun Smith, Gilberry, and Carr. All of the O-line. Mays, Battle, Pope and Greenwood. Maybe Curtis.
McGraw is the only malignancy, get him out.
What are the odds the term might change from the Right 53 to the Cheap 53?
El cid,
Wonkey or wonky, from my understanding means unsteady/unstable or leading to uncertainty.
The top of the WR class is strong. Each year there are between 30 to 35 WR typically taken in the draft. There’s only about 18 to 20 that are worthy of sniffing the NFL this year. This is an extremely weak LB class, not sure who told you it was strong. The 34OLB, many DE’s in college, is adequate through the first 4 rounds.
The draft “market” will undoubtedly play a role in Scott’s decision making process as we saw with Tyson Jackson two years ago. We could have had BJ Raji instead. Oops.
I predict they’ll get the cheapest 80 guys into camp to find the right 53. The Hali situation will be interesting to watch play out.
SG, cheap is good if they can play. Aren’t the Chiefs supposed to get the best player for the cheapest price? It is the volume of players, do the Chiefs use the 10 win season to build on or do they say we are not supposed to be good for two more years, so let them walk and we get others who will be starters in a 2 years. It will be interesting to see how Pioli handles or does not handle the signings. Who does Crennel want to keep or does Muir have an opinion of positions he is not familiar with?
Cheap? No, inexpensive. Payroll doesn’t have to be the hightest to be the best; look at Pittsburgh, Green Bay, New England, and Baltimore.
In my opinion, the Chiefs should try to resign most all of their free agents except I wouldn’t worry too much about Croyle, Curtis or Anderson.
Hali, Carr, Smith, Gilberry, Edwards, Richardson, Wiegmann, O’Callaghan, Niwanger and Greenwood would be my highest priorities.
A guy who is on the street right now is DL Shaun Rogers, who was just cut by Cleveland. He’s 32 and has had some injuries, but he’d definitely be worth a shot at the right price. He is massive and can still be a 2 down run-stuffer on the inside as a rotational guy.