Kansas City: A Rebuild

I am far from a GM, but it does not take a GM to realize the Chiefs have seen much better times. It was not long ago that the Chiefs made the playoffs. Since then they have had two abysmal years. I recently argued that Larry Johnson should remain in Kansas City and play out his contract. However, if he were to do so the team would still have to make radical changes in order to have any success. As I said I am no GM, but here are a few things I would prescribe for the ailing Chiefs.

First off, the Chiefs succeeded in hiring Scott Pioli for GM. Pioli has a great deal of experience in evaluating personnel, having followed Bill Belichick to every team he ever coached on. Some of the drafts gems the Patriots have had were the result of Pioli’s work. In 2000 as assistant director of player personnel Pioli would have been involved with the selection of Tom Brady. Needless to say Pioli will bring great talent into Kansas City.

Second, I am sad to say this, but fire Herm Edwards. I loved when the Chiefs signed Edwards. However, in his tenure there the Chiefs have entered a major decline. The last draft class was pretty good, but one good class that managed two wins is not good enough. There needs to be a coaching change. My recommendation would be Mike Shanahan. Although it would be difficult to conceive of Shanahan moving within the division, Kansas City would be a great fit for the veteran coach. Shanahan was fired more for his GM ability than his head coaching ability. Shanahan had a way of making mediocre backs and wide receivers into superstars. Imagine what he could do with Larry Johnson, Dwayne Bowe, and Tony Gonzalez! Other than Shanahan there are numerous other coaches who would be great fits in Kansas City. A rumor floating around is that Pioli will target Cowher next year, as the two are good friends. If the Chiefs keep Edwards on board for one year, they had better go after Cowher hard the next year.

Third, a marquee defensive player is needed. There is a lot of youth in Kansas City, but they could stand to have a little more veteran blood on roster. They could use the leadership on the defensive side that much is for sure. With D-linemen like Julius Peppers, Bertrand Berry, and Terrell Suggs possibly coming on the market, the Chiefs would be well served to bring one of these dynamic players on board. After all, the Chiefs only had ten sacks last year.

Fourth, a good draft is necessary. One can’t just throw money at the problem in free agency. The Chiefs had a pretty good draft last year. If they can follow it up they should be able to propel themselves into the playoffs sooner than later. As there is considerable depth in the offensive line class, Kansas City should capitalize on it early. Bringing in dynamic offensive linemen will open up huge holes for Larry Johnson, who will become more enthused to play. A strong running game will keep Kansas City’s defense off of the field longer. There is also need for new defensive prospects. I do not think they need a Stafford or Sanchez right now. Thigpen did very well in what was essentially his rookie year. A training camp with him as the entrenched starter will do a world of good. Thigpen also allows the top 5 pick to be used elsewhere.

Finally, there needs to be a new sentiment in Kansas City. With a player like Larry Johnson on roster the Chiefs need to run more. An offensive line specialist like Pioli should be able to bring a strong o-line to Kansas City reminiscent of the days of Willie Roaf. If the Chiefs run more, the clock will keep moving and the defense will get to rest. A strong running game would also open up play-action to Bowe and Gonzalez. A new defense needs to be brought in. I would suggest the Chiefs transition to a 3-4. Dorsey would be a great end in a system like that and Derrick Johnson’s athleticism would be put to better use. A new defensive philosophy will go a long way towards keeping Kansas City in more games, letting their running game take over.

The Chiefs can return to greatness. A new GM and culture turned the Dolphins from a 1 win team to a playoff contender. It is necessary for Pioli and whatever coach he selects, even if he keeps Edwards, to change the culture in the organization. Only by believing that the Chiefs can return to greatness can they achieve said greatness. So, I wish luck to Scott Pioli and the Kansas City Chiefs. I hope that your turnaround is sooner than later.

Where Does Larry Johnson Belong?

Larry Johnson wants out of Kansas City; however there are a few obstacles in leaving Kansas City. LJ has a massive contract which will cost any team who has him $8.2 million off of their cap. He also is facing two trials which, if he is found guilty could lead to suspension. LJ will also be 30 in November. All of this should be familiar to anyone with a slight interest in Larry Johnson. However, some may not know the positives about LJ. For instance, LT is a few months older than LJ and has had in 8 years 2,657 carries, not to mention an extensive college career. Larry in six years has had 1,243 carries and only received substantial carries his senior year at Penn State. At Penn State he also achieved the 2,000 yard in one season with fewer carries than any other back to achieve such a feat. Larry has had a relatively light load and so concerns over his age are not as critical. Also, behind a porous offensive line in Kansas City, he averaged 4.5 yards per carry. Most of the time LJ seemed to run into a brick wall, an unavoidable consequence of defenses stacking the box against a young QB. However, when a hole is opened up for LJ, he hits it at full speed. Larry is still as elusive as ever, still making people miss. The point is that Larry is still a dominant running back in the league in search of a home.

Johnson has never felt at home with Kansas City. Dick Vermeil once told him to take off the diapers and he was resented for his holdout. Then this season was a rough one with the quarterback carousel and the changing offense. Larry wants out and perhaps rightly so. People are discussing Detroit, Arizona, and Cincinnati as possible locations for LJ. Detroit and Arizona have shaky o-lines and inexperienced QB’s in the foreseeable future and LJ has had difficulties with these situations. Cincinnati may be willing to bring on LJ, but with Benson having a training camp under his belt and Palmer returning, they may be unwilling to use a draft pick to trade for LJ. So where should LJ go?

If LJ wants to enjoy success in his career, he needs to bite the bullet and play in Kansas City. Thigpen has been developing satisfactorily and will command more attention from the secondary in the years to come taking men out of the box. Also, Thigpen comes into next season as the starter, which means no QB carousel. Effective QB play from the beginning of the season will go a long way towards helping the running game. The o-line will have another season to mature and will be able to get acquainted with Johnson and Thigpen.

The two problems Kansas City has are hurting Larry and the Chiefs by extension. Kansas City’s defense was atrocious and lost many games for the Chiefs. When you allow 158 rushing yards per game it is almost impossible to win. Another off-season should help the Chiefs improve their defense. The second problem with the Chiefs is that they do not have a commitment to the run. Larry had ten carries against Cincinnati for 18 yards. In the first quarter Larry ran three times compared to 8 passes 4 of which were completed including second and third down incompletions on one drive leading to a three and out. A commitment to the run would go a long way towards helping Larry put up better numbers and help keep Kansas City’s defense off of the field. If Kansas City can improve their defense and run more and earlier the Chiefs could once again become a contender. Larry has already put in a considerable amount of time in at Kansas City. Although the offense left Larry behind this season, they are giving him a large payday to put up with their rebuilding. I doubt very much that LJ’s importance is and ability is lost on the coaching staff. They will make adjustments to incorporate Larry into the offense as their key playmaker. If no such adjustments are made, Kansas City has wasted Larry’s, the fans, and quite frankly everybody’s time. So, if LJ wants to have a valuable career, he needs to grit his teeth and look no further than Kansas City.