Get to Know The: Kanas City Chiefs Arrowhead Addict Expert Interview

Up next in our series of team expert interviewees is Patrick Allen of Arrowhead Addict another fansided page.

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If you know of an expert who would be great for this series leave a comment and I’ll see what I can do to get him/her.

1) What are the Chiefs biggest needs heading into the N.F.L. off-season

From a broad perspective, KC’s biggest need is depth. While they were good enough to win 10 games last season they still have a ways to go before they can be considered a legit contender for the Super Bowl. The good news is that they are now a team that is talented enough to beat NFL’s poor to average teams but they are not ready to take on the big boys.

The Chiefs are terribly thin at just about every position. They are probably the deepest at CB and G but they need help everywhere else.

Biggest priorities have to be WR, NT and C. They could use another rush OLB and some depth at safety and tackle but those aresecondary needs in my opinion. They have got to get a couple of decent WR’s and a center.

2) Recently the Chiefs have made a major reach for Tyson Jackson in the first round, but also grabbed a safety because he was B.P.A. would say the Chiefs have a defined draft philosophy under the new regime?

Not yet. Pioli’s first draft in KC was a disaster. His best pick was when he took Mr. Irrelevant Ryan Succop with the final pick in the draft. Tyson Jackson looks like he MIGHT develop into a decent DE but I doubt he will ever be the type of player you expect with the 3rd pick in the draft.

I think Pioli drafts with a mix of need and best player available. Right now he has a class full of busts and a class fulll of solid picks. I think we’ll learn a lot more about Pioli’s style in this year’s draft.

3). How will the departure of Charlie Weis effect the offensive philosophy of the Chiefs?

I don’t think it will change much at all. The Chiefs will continue to run the ball and run it well as long as Jamaal Charles is around. I am confident in Haley as a play caller. I think he did a nice job in Arizona and I actually liked a lot of his plays when he arrived in KC in 2009. I think the problems the Chiefs offense that year had more to do with a lack of talent to execute the plays than the plays themselves.

Weis may have been calling the plays but for the most part, I believe they were Haley’s plays. The Chiefs face some really tough defenses next season so we’ll find out alll we need to know about Haley’s play calling ability in 2011.

4) how have the players drafted in the last two drafts developed?

The 2009 draft was a big waste of time and money. The Chiefs got an average kicker and that is it. The 2010 draft is already paying big dividends. Eric Berry went to the Pro Bow. Arenas looks pretty solid as the nickel CB. McCluster is loaded with talent but the Chiefs need to learn to use him. Jury is still out there. Asamogh could be the guard of the future to replace Brian Waters. Moeaki might be the best pick at TE. His rookie season was better than that of Tony Gonzalez. Just saying. Kendrick Lewis in the 5th was another steal at FS. Cameron Sheffied went on IR but showed some promise at OLB.

Overall the 2010 class could be the building block class that defines Pioli’s regime. The important thing is that it looks like all of the players drafted will be able to make a significant impact in some way as starters/solid backup and utility men. It is looking like a pretty remarkable class.

5). Who’s a player that Chiefs fans seem to be enamored with and hope the Chiefs can draft in April?

KC fans don’t have a favorite as far as I can tell. The last few years the team has been drafting so high that it was easy for favorites to emerge. Drafting 21st doesn’t leave the team with a lot of sexy options. Our readers seem to like Phil Taylor but most hate the idea of reaching for him at 21. Then again, they know he fills a big need and that he will be gone by the time the team picks in round 2.

Julio Jones was a pipe dream early on but after his combine he’ll be off the board. Right now, I’d say people are hoping Ayers slips to 21.

6). And then who’s one player that fans would hate to draft (like a BPA situation with Mark Ingram)

I think people would complain if the Chiefs took Ingram. I’d do a back flip because Igram and Charles could very well be the scariest running back tandem ever. Still, I think it would be an unpopular decision considering the team has many needs and RB isn’t at the top of the list.

I think the fans wouldn’t be upset with Ayers as long as the Chiefs found the best way to use him. They’d be excited about his pass rushing abilities and would probably like to see him opposite Tamba Hali.

Bartolis Note: He’s 100 percent right on fans hating the Ingram pick. I did in my 7 round mock and no one liked it.

7) Who’s the best and worst Chiefs draft picks in the last 10 years (in the first round and overall for best, and just overall for worst pick)

The best first round pick is looking to be Tamba Hali in 2006. He was OK as a DE in the 4-3 but he has really been great in his two years as a 3-4 OLB. He is clearly one of the best pass rusher in the league and he is only 27. He gets a lot of sacks but he also records an unheard of amount of QB pressures. He is a key guy for this team moving forward.

The absolute best pick in any round has to be Jamaal Charles in the 3rd. Charles has a historically good season in 2010. In fact, had he not received his last carry, which went for a loss in the Raiders game, he would have knocked off Jim Brown for the highest average yards per carry in a season in NFL history. Simply amazing. He has Hall of Fame potential.

For worst pick I have to go with DT Ryan Simms in 2002. He was the 6th overall pick and he has been just terrible. The Bucs just released him. I can’t believe he was even still in the league.

Outside the first round I’d go with Junior Siavi, taken in the 2nd round in 2004. What a bum.

8). How do fans feel about the Chiefs chances of holding off the Chargers for the A.F.C. West division at this moment?

I don’t think they feel that great because the Chargers are so loaded with talent. That being said, Chiefs fans shouldn’t feel that way. The Chargers may be talented but they went 9-7 playing pretty much the same schedule the Chiefs played in 2010. If the Chargers struggled so much playing a cupcake schedule then I have no reason to believe they won’t struggle playing a brutal schedule next season.

I think the Chargers, Raiders and Chiefs all have an equal shot at the AFC West next season. All three teams have strengths and weaknesses. It may very well come down to how each team plays in the division. Could be a 9-7, 9-7, 8-8 kind of deal.

9). Tell us a little bit about the site and why our readers should check it out.

We’re one of the best Kansas City Chiefs sites out there. We try to bring a nice mix of news to KC fans but most importantly, we bring strong opinions. We don’t pull punches, we aren’t trying to please anyone and we tell it like it is. We have a nice mix of humor and analysis supported by a great community of commenters. We can sometimes be hard on the Chiefs but we are also fair. We’re certainly not for the fan that hates to ever read anything negative about the team but we don’t spend every waking moment complaining about the Chiefs either. It is a great community and offers a little something for everyone.

Plus we update like 5 times a day so there is content all year round. There is no offseason at Arrowhead Addict.

I’d like to thank Mr.  Allen for taking time out of his busy schedule to give us some insight into the Chiefs. And I’d also like to say Follow us on twitter @nflmocks and our facebook page.

Previous interviews:

St. Louis Rams 3k TurfhshowTimes

Brian Galliford of Buffalo Rumblings (Bills)

Ed Valentine of Big Blue View (New York Giants)