Kansas City Chiefs on the Clock, Rest of Top 20 Set
Well, Romeo Crennel won’t get to see the fruits of one of the worst seasons in recent Chiefs franchise history, but fans at least can have some peace in knowing that their team is about to get (hopefully) a significant boost via the 2013 NFL Draft.
General Manager Scott Pioli will be sticking around, per reports on ESPN.com, but the rest of the football decision makers for the Chiefs will be brand new as we approach draft season. This has to be somewhat of an attractive coaching position for any prospective NFL head coaching candidate.
Despite finishing the season 2-14 with the worst record in football, the Chiefs had five Pro Bowl players–as many as the best team in the NFL, the Denver Broncos.
The Chiefs are armed with five Pro Bowl players, a number one overall pick, and they will be getting rid of every bad apple in the bunch this offseason. Dwayne Bowe? Consider him gone. Matt Cassel? Probably not going to be a Chief much longer. Even if those guys do stick around, I think the Chiefs are going to see some big changes but that doesn’t mean they are going to have to gut the roster. This is a talented team who simply needs a head coach and quarterback to put it together.
Their instability in those two areas has been their downfall for a long, long time. Matt Cassel was able to put together a Pro bowl caliber season a few years ago, and the Chiefs won the division as a result.
Now, there will be a changing of the guard. I saw on Twitter last night that respected NFL Draft analyst Russ Lande believes the Chiefs will select Mike Glennon, quarterback from North Carolina State. I have Glennon rated as a second round pick right now, so that’d be a shocker to me.
There are still some who believe the Chiefs will select West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith, who may not be worth a top overall pick in a draft like 2011, but certainly stands out in this year’s QB class. Smith showed me flashes this year of some Aaron Rodgers ability, and we all saw how Rodgers fell on draft day after being considered for the top overall pick.
Then there are those who believe the Chiefs will go with a non-quarterback. This seems unlikely to me, though whoever the new head coach is will have to decide if it’s worth it to sign or trade for a quarterback rather than pick one of his own. I think the correct pick at this point is Geno Smith, but that will almost undoubtedly change as the offseason progresses.
Who are some other candidates? Well, you have the only defensive Heisman Trophy finalist this season, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o. How about star defensive tackle Star Lotulelei? Maybe the Chiefs will look to upgrade their offensive line and take Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel, or Michigan’s Taylor Lewan if those guys decide to declare.
The fact that we’re having this debate is an indication that there is no true STUD coming out of this draft, no clear-cut top overall pick like in years past. However, I do think that the Chiefs have a chance to significantly upgrade their roster, which already features some really good players.
Here is the rest of the top 20 order, which was decided yesterday:
1. Chiefs
2. Jaguars
3. Raiders
4. Eagles
5. Lions
6. Browns
7. Cardinals
8. Bills
9. Jets
10. Titans
11. Chargers
12. Dolphins
13. Buccaneers
14. Panthers
15. Saints
16. Rams
17. Steelers
18. Cowboys
19. Giants
20. Bears
The Chiefs will have a new head coach when they pick first in April, and the Jacksonville Jaguars will have a new General manager after firing Gene Smith. Perhaps at that point, they will also have a Tebow on their roster.
This promises to be another very intriguing NFL offseason, and teams have a chance to do what the Vikings, Redskins, and Colts all did this year. Go from picking in the top three of the draft to playing in the NFL postseason. It’s no longer a slow rebuild in the NFL. Rookies are making huge impacts for teams, and these teams are no different.