Last Chiefs Blogpost Until August (Barring Unexpected Arrest)
By CHRIS RASMUSSEN
Four thoughts on the draft the day after the Chiefs showed off 650 pounds of their future:
1. Nobody Has a Clue About the NFL Draft, But Everyone Will Voice Their Opinion Anyway
Self-esteem and hygiene remain unselected.
Until recently, the most annoying sports fan possible was one who referenced his fantasy football team. Now? It’s the draft geeks. These people perform their own NFL mock drafts, which is sort of like fantasy football for people without friends. At the water cooler, they will opine how “it was a reach” for the Chiefs to draft tight end Brad Cottam in the third round or that Brian Johnston is a “project with tremendous upside despite playing at a small college.” Chances are, none of these people has seen any of these players play in college, let alone break down the game film.
No one knows. Hell, the draft experts and even the people making the selections, most of whom were absolutely certain that Ryan Sims was going to be a dominant defensive force, don’t know.
2. Everyone Has Potential. Most Don’t Utilize It
Ultimately, during the draft we are making blind guesses concerning the maturity of 23-year-old males provided millions of dollars and unlimited fame. Chances are, many of those selected will not fulfill their promise because of:
(a) the pursuit of hedonism
(b) complete indifference
(c) bad luck.
Hey, everyone thinks Glenn Dorsey could be a starter for a decade. He also could fracture his tibia, requiring Carl Peterson to put him down like Barbaro.
3. The Best Possible Thing to Have Happened to the Chiefs Was Larry Johnson Getting Hurt Last Year
WHB 810’s Soren Petro made this point last week: What if Larry Johnson hadn’t missed half of last season? Rather than 4-12, maybe the Chiefs would have been 7-9, with a few close victories. Then they would have persuaded themselves — again — that they were just a few additions away. Jared Allen would still be on the team, and we would be drafting in the middle of the first round, again making modest changes when a sledgehammer is more desirable.
The Chiefs needed to hit bottom hard. We weren’t a tweak away from a championship. The injuries last year provided an opportunity for everyone, including Carl and, yes, Chiefs fans to see how far away from contention we really were.
4. Carl Peterson and Herm Edwards Have More Job Security Than Fans Suspect or Want
Carl Peterson is in the midst of the longest five-year plan since the existence of the U.S.S.R. Chief fans, along with the media, have completely turned on him. He is deeply unpopular with the team’s fan base, blamed for everything from draft busts during the Clinton administration to long lines at the concession stands.
Despite this, both he and Herm Edwards have free rein to rebuild this team until 2010, when the stadium renovations are completed. It is only someone completely secure in their job who would take the step of trading Jared Allen for draft picks, despite the near certainty that it will make the 2009 Chiefs uncompetitive. The Chiefs aren’t aggressively seeking a QB to replace Brody Croyle, the first thing a team seeking a playoff spot would do.
They are completely safe, providing two years of fodder for Jason Whitlock and talk-radio hosts.
