It has been a couple of up and down years for the Chiefs, as they went from division winners two years ago to a traveling infirmary last year. After everything went right, nothing could have gone more possibly wrong. How else do you explain having a new quarterback step in, fresh off the waiver wire, and break his thumb on his first play from scrimmage?
So Scott Pioli went out and beefed up his team to prevent future disasters. Peyton Hillis was brought in to add some muscle to the backfield. If he can find his place in the league somewhere between his production from the past two seasons, he could create one of the best thunder and lightning duos alongside Jamaal Charles. Hillis came at a bargain considering his tumultuous season last year, and if he plays like a man in a contract season this time around, he could be one of the biggest steals of the free agent crop.
People around the league were shocked when the Houston Texans cut veteran right tackle Eric Winston. He had been working one of the best zone blocking lines for the past five seasons. Unknowns from Steve Slaton to Arian Foster became elite backs running behind Winston. Now he has taken his talents to the Chiefs and hopes to solidify a line that has been much maligned in recent years. It took a bit of convincing during a two day visit in Kansas City, but Winston eventually agreed to a four-year, $30 million contract that will reward him for his years of solid blocking.
When Tony Moeaki went down with a torn ACL early this past season, it was a major blow to the Chiefs offensive attack. He was coming off a solid rookie season that saw him catch 47 balls for 556 yards. He was also vital in the rushing attack as the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Iowa product helped seal the edge to create space for Charles. But he is back to full health now and he will have some help this time around.
After the great Raiders purge of 2012, Kevin Boss became available to the open market. Just a year after signing a 4-year, $16 million deal with Oakland, he was sent packing and thus available to the highest bidder. So in an attempt to get with the double tight-end times, Pioli brought Boss in to serve as the mismatch problem to Moeaki’s underneath mauling abilities. He got a three-year, $9-million pact with the Chiefs, and he should last more than a year on this team.
When Matt Cassel went down last year, any hope for the Chiefs season was all but lost. There was a brief glimmer of hope when Orton came to town, until the Tyler Palko era took full effect. So in an attempt to prevent another disaster under center, lifelong backup Brady Quinn was brought in to get some reps. He has struggled to find his way in the league since being a standout star at Notre Dame, but getting away from Tebowmania will likely do wonders for him on and off the field. If Cassel goes down once again, Quinn should be able to run the offense that is set in place without worrying that a oversized tight-end was going to take his job.
The Chiefs are often overlooked when listing off contending AFC teams, but there is a chance that all the pieces could fall into place this season. They have the 11th overall pick in the draft which could yield them some help on the defensive side of the ball. Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson are effective run stuffers, but they need a big time defensive tackle to clog the middle up. Dontari Poe and Michael Brockers are all solid possibilities to solidify the interior and give the backers space and time to roam and make tackles.
Health permitting, and as long as Peyton doesn’t pull off any crazy 14-2 stuff down in Denver, the Chiefs should be able to quietly contend for the division title once again. Dexter McCluster is a great change of pace back and excellent in the return game. Eric Berry can play at a Pro Bowl level in the secondary when healthy. Brandon Flowers can shut down his side of the field. Stanford Routt was another victim of the Raiders salary purge, and he should be a solid corner opposite Flowers, in place of Brandon Carr. Dwayne Bowe is elite and Jonathan Baldwin could get into that conversation in a hurry if he stops getting into fistfights with teammates.
Looking for a sleeper team for the coming season? Look no further than the Kansas City Chiefs.
