CHIEFS FANTASY NEWS

February 25, 2006 1:00 PM ET

After missing the playoffs for a second straight season, the Chiefs have attempted to prop the proverbial window open for a veteran team with championship aspirations by tabbing former assistant and golden boy Herman Edwards as the successor to Dick Vermeil. Above all else, Edwards is expected to bring balance to an offense-heavy team as well as discipline to a roster that had reportedly grown lax under Vermeil.

For a team that ranked in the top five in total offense in all five seasons under Vermeil, his departure—as well as the loss of offensive coordinator Al Saunders—is significant for fantasy owners, especially considering Edwards' conservative track record on offense. Herm tempered those concerns and pleased Chiefs veterans by promoting long-time offensive line coach Mike Solari to run the offense. Solari has presided over the team's Pro Bowl line since 1997, is one of the most respected assistants in the game, and has made touchdown machines out of both Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes.

That backfield will be the object of great scrutiny this offseason, as we wait to hear the results of Holmes' latest neck/spine evaluation and his decision on whether to return. On February 12, Edwards characterized Holmes' status as 50-50, but told the Kansas City Star that his gut feeling was that Priest would be back. Edwards did please fantasy owners by quickly installing Johnson—who carried more than a few fantasy teams to a championship—as his No. 1 back regardless. Johnson finished second in the NFL in touchdowns and third in rushing yards, despite getting single carries in five of his first seven games of the season.

There is some concern, given his background, about Solari's ability to engineer a passing attack. However, his familiarity with Vermeil's Air Coryell-based scheme and the presence of veterans like Trent Green, Tony Gonzalez, and Willie Roaf mitigate those worries to a large degree.

On the other side of the ball, the Chiefs have seemingly struck it rich in consecutive drafts with defensive end Jared Allen (20 sacks in two seasons) and linebacker Derrick Johnson (96 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles). They also took modest steps forward in defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham's second season at the helm. However, after ranking just 25th in the NFL in yards allowed, there are still major improvements that need to be made. Edwards and Cunningham—who very nearly worked together with the Jets—will be moving to Herm's traditional Cover-2 scheme.

Needs
As one would expect from an experienced offense that has ranked no lower than sixth in either scoring or total yardage in any of the past four seasons, the Chiefs are largely set, albeit a year older. Their most glaring need on offense is out wide, where they lack game-breaking ability. Eddie Kennison has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, but both he and No. 2 starter Samie Parker have durability issues and lack size. Hence the offseason interest in Terrell Owens. The Chiefs are also thin at the receiver position, with veteran backups Marc Boerigter and Chris Horn not currently under contract.

Johnson leaves little to be desired with the football in his hands; his 2005 numbers as a starter (nine games) project to a preposterous 2,896 total yards and 30 touchdowns, both of which would be NFL records. However, his blitz pick-ups (or lack thereof) left Green subject to disaster (injury, turnover) on more than one occasion and will need to improve for him to stay on the field in obvious passing situations and two-minute drills.

Elsewhere on offense, the Chiefs simply need to fend of Father Time. Both Green (quietly the same age as Brett Favre) and Gonzo showed signs of slowing down last season with sub par totals, and Pro Bowl offensive linemen Roaf and Will Shields continue to defy the odds with their longevity. Solari's promotion is rumored to be encouraging both Roaf and Shields to add another year to their extensive careers. Kansas City must prepare for the inevitable rebuilding process by adding youth behind these stalwarts on offense.

On the defensive side, the reclamation project that began with Cunningham's return two seasons ago and continued with the signing of Patrick Surtain last summer must address weaknesses at all three levels. Up front, they need a run-stuffing defensive tackle and a speed rusher to complement Allen. Elsewhere, their need to shed anywhere from $14 to $24 million off their salary total is expected to put several inconsistent regulars under the microscope, specifically linebacker Kendrell Bell, defensive end Carlos Hall (UFA), safety Greg Wesley, and corners Dexter McCleon and Eric Warfield. Significant cuts will be needed if the team's interest in Owens and/or recently released corner Ty Law is to come to fruition.

Salary Cap Situation
Peterson told the Kansas City Star on March 22 that the Chiefs are approximately $14 million over the projected salary cap for 2006. A week earlier, the Star reported that the team's obligations amount to $116 million on a cap anticipated to be $92-$95 million.

Unrestricted Free Agents
QB Todd Collins, QB Damon Huard, WR Marc Boerigter, RB Tony Richardson, TE Kendall Gammon, DE Carlos Hall, DT Lionel Dalton, DE Gary Stills, S William Bartee, CB Dewayne Washington

Restricted Free Agents
OT Jordan Black, WR Chris Horn, DE Jimmy Wilkerson

Free Agent Signings
None.

The Draft
With Edwards installing Tony Dungy's signature Cover-2 scheme and McCleon and Warfield among the likely cap casualties, the defensive backfield is expected to be a priority on draft day, perhaps with the 20th overall pick. Ohio State cornerback Ashton Youboty and Clemson corner Tye Hill are the top two defensive backs on the projected draft board after Texas safety Michael Huff and Virginia Tech corner Jimmy Williams, both of whom are early-to-mid first-rounders.

It's unlikely that Edwards will look for offense with that first pick, but it's worth noting that the top receivers in the draft—Ohio State's Santonio Holmes and Miami's Sinorice Moss (Santana's brother) may fall in the Chiefs' neighborhood.

In addition to plugging the remaining holes on defense, the Chiefs have to begin preparing for life without Green, Roaf, Shields, and the rest of their aging front five. With only Damon Huard and Todd Collins behind Green, the future at the quarterback position is very much cloudy. A succession plan was the motivation behind signing CFL star Casey Printers late last year, but it wouldn't surprise us to see another passer tabbed on draft weekend. Anyone who saw the Chiefs play without Roaf for six games last season know they need to begin building a new offensive line behind this ancient unit.

Injury Watch
For a team that is awfully long in the tooth, the Chiefs are pretty healthy, but Holmes is obviously the big question mark. He was scheduled to have another round of examinations this month to determine how effective rest has been in relieving the pressure on his neck/spine. Holmes has finished three of the last four season on Injured Reserve with hip, knee, and now the neck/spine problems. However, a healthy Priest would cut into Johnson's fantasy value and would likely prevent L.J. from competing with Shaun Alexander and LaDainian Tomlinson for the No. 1 overall fantasy pick.

Shields was rumored to be on the verge of retirement last season due to back problems, but the 10-time Pro Bowler played in all 16 games and earned another trip to Hawaii. Roaf's six-game absence due to a bad hamstring was disconcerting, but he returned in week 10 and finished the season at full strength without incident.

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