Tony Gonzalez, Larry Johnson Would Still Like To Be Traded

A source close to Tony Gonzalez has said that he would still like to be traded.

This comes in contrary to Clark Hunt’s statements that Gonzalez is “excited about the changes” that the Chiefs have made this offseason.

Those changes include bringing in Matt Cassel from New England, as well as Scott Pioli, and former offensive coordinator Todd Haley from the Arizona Cardinals.

Gonzalez was on the trading block last year during the season, but then-GM Carl Peterson pulled his name off the block after he could not get the compensation for Gonzalez he was looking for (somewhere in the area of a second-round pick, only as high as a third was ever offered).

Hunt has said that Gonzalez is excited about the new high-octane passing attack that the Chiefs would seem likely to implement, based on Haley’s history with the Arizona Cardinals.

In Arizona, Haley’s offense included three receivers all with over 1,000 yards receiving in Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston. His quarterback, Kurt Warner, was an MVP candidate for much of the season while passing for over 4,500 yards.

The only problem is Cassel is not Warner, Dwayne Bowe is not Larry Fitzgerald, and I’m not even sure who the Chiefs’ other receivers are to even compare them to Boldin or Breaston.

So while Haley brings the style and system along with him, he does not bring the talent.

The other thing that Haley brings is the worst running offense in the league, something that can’t make already-disgruntled running back Larry Johnson any happier, and the same system that has Edgerrin James fed up with Arizona and requesting his release.

Johnson has not been happy in Kansas City for a long time and has even gone so far as to say he “doesn’t feel comfortable” in Kansas City altogether.

Gonzalez would like to win a championship before he retires, and Johnson wants to be in a system which will use him better than Haley’s.

So while the motives may be different, both players would like the same result: To be playing in some other city in 2009.

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