Kansas City Chiefs: Father Time Is Undefeated

The Kansas City Chiefs have added many new faces to the roster for the 2009 season.

Matt Cassel was acquired in a trade with the New England Patriots to be the quarterback of the future.

Four others added and projected as starters for the Chiefs in '09 have had great careers, but the rigors of the NFL grind may have started to take its tole on these accomplished players.

They are linebackers Zach Thomas and Mike Vrabel, guard Mike Goff, and wide receiver Bobby Engram.

Zach Thomas 

He has more tackles than any linebacker in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is forth all-time.  At 36 years old, it's expected that his stats will start to decline.  He had a good season in Dallas with over 90 total tackles in 2008, but he's also one more concussion away from his career being over.

Mike Vrabel

Not quite the age of Thomas, but at 33 he's got quite a few miles on his body.  His tackle total has declined in each year following his total of 108 in 2005 for the Patriots. 

Bobby Engram

Engram has had a decent career and had a monster year in 2007.  Last season he was nagged by injuries and didn't produce half of his totals from the year before.  At 36, it may be too much to ask Engram to start, but the Chiefs apparently will.

Mike Goff 

Goff will be entering his 11th season in the NFL and, after 162 games played, getting 16 out of him him might be pushing the envelope.