Are The Kansas City Chiefs Trying to Go Long???

Are the Chiefs trying to draft Chris Long???

Okay, I know that I am sounding somewhat of a conspiracy theorist when I speak those words, but honestly, if you think about it, those word aren't that far from an honest possibility.  With the recent trade of Jared Allen to the Minnesota Vikings for the Vike's '08 1st rounder (17th overall), and both 3rd rounder's (73rd and 82nd overall), they have a need at defensive end with a LOT of trade ammuniton to work with. So I ask that question again...

Are the Chiefs trying to draft Chris Long?

Call it spite, because it just may be, but other than that, the Chiefs would be stupid to pass up a chance to get Long. Seriously. I am sure that they know just as well as anyone else that Long is a beast of a football player and would be a franchise defensive end and an anchor for their defense for years to come. BUT, one true thing is that the Chiefs and the Raiders hold a fierce vendetta towards each other. And what better way for the Hunt Fam (which if you didn't know is the owners of the Chiefs) to get a one up on Al Davis by snatching Chris Long, who coincidentally, his dad Howie played 13 glorious years for Davis' Oakland Raiders.

Honestly, if the Raiders would've done better, then this wouldn't even be an issue. The Raiders would, in STRICTLY wishful thinking, would have the 32nd pick (I know, it's pushing it but, like I said, it's wishful thinking...) and we wouldn't be in the hunt for Long. I wouldn't be writing this article, and I wouldn't be stuck in this phase of paranoia I am suffering from. But, that's not the case, and ironically, the Raiders are draft neighbors with the Chiefs, holding the 4th and 5th picks, respectively. And with the mega trade the Vikings and the Chiefs recently conducted, the idea of the Chiefs trying to leapfrog the Raiders to snag Long isn't too far from plausible.

"Why do I say this?"

Simple, for two reasons. One, Jared Allen is gone. It's obvious that the Chiefs need a defensive end, and you know they are in the hunt for a defensive end. Nine times out of ten, they are going to target one in the draft, whether it be with the 5th or the 17th round pick they have.

"Yeah, but the draft is loaded with top notch defensive ends."

True, there really is. Vernon Gholston. Quentin Groves. Derrick Harvey. All of them are potential solid contributors to any defense they join. and I am sure they will be. But, none of them is at the same caliber as Long is. Period. There really isn't much arguement to the concept. and the Chiefs know that they aren't going to be able to get Long with the 5th overall pick. They are going to have to trade up to get him, maybe so far as to the 3rd overall.

Which brings me to the cluster of picks they just recived...

The Chiefs have a lot of trade firepower this year. They have three 3rd rounders, their second rounder and two 1st rounders, which gives them six picks within the first 100 players chosen. That's a lot of picks to tempt a team with. they can easily send thier 5th overall along with one of their 3rd rounders and a late pick to a team like say the Falcons, who pick 3rd overall and have been looking at Boston College QB Matt Ryan to take over a team that has been starved for a solid QB since the Micheal Vick fiasco. And with the order the draft this year, no other team really is looking for a QB in the top five with the exception of the Falcons, meaning they could easily slide down to number five and still get the player they want in Ryan. Then the Chiefs jump right in front of the Raiders, take Chris Long and still have the 17th overall pick and enjoy taking a skill position player in which this draft surely provides many of this year.

Then, like I mentioned in my previous article, Chris Long and the Chiefs drive Al Davis and his Raiders completely insane for ten or so years. Howie disowns his son and all of Raider existance plummets to a complete sense of EXTREMELY ironic oblivion. Okay, the latter sentence is somewhat embellished, but the first one is MORE than accurate, and CAN happen.

Maybe I am being paranoid, but maybe I am not. You never know, some Chiefs personel may happen to stumble upon this article and force it to be removed from this website. Maybe I accidentally uncover some truth. you never know.

I guess we will have to wait until Sunday.