Chiefs Have Many Options With Third Pick

Many Kansas City Chiefs fans expected to see some struggles from the young team that GM Carl Peterson put on the field this season. These same fans expected the Chiefs to make improvements as the season went along, which they did not going 2-14.

However, there is reason for optimism in KC; the Chiefs have the third pick in the next draft, Peterson is gone, and head coach Herm Edwards may get the axe next. The Chiefs had a great draft last year, even though first round pick Glenn Dorsey did not play up to expectations.

The biggest disappointment for Chiefs fans this year was the fact that many of the young players didn't improve like expected. Dwayne Bowe was the go-to receiver but still dropped far too many balls to be considered a superstar just yet.

Brodie Croyle couldn't stay on the field long enough to prove that he deserved to be the Chiefs quarterback of the future, and Derrick Johnson didn't look like the Pro Bowl linebacker Chiefs fans have been hoping for.

The best play from the Chiefs youngsters came in the secondary where Brandon Flowers, Brandon Carr, and Maurice Leggett all had productive rookie seasons at the corner position. Leggett, an undrafted rookie, was voted as the Chiefs rookie of the year.

The questions now are, where do the Chiefs go from here? And who do they draft with the third pick?

I'm not sure that Tyler Thigpen is the answer at QB for the long-term, his play was good, not great, and his accuracy hurt the Chiefs in some games this season.

If the Chiefs are going to draft a QB with the third pick, their only candidate should be Sam Bradford. Matthew Stafford has the best arm in the draft, but I question his decision making. He is not Matt Ryan, he is not going to come in right away and lead a team to the playoffs.

Bradford has run the spread offense in college and would transition nicely into the Chiefs new spread attack, especially now that LJ wants out of KC and Jamaal Charles may become the feature back. With that said, the Chiefs have greater needs than quarterback right now, such as the offensive line and on defense.

If the Chiefs go offensive line they will look to draft either Alabama OT Andre Smith or Virginia OT Eugene Monroe, former teammate of Chiefs rookie OT Brandon Albert. Selecting either of these giants would allow the Chiefs to move Albert to RT or his natural position of guard.

If the Chiefs draft a defensive player with the third pick they will most likely look to improve their pass rush by selecting either Florida State DE Everette Brown or Texas pass rusher Brian Orakpo. However, both players could be a reach this high in the draft and the Chiefs would clearly be drafting need in this position.

Wake Forest OLB Aaron Curry may be the best defensive player in the draft, and with the Chiefs struggles at LB this season, Curry could be another potential player on the Chiefs radar.

The Chiefs could surprise everyone and take Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree, who looks like a can't miss prospect with similar skills to Andre Johnson. Crabtree lacks the ideal top-end speed of a great WR but has the size and strength to be a very valuable weapon in the NFL.

In the end I believe Tyler Thigpen should get one more year to prove himself as QB of the Chiefs. They aren't going to the Super Bowl regardless of who plays QB next year, and the front office needs to realize their best chance will be in 2010 and beyond.

I believe the Chiefs should draft either Andre Smith or Aaron Curry with the third pick and look to free agency to find their pass rusher, perhaps Julius Peppers. I wouldn't mind seeing them draft Crabtree either as he would give Thigpen another very good weapon to go along with Bowe and Gonzalez in the spread offense.

The Chiefs have many options with the third pick, they don't absolutely have to draft a certain position, but they must look to shore up their defense by the start of the 2009 season.