Ryan Pavlicek-
When the Andy Reid saga came to a halt in Philadelphia many wondered where he would end up next. Those who wondered didn’t have to wait very long as the Kansas City Chiefs went all in for the wanted coach before anyone else had a chance. Reid may have had a house in San Diego and a talented on-paper Chargers team, but the Chiefs simply wanted him more.
And it didn’t hurt that they allowed Reid to control all of the football operations, allowing him to make each and every personnel decision. While many criticized that particular aspect of the hiring, Reid had already watched every snap of the Chiefs two-win 2012 season. Reid saw what needed to be done, and has pleased the die-hard fan base in a big way while quieting those who doubted his ability of building this team from the ground up.
Reid was the man behind each and every of the following notable moves that has taken place beginning before free agency, and now at the one week mark of the new league year.
- Franchise Tagged Branden Albert- OL
- Re-signed Dwayne Bowe to a five-year contract- WR
- Re-signed Dustin Colquitt to a five-year contract- P
- Traded for Alex Smith- QB
- Signed Mardy Gilyard- WR
- Signed Marcus Dixon- DL
- Signed Dunta Robinson- CB
- Signed Sean Smith- CB
- Signed Anthony Fasano- TE
- Signed Donnie Avery- WR
- Signed Mike DeVito- DL
- Signed Chase Daniel- QB
All of these additions will be accompanied by whomever Reid wants with the number one selection in this year’s NFL draft. Many believe that will either be the tremendous offensive lineman Luke Joeckel, or the even more tremendous defensive lineman Star Lotulelei.
Whichever direction Reid and his management decide to go in the draft, they will be sure to add some more talent to a team that’s undergoing a rapid rebuild that has the NFL talking about how far the Chiefs could go this season. They do have a roster that can compete for a wildcard position, but that was also said before they went 2-14 last season.
The difference is that they have a quarterback in Alex Smith who is much more effective than Matt Cassel ever was in Kansas City, with a team that is similar to the one in San Francisco that Smith thrived in before losing his job to injury. I am not suggesting that Reid built the 49ers of the AFC, but that Smith has weapons to work with and a defense that should give the team a chance to win each week. Smith can be a game manager with his smarts and accuracy thanks to the roster that Reid has put together, something that Cassel was awful at doing.
It’s far too early to make any predictions, but its become clear that in just the first week of the 2013 league year the Chiefs are the most improved team on paper. The Miami Dolphins may have gone on an eye opening shopping spree, but it came by sacrificing Reggie Bush and Jake Long, who were two important players. The Chiefs on the other hand haven’t lost anyone they didn’t want to lose, but have brought in, and kept, all of the talent that they wanted.
Their off-season success comes down on the new man in charge, who probably hasn’t slept much with the amount of work he’s already put into the 2013 Kansas City Chiefs.
It’s safe to say that the Chiefs will be the most improved team, while not being the most surprising one by the end of this upcoming season. Right now, their roster looks far too good to be predicted to finish in the bottom of the league this season.
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