**Round Five/Round Six Draft Commentary**

[Vikings4ever 569]

I thought that he was who you meant, the guy scares me because of his weight, I keep thinking he's going to injure himself somehow.

Jerome Bettis played 192 out of 208 possible games in his career.

 

The Whale may be a fat slob, but he's a fat slob who's damn good on the field.

[gratefulted 14]

Jerome Bettis played 192 out of 208 possible games in his career.

 

The Whale may be a fat slob, but he's a fat slob who's damn good on the field.

You're correct, its just a gut feeling I can't get away from.

[Ray_T 792]

between 2 guys here. im gonna take the one who is really rhe unquestioned starter. Reports from chiefs camp have been good, LJ is being quiet and supposedly buying into the offense.

 

he averaged 4.5 last year 800+ yards and 5 td's in 12 games. Im just gonna pray he can go for 1,000 and 10

Having reviewed the draft, I think LJ may be the pick of round 5. His poor numbers were a product of being on a crappy team. I think the team will be better this year, and as such, LJ may return to the form that made him a top 3 pick a couple of years back.

 

of course, only time will tell. but I think you did well to get him where you did.

[JScott 20]

Having reviewed the draft, I think LJ may be the pick of round 5. His poor numbers were a product of being on a crappy team. I think the team will be better this year, and as such, LJ may return to the form that made him a top 3 pick a couple of years back.

 

of course, only time will tell. but I think you did well to get him where you did.

 

 

Just curious, what do you think is better about KC this year as opposed to last? They lost Gonzo, and IMO Cassell is no better than Thigpen and lots of turn-over at the management level. I'm sure I'm overlooking some off-season FA pickups but was there anything that should make them significantly better? Enough for LJ to get back to past glory

[remote controller 143]

Just curious, what do you think is better about KC this year as opposed to last? They lost Gonzo, and IMO Cassell is no better than Thigpen and lots of turn-over at the management level. I'm sure I'm overlooking some off-season FA pickups but was there anything that should make them significantly better? Enough for LJ to get back to past glory

The big difference is he knows he's not what he used to be now, and that he now must work and participate. They did not draft his replacement yet, and he will be depended on heavily. His camp involvement and hard work will pay off this year. Cassell might have more respect than Thigpen did coming in, but i feel Thigpen would have doen better this year then cassell will, mainly because Gonzo gonzo would still be there.

[JScott 20]

The big difference is he knows he's not what he used to be now, and that he now must work and participate. They did not draft his replacement yet, and he will be depended on heavily. His camp involvement and hard work will pay off this year. Cassell might have more respect than Thigpen did coming in, but i feel Thigpen would have doen better this year then cassell will, mainly because Gonzo gonzo would still be there.

 

I'm not saying LJ was a bad pick in the fifth at all. But for Ray T to think he'll be back to top 3 status.... no way... LJ showing more focus and a better work ethic in OTA and traing camp will/should motivate his O-line to work harder for him... but that alone will not make up the difference. KC would have had to add some major talent to the O-line, and I may have missed it but I didn't think they did.

[remote controller 143]

I'm not saying LJ was a bad pick in the fifth at all. But for Ray T to think he'll be back to top 3 status.... no way... LJ showing more focus and a better work ethic in OTA and traing camp will/should motivate his O-line to work harder for him... but that alone will not make up the difference. KC would have had to add some major talent to the O-line, and I may have missed it but I didn't think they did.

OH??? I don't think he will ever warrant round 1 consideration again, but i do believe he can handle holding down a #2 Rb role on a team who went Rb, WR, WR, Qb or TE, then him.

[RLLD 4,275]

LJ was a fine pick where taken.

 

No he will not return to his previous numbers, his time has passed. I said as much last year, and emphatically believe it to still be true now

[Ray_T 792]

I'm not saying LJ was a bad pick in the fifth at all. But for Ray T to think he'll be back to top 3 status.... no way... LJ showing more focus and a better work ethic in OTA and traing camp will/should motivate his O-line to work harder for him... but that alone will not make up the difference. KC would have had to add some major talent to the O-line, and I may have missed it but I didn't think they did.

 

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say. perhaps that is my fault for not wording my post correctly. You know how it is when you are at work and not wanting to spend too much time on the boards.

 

either way, I think KC in general will be a better team.

 

Not Necessarily due to Cassell (although he will take some heat off the running game) but more due to a better defense.

 

Dorsey & Flowers will be a year older and a year better. I would hope that their contribution would be better this year than it was last year. This years addition of Jackson should also help the D-Line as well.

 

if the defense is better, then the offense will also be better because they wont sit as long. It's pretty tough to run the ball and stick with it when your team is down a bunch of points. so this by itself should help his numbers.

 

I never meant to say that he would be top 3. but I wouldnt be surprised to see him improve to a point where he will be a 2nd or 3rd round selection in next years fantasy drafts.

 

my apologies for the misunderstanding.

[JScott 20]

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say. perhaps that is my fault for not wording my post correctly. You know how it is when you are at work and not wanting to spend too much time on the boards.

 

either way, I think KC in general will be a better team.

 

Not Necessarily due to Cassell (although he will take some heat off the running game) but more due to a better defense.

 

Dorsey & Flowers will be a year older and a year better. I would hope that their contribution would be better this year than it was last year. This years addition of Jackson should also help the D-Line as well.

 

if the defense is better, then the offense will also be better because they wont sit as long. It's pretty tough to run the ball and stick with it when your team is down a bunch of points. so this by itself should help his numbers.

 

I never meant to say that he would be top 3. but I wouldnt be surprised to see him improve to a point where he will be a 2nd or 3rd round selection in next years fantasy drafts.

 

my apologies for the misunderstanding.

 

Appreciate the follow-up Ray_T... Yep, just a little misunderstanding... I can agree with what you said above.

[RLLD 4,275]

Appreciate the follow-up Ray_T... Yep, just a little misunderstanding... I can agree with what you said above.

 

kiss ass....

[JScott 20]

kiss ass....

 

 

You are sooooo flirting with me

 

 

 

Give me a few minutes guys, I just got back from a fire and need to sto my gear and clean up

[WhiteWonder 2,960]

My view on LJ is that his attitude seems better, the defense in KC will be better (even just slightly) and the coaching change was needed. The switch to Haley as HC and Pioli as GM could be the change this team needs to start playing better football as a whole.

[Ray_T 792]

My view on LJ is that his attitude seems better, the defense in KC will be better (even just slightly) and the coaching change was needed. The switch to Haley as HC and Pioli as GM could be the change this team needs to start playing better football as a whole.

agreed.

 

although it would have been interesting to see what Thigpin could have done with another year as the starter.

 

I watched a game with him at QB and while he wasnt pretty, he managed to do some things that surprised me a bit. I havnt seen enough of him to say he's a starting QB, but I have seen enough to label him as an 'interesting prospect'

[remote controller 143]

agreed.

 

although it would have been interesting to see what Thigpin could have done with another year as the starter.

 

I watched a game with him at QB and while he wasnt pretty, he managed to do some things that surprised me a bit. I havnt seen enough of him to say he's a starting QB, but I have seen enough to label him as an 'interesting prospect'

.....and Thigpen would have kept Gonzo where he belonged. Thigpen would also have been much better the first 4 games or so. By game 5 or 6 Cassell will be a push, but no better.

[Dan 66]

.....and Thigpen would have kept Gonzo where he belonged. Thigpen would also have been much better the first 4 games or so. By game 5 or 6 Cassell will be a push, but no better.

 

I agree with this. Cassel was a knee-jerk reaction so that Scott Pioli could "put his stamp" on the franchise right from the start. It's a shame, because Thigpen has talent that can be developed with the right coaching. Cassel may turn out to be Rob Johnson revisited.

[remote controller 143]

I agree with this. Cassel was a knee-jerk reaction so that Scott Pioli could "put his stamp" on the franchise right from the start. It's a shame, because Thigpen has talent that can be developed with the right coaching. Cassel may turn out to be Rob Johnson revisited.

They seemed to me to be the same player, with Cassell drawing the better team last year, and Thigpen equalling the output.

[KSB2424 3,174]

Are we talking about real football or fantasy football with Thigpen and Cassell?

 

Thigpen threw up some numbers last year, but that was more based on HAVING to chuck the rock so many times than anything else. (i.e. Billy Volek a few years ago). Great fantasy wise for us, but what I saw from Cassell last year would be a huge upgrade for KC as a team. Not sure how that translates fantasy wise, but I don't think they are in the same class of NFL QB's.

[Dan 66]

Are we talking about real football or fantasy football with Thigpen and Cassell?

 

Thigpen threw up some numbers last year, but that was more based on HAVING to chuck the rock so many times than anything else. (i.e. Billy Volek a few years ago). Great fantasy wise for us, but what I saw from Cassell last year would be a huge upgrade for KC as a team. Not sure how that translates fantasy wise, but I don't think they are in the same class as NFL QB's.

 

Maybe both. I think it's funny that folks consider Cassel somewhat proven, and pay no attention to history. He was in a system that was outstanding, with a very good O-line, and excellent receivers. He's going to a new system, without the same atmosphere, the great coaching, and definitely a step back in terms of weapons. Thigpen did what he could; he is by no means a finished product. Could he get better? I guess that's the frustration, isn't it? He won't really be given that chance, though I think he has the moxie and ability to be a decent-to-good NFL QB.

 

You can attribute Thigpen's numbers to having to throw it a lot, but why doesn't that count "against" Cassel? QB starts with leadership, and I think the better leader is going to be riding the bench in KC.

[JScott 20]

Maybe both. I think it's funny that folks consider Cassel somewhat proven, and pay no attention to history. He was in a system that was outstanding, with a very good O-line, and excellent receivers. He's going to a new system, without the same atmosphere, the great coaching, and definitely a step back in terms of weapons. Thigpen did what he could; he is by no means a finished product. Could he get better? I guess that's the frustration, isn't it? He won't really be given that chance, though I think he has the moxie and ability to be a decent-to-good NFL QB.

 

You can attribute Thigpen's numbers to having to throw it a lot, but why doesn't that count "against" Cassel? QB starts with leadership, and I think the better leader is going to be riding the bench in KC.

 

 

Exactly

[remote controller 143]

Cassell will basically have to learn his 2nd offense since highschool too. They blew it here, and could have kept their picks, and their TE, and kept the QB who really lifted this squad up late last year. This was a blunder, so as mentioned above, that some guy could put his mark on a team. All I can think of is a fire hydrant in this case. I don't think they improved much if any at all in the long run, and feel they took a step backwards in the process. Now I did see some encouraging things out of Cassell last year, but hell, he was on the PATS, and we should have. He finally caught his stride just after mid season. The minute Gonzo went to bat for Thigpen, that was the minute ownership should have listened to their best palyer, and stayed put at QB.

 

I do find it quite amazing we are continuing to discuss the Chiefs 6 rounds later, but it is a good discussion.