FanHouse JamesReed

Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.

Gregg Williams hasn't informed a free agent decision for New Orleans yet, hasn't hand-picked the inevitable defensive playmaker the Saints choose with their 14th-overall selection this year, hasn't installed a single scheme in a minicamp. Yet Williams' reputation has preceded him to the Crescent City, and his hiring as defensive coordinator is already considered one of the most important moves in team history.

After almost two decades of guaranteed defensive putridity, the last three of which have revolved around Gary Gibbs' lack of talent identification and bland scheming, the idea of Williams and his history of intelligent, hard-working, active, complex defenses coming to the Superdome is music to the ears. It also might finally push the Saints over the top.

The next position that I'll evaluate is the defensive line.

Defensive End:
The Chiefs were pleasantly surprised by the production of their defensive ends. Jared Allen was terrific as usual and Tamba Hali, in my estimation, had every right to be Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The issue is what the Chiefs will do in Jared Allen's 4-game absence, as he finally serves time for his DUI. Right now, the Chiefs have Jimmy Wilkerson and Eric Hicks as his backup, but both of those options are a pretty big step down.

The Chiefs might...
Use a higher pick than expected on a defensive end. The Chiefs will almost certainly re-sign Jared Allen. You almost wonder if Carl Peterson will use his first round pick as leverage for contract negotiations with Allen (just as, in many peoples' minds, Peterson did when he drafted Larry Johnson with Priest Holmes in contract negotiations.) More than likely, the Chiefs will bite the bullet, sign Allen to a long-term deal, and settle for Wilkerson to start, unless some new blood comes in. I would venture to guess that Hicks will be cut (regardless of cap consequence) and the Chiefs will either bring in some new blood, or use an early second day pick to compete for the starting role in Allen's absence. Nothing earth-shattering.

Carl Peterson recently stated that Lional Dalton was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs. According to a transcript on the Chiefs' website:

Q: Carl, are you releasing Lional Dalton?

PETERSON: "Yes, we are. We're activating Michael Bragg to the 53-man roster because we need corner help because of Benny Sapp being down. To make room, we had to release someone on the 53 and said goodbye to Lional Dalton who hasn't been active the last two weeks. We thank him for his participation but we're also trying to get young."

Q: Do some guys just not fit the coach's system?

PETERSON: "Every time you change coaching staffs there are players on your roster before that don't fit what the incoming head coach and assistant coaches are looking for. It was probably the situation with Lional."

Wow.

Some may not be surprised by this move. I am not one of them. I have always liked Dalton. I have always felt that his skills would have best been served playing as a run tackle only; a plug for the defensive line. While Dalton never got a whole lot of tackles as a Chief, he did a lot of the things you want out of an effective defensive tackle. Namely, he engaged blockers--not sexy in the stat book, but always important on the field. I thought he would do well in his new role as a situational tackle. Apparently, Herm Edwards had other plans.

It's been 36 years since the Chiefs saw their last Super Bowl. The Chiefs are hoping not to inch any closer to 40.

Defense
The Chiefs look like they may be running a defense that blends Gunther Cunningham's aggressive, blitzing philosophy with Herm Edwards' Tampa 2 coverage. The Chiefs will likely utilize Tamba Hali as a "falcon" who will play many downs as a 4th defensive lineman and others as a 4th linebacker, while the back 7 should revert to a Tampa 2 coverage. The appeal of this defense is, Hali's flexibility allows you a lot more creative options to rush the passer, as opposed to most Tampa 2 schemes which rely on the front 4 to consistently win in the trenches. I plan to talk about this falcon defender more in depth in my next installment.

Expect some shake-ups. Newcomers Ron Edwards and James Reed are already the new starters for the Chiefs' interior defense. Ty Law will start at cornerback. In nickel situations, Lenny Walls may play corner with Law, while Patrick Surtain gets bumped to nickel back. Jarrad Page may be the steal of the draft--he will certainly play a lot of nickel and dime situations, and he is hot on Greg Wesley's tail for the starting free safety spot. Wesley still has a strong hold on the job, but expect him to be held on a very short leash. Bernard Pollard will start for the Chiefs over Sammy Knight, a lot sooner than you might think. Here's the shocking revelation: I boldly predict that Kendrell Bell will be replaced by Keyaran Fox at some point this season as the starting outside linebacker.

Preseason is boring. This is, if you walk around like a blind man without a cane.

Not this writer. To me, the preseason is ultra-exciting because it gives average fans the chance to tinker with possible rosters, debate to the death whether upside should prevail over experience, etc.... Preseason shall be boring no longer! Keep an eye out for some of these preseason battles, and you may just find yourself being the only Chief fan to watch the back-end of the final preseason game with more interest than the front end. Here are some things to look out for on defense:

• Young safeties: Jarrad Page and Bernard Pollard. You won't need to look long--they're all over the field.
  
• Defensive tackles: Ron Edwards and James Reed have replaced Lionel Dalton and Ryan Sims in the starting rotation. Given the way Reed played against the Rams, it's hard to imagine his job is in jeopardy. Edwards, on the other hand, has been good but not great so far in the offseason. Dalton is not going to be a stud defensive tackle anytime soon, especially at this point in his career, but he is fairly solid at plugging holes and engaging blockers. It's hard to imagine the Chiefs' defense not involving Dalton in some major role. It's sad to say, but it may be time to close the book on Ryan Sims, the first round draft pick. I would be shocked if Sims was cut, but it does not seem like he will ever be the star defensive tackle most scouts envisioned he would be after he was drafted in the top 10. Sims will have a very long uphill battle to replace Edwards at the tackle position. The extent of Sims' role in this year's defense has yet to be seen. Other players could include Shane Burton, who has been quietly having a pretty solid preseason after his return to football, and Junior Siavii, who looks to be one step away from being cut from this team.
• Linebackers: Kendrell Bell is a lousy fit for the cover 2. Keyaran Fox is hot on his trail and he should be: he's a much better fit for this brand of defense. Don't be surprised if Bell is slowly phased out of the defense.
• Cornerbacks: Anybody think that Lenny Walls was a wasted investment? Interestingly, when the Chiefs went into nickel situations, they were using Ty Law and Lenny Walls as corners and Patrick Surtain as a nickel back.
  
• Defensive end: The Chiefs probably won't give away too much of their hand, but one thing we know for sure is that Tamba Hali is going to have a major role in their formations. Two guys to keep a close eye on are Eric Hicks and Jimmy Wilkerson. Hicks has pretty much lost his starting job, and the way he's playing this preseason, could have his role significantly cut down. Jimmy Wilkerson has done the exact opposite: his improved play has skyrocketed him up the depth chart and he could be the man who takes those snaps away from Hicks.