Kansas City Chiefs 2004 Draft
Report Card
By Chris Catania, NFL
Correspondent
(Sports Network) - Sometimes
trauma victims block out what they've witnessed as a coping
method. That's what must be taking place in Kansas City, where the
Chiefs have surely blocked out the carnage their defense suffered
in a home divisional playoff loss to the Colts.
The Chiefs did not stop
Indianapolis once that day. The defense waylaid a 9-0 start
because it was gouged against the run and equally inept against
top passers. Still, the Chiefs re-signed all five of their own
defensive free agents, adding only DT Lional Dalton to the mix in
free agency. What happened to Branch Rickey? The Chiefs can give
up 446 yards in a playoff game with you; they can give it up
without you too.
On draft day, Chiefs fans had to
be scratching their heads again when the team dealt out of the
first round and chose a tight end with its second pick.
Kansas City bypassed wide
receiver Rashaun Woods by dealing down six spots from 30 to 36 and
picking up a fourth-round pick and a fifth-rounder next year in
the process. The Chiefs did use the 36th overall pick on promising
defensive tackle Junior Siavii.
Siavii has the potential to be a
dominant player against the run, but he'll be 25 when the season
starts and has little football experience. The Chiefs passed on
the opportunity to add linebacker Karlos Dansby or defensive
tackle Igor Olshansky. Olshansky, like Siavii, is incredibly
strong and also new to the sport, but he will be 22 when the
season starts and has the ability to play inside or outside.
The selection of Kris Wilson with
the 61st pick was a luxury the Chiefs can't afford. Wilson was a
productive receiver, but the Chiefs have Tony Gonzalez and outbid
Oakland to retain backup Jason Dunn, who is one of the best
blocking tight ends in the league. The club also missed a chance
to select a handful of defenders that would have had the chance to
make a bigger impact on the team's fortunes. Defensive end
Marquise Hill of LSU and defensive tackles Darnell Dockett and
Randy Starks would have been better fits for the Chiefs. Kansas
City also could have had its pick of corners -- Derrick Strait,
Joey Thomas and Keith Smith -- to bolster the secondary.
The Chiefs did add a potential
edge rusher in third-round linebacker Keyaron Fox from Georgia
Tech, and finally added a receiver in the fourth round in Samie
Parker. The Chiefs lost John Tait in free agency, thus ending a
remarkable string of 33 consecutive starts by the same five
offensive line. They added Chris Bober in free agency and on day
two of the draft made an excellent trade to acquire Philadelphia
guard John Welbourn, who was a four- year starter for the Eagles
and will be given a chance to win the starting right tackle job.
The team also selected Jared
Allen in round four. Allen played at a small school but has above
average quickness and good size.
2004 Draft Picks: (2nd round-36th
overall) DT-Junior Siavii, Oregon; (2-61) TE-Kris Wilson,
Pittsburgh; (3-93) OLB-Keyaron Fox, Georgia Tech; (4-105) WR-
Samie Parker, Oregon; (4-126) DE-Jared Allen, Idaho State; (6-195)
WR-Jeris McIntyre, Auburn; (7-231) OG-Kevin Sampson, Syracuse.
Sports Network Draft Grade: D+
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