The 2008 NFL Draft brought the Kansas City Chiefs much media attention and a lot of praise. Acquiring three first-round-quality talents in one draft is quite a feat, for sure. Glenn Dorsey, Branden Albert and Brandon Flowers may have arrived just in time to save The Herm Edwards Revolution. The Jared Allen trade sent shockwaves through ChiefsNation. However, last week's disgruntled Chiefs fans are now full of optimism about the future of their franchise.
Say what you want about Herm Edwards conservative coaching style, but his vision of how to build this team has completely changed the thinking of the Chiefs front office. No more patching holes by bringing in veterans playing past their prime. This is a youth movement that is chocked full of talent with tremendous upside.
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt is on board with this new philosophy and Carl Peterson is no longer calling the shots. VP of Player Personnel Bill Kuharich is a huge part of it all, now. Herm and Bill have a keen eye for talent and they are sticking to their guns. 12 drafted rookies + 17 undrafted free agents = 29 rookie prospects. This is going to make training camp fresh, competitive and very exciting this year.
Things have really changed in Kansas City. Only a handful of players remain from the Pre-Herm Era, and they are mostly Pro-Bowl quality talents like Tony Gonzalez and Larry Johnson. There is no way to predict how successful the Chiefs will be this season, or how much his team will improve over the next few years.
"There's somethin' happenin' here,
What it is ain't exactly clear."
Worst-Case-Scenario: It might take a couple of years for his group to become playoff-worthy. But, when they get there, the Chiefs will definately be a team on the rise.
On the Flip-side: Who knows? They might just come out swinging and shock the world by making a run in 2008.
Herm Edwards knows this approach is the one-and-only way to build a dynasty. The Chiefs organization is following his lead. Now, the most passionate and loyal fanbase in the NFL is in for one wild ride. Arrowhead will be louder and crazier than ever.
Especially, during the playoffs.