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What I’d do if I were KC’s GM

Regular readers know that I’m a big NFL football fan. So I’ve been following the hot stove league run up to the draft with great interest. The big news today, of course, is that the Kansas City Chiefs traded All-Pro defensive end Jared Allen to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the Vikings first-round pick at number 17 and 2 third round picks. (They also swapped sixth round picks.)

Obviously, I have no inside information, but I had some fun today speculating about what I would do if I were the Chiefs general manager. First, I want help at offensive tackle. With the Miami Dolphins having already signed Jake Long as the number one draft pick, however, I don’t believe there is an offensive tackle left on the board worth making the number five pick or paying number five wages.

Meanwhile, sitting down there at number 10 are the New Orleans Saints, who would love to get their hands on either Sedrick Ellis or Keith Rivers, both of whom are likely to go somewhere between number five and number nine. (Of course, this possibility goes down the tubes if the Saints swap picks with New England, but my guess is that New England will trade down even further.) Why not offer the Saints the number five pick in exchange for their number 10 pick and either their second or third round pick? At number 10, either Branden Albert and/or Ryan Clady should still be available. Either would be worth paying a number 10 salary.

Obviously, if KC is going to trade down, they don’t want to go below number 11. Sitting at 12 through 14 are Denver, Carolina, and Chicago, all of whom have needs at offensive tackle. So neither Clady nor Albert is likely to fall lower than the 14th pick.

Speaking of number 11, I don’t think Kansas City will be able to do a deal with Buffalo, whose main needs are at wide receiver and cornerback. Buffalo should be able to get somebody decent at number 11 and has no incentive to trade up with the resulting increase in salary that would have to be paid a top five pick.

Alternatively, if Matt Ryan is still on the board, as I suspect he will be, Kansas City could consider doing to deal with Baltimore. If I am Kansas City’ general manager, however, I prefer the New Orleans deal because I likely can get the player I want at 10 for a few hundred thousand or even million dollars less.

If Kansas City solves its offensive tackle problem at number five or whatever pick they trade down for, what do they do at number 17? The safe choice would be a cornerback, probably Aqib Talib or Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. I might be tempted to gamble on QB Joe Flacco, although my guess is that I could probably get one of Flacco, Brian Brohm, or Chad Henne with my high second round pick (#35), and be just as happy. So I’d probably go for the CB. (Press reports lately have Henne jumping dramatically up the mock draft boards, with some suggesting he might go as high as the mid- to late first round.) In any case, if you take this as meaning I have my doubts about Brodie Croyle, you’re right.

Then I use all my stockpiled third round picks on the best defensive front 7 players left on the board.