Brain Fertilizer

This season is a wash. They need to start preparing for next season now.

Nah, I'm not saying they should blow games to get a higher draft pick or anything.

But what should the priority be? What would the point be of winning 6 or 7 games this season? There's little to no chance of making the playoffs this year, and even if they did, they wouldn't go very far.

We need to start picking players for next year, I think.

We've got a lot of youth around the team with scads of potential. Let 'em show it.

For instance, how much time have we spent on Julian Battle? He's got the tools, but lacks the experience necessary, and so lacks consistency. Let him start the rest of the season. If he's still playing poorly by the end of the season, we can release him knowing he's not NFL-caliber. But maybe he'll figure it out during that time and the experience will be vital for him being a starter or starter-quality nickel back for next year.

Let Fujita, Biesel and Mitchell play LB for the rest of the year, with Fox coming in as the 4th LB. That may be what happens, anyway. But after 8 games, we'll either see a quality LB unit emerge, or know that this is an area of major concern.

Sims, Siavii, Jared Allen, and Montique Sharpe should get the majority of snaps on the D-Line. Sims should never come out, if possible. We've got too much money in him for him to be merely adequate. We can find "adequate" for bargain-basement prices. We can get 3 "adequate" DTs and still save money over his contract. This is a prime Free Agency position. Better to pick up 10 borderline free agents/potentially-washed up vets and let 'em fight it out. Lionel Dalton was a nice find...if we'd had 3 of him, we might have had a scary D-line.

Kennison is done. He can get open, but he can't protect the ball or get open consistently. #6 WR.
Morton should be a Ricky Proehl-style #5 WR from now on. Rotate Chris Horn, Jeris McIntyre, Samie Parker and Richard Smith until you find your #s 1-2, keeping in mind you have Mark Boerigter coming back with a vengeance next year (since medical advances mean season-ending knee injuries are no longer career-killers these days). If we get the young guys experience, this should be a position of strength next year.

Let's find out if Larry Johnson is a prime-time player. He should play the 2nd half for the rest of the season.

Jordon Black and Brett Williams should be playing tackle in the 4th quarter for the rest of the year. Dump Damon Huard and get Casey Clauson or other developmental QB for #3, and either play Todd Collins or the #3 in the 4th quarter so the 2nd-year tackles don't get Trent Green killed.

Sit Jerome Woods down. He's not getting it done this year, and should be an 'insurance' guy only. We let several good ST players go to make room for youngsters with potential, so let 'em play. Shaunard Harts has looked good at times, let him play the 1st half, and let Willie Pile play the 2nd half from now on. Leave Greg Wesley in, he's playing pro-bowl level with at least 1 significant lapse each game. If he doesn't correct it by the end of the season, Harts and Pile could probably start next year, and Wesley's upside would make him top-notch trade bait.

You stick with the plan no matter how close it is in the 4th quarter (and Green + Holmes/Blaylock might keep it close sometimes) so you can see how the young guys take pressure. Moreover, regardless of performance level, if someone commits too many penalties, they will be gone next year. Penalties have lost more games for KC this year than turnovers or defensive lapses, I think.

We'd probably win only 2 games the rest of the season. The upside would be:
-high draft pick position
-find out which youngsters have the ability/discipline/drive to succeed and excel
-soft schedule next year to help get home-field advantage

Then you bring in boatloads of low-priced veteran and rookie free agents to provide quality depth.

I think we'd have 3 Superbowl appearances and at least 1 SB win over the next 5 years if we'd do this. I doubt it will happen, somehow...