Chiefs not expected to go for older free agents
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

This year’s list of potential NFL free agents carries an enticing bounty
for any team.

Imagine what it looks like to the Chiefs, who not only lost their final
nine games last season and finished 4-12 but are armed with ample room
under the salary cap.

They could load up with such veterans as Alan Faneca and Flozell Adams
to help fix their broken offensive line, a wide receiver like Jerry
Porter to complement Dwayne Bowe and a cornerback like Asante Samuel to
replace Ty Law, who could soon be released.

Just don’t expect any of that to happen when the free-agent signing
period begins Friday. The Chiefs appear prepared instead to pursue
players who better fit their free-agent strategy which, to put it
succinctly, is younger and cheaper.

“Age is a big factor for us in free agency,” Chiefs coach Herm Edwards
said. “You’d like to get guys (heading into) their second contract and
not their third contract, guys that have played three or four years and
kind of established themselves. They might not be a starter but they’re
about to be a starter, probably in a bad spot somewhere else because
there’s a guy in front of him.

“Those are the guys we’re going after, the guys who are 26, 27.”

Law, Donnie Edwards, Damion McIntosh and Sammy Knight are a few of the
veteran free agents signed by the Chiefs in recent years. Each was 30 or
older by the time he played for the Chiefs.

“We’re not going down that road anymore,” Edwards said. “We’ve been down
that road.”

That comment would seem to eliminate Adams (who is 32), Faneca (31) and
Porter (he turns 30 in July). It leaves room only for the 27-year-old
Samuel, who should command a premium contract since he’s generally
considered the best available cornerback.

But another one of Edwards’ comments would seem to eliminate Samuel as well.

“We might have champagne tastes but we have beer money,” Edwards said.
“We’re only going to spend a certain amount in free agency, which is a
wise thing to do. You’re not going to handicap yourself (in future
seasons). You don’t do that. We want to build this thing through the
draft. We’re not going to live in free agency.”

Edwards also suggested the Chiefs might be bystanders during the early
days of free agency, when the big money tends to be doled out.

“Those are always guys you pay too much money for,” he said. “You always
(pay more) because you’re buying a guy’s name. It looks good in the
paper. It looks good when you make the announcement. But at the end of
the day, does the guy play up to the name? If they’re at a certain time
in their career, I say they don’t.”

The Chiefs have 10 picks in this year’s draft, including extras in the
fifth, sixth and seventh rounds. They haven’t had as many as 10 picks
since 1994.

Having extra draft picks allows the Chiefs to be more selective in free
agency.

“Maybe that means we only get two or three players in free agency,”
Edwards said. “We don’t have to go after five guys. You really don’t
want to do that. Once you establish your drafts and you have some good
drafts back-to-back-to-back-to-back and you get your team (going in the
right direction), you go out and get one or two guys in free agency and
that’s it.”

In free agency, the Chiefs would like to obtain at least one offensive
lineman as well as a cornerback and wide receiver.

The model for the Chiefs in free agency might be Alfonso Boone, who
signed last year and immediately became their best defensive tackle in
years.

Boone was unheralded when he signed, mostly because he was stuck behind
premier players and was only an occasional starter for Chicago.

Potential free agents who fit his profile include Indianapolis guard
Jake Scott, San Diego cornerback Drayton Florence and Arizona wide
receiver Bryant Johnson.

Florence is 27, and Scott and Johnson are 26.

To reach Adam Teicher, Chiefs reporter for The Star, call 816-234-4875
or send e-mail to ateicher@kcstar.com

--
"I know. You're 7-Eleven. You're always open. You'll get the ball.
Relax. There's some other guys we've got to get the ball to, too."
- Herm Edwards on Dwayne Bowe's enthusiasm for wanting the ball

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