Quarterback Situation

The NFL draft might not be until April, but some Chiefs blogs are obsessing about it.

The one that I am talking about is ArrowheadPride. They've recently done an article on the quarterback situation in Kansas City, saying that the Chiefs must take a quarterback in this year's draft. The reasons were several, but none was I that convinced of.

You can argue all you want that Cassel is more of a game manager than an elite quarterback. I won't disagree with you there. Elite quarterbacks can lead their team to the playoffs no matter the team around them. Game managers require the team to play at a decent level around them to be successful.

But let's not forget that Cassel is fresh off his first Pro Bowl and third offensive coordinator. I bring up the coordinator because Cassel has not gotten a fair share of continuity like other quarterbacks do. Nonetheless, perhaps Cassel will never be an elite quarterback.

But who in this year's draft will be an elite quarterback?

Here's the top 11 quarterback prospects: Blaine Gabbert (Mizzou), Cam Newton (Auburn), Ryan Mallet (Arkansas), Jake Locker (Washington), Colin Kaepernick (Nevada), Pat Devlin (Delaware), Andy Dalton (TCU), Christian Ponder (Florida St), Ricky Stanzi (Iowa), Nathan Enderle (Idaho), and Greg McElroy (Bama).

Now, these rankings aren't necessarily in order, but these names aren't necessarily synonymous with elite. None of them are projected to go number one like Andrew Luck (Stanford) or Matt Barkley (USC) could go next season. In fact, most of these quarterbacks would be "projects," according to ESPN scouts.

With the 21st pick in the draft, should Kansas City gamble with taking a quarterback?

No, not with the other needs the team needs to address. Wide receiver, linebacker, and offensive lineman are all needs more prevalent than quarterback. Even with back-up Brodie Croyle likely leaving this offseason, I'm not sure if I would draft a quarterback. And if I did draft a quarterback, it would probably be somewhere in the 2nd to 4th round; perhaps a Stanzi, Ponder, even a McElroy, someone like that. One that wouldn't be a necessarily high draft pick and one that we could take the time to develop; in other words, one that really wouldn't compete for the starting job right off the bat.

But even then, why not go get a free agent back up? Remember John David Booty from USC? He was a fifth round pick in 2008 and is available. I mean, drafting a quarterback is such a hit-or-miss task that maybe we shouldn't even try this season on drafting one in the middle rounds. The last time we tried that, we got Croyle, who didn't turn out quite like the Chiefs hoped. And with the success Pioli showed last season with drafting in the middle rounds, I have faith that he can add that same kind of talent again this season.

Now, I do think that the quarterback position is an important one, but for this draft, let's remember that Cassel had a good season. Let's bring in some more talent to surround him with.