What's Next for the Chiefs Offseason?

On Monday, while attending the University of Iowa's Pro Day, Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli told Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star that the team is "planning and hoping to continue to sign players.”

And while Pioli could simply be referring to the additions of second and third stringers in the process of building up the team's training camp roster, I think that Pioli will have his eye on one particularly important position for the rest of the free agent period.

Look what Pioli has done in free agency so far: Brandon Carr's departure was imminent, or at least the organization was lead to believe, so Pioli went and signed Stanford Routt after he was released by the Raiders. Even after free agency began, Routt would probably have been the best free agent pick up the Chiefs could have made without spending the type of money the Cowboys and Rams did on Carr and Cortland Finnegan (that would be the $50 million + range).

Cornerback: Check

Once free agency began, Pioli began to fill immediate needs with upgrades. With Thomas Jones a free agent (and a washed up one at that), Pioli brought in and signed Peyton Hillis on a one-year deal. Hillis is by far better than Thomas Jones at this point in both their careers, and will be motivated by a one-year contract to play as hard as he can to earn the big bucks with either the Chiefs or some other suitor at year's end. The size of Hillis paired with the speed of Charles is a lethal combination.

Running back: Check

Next came finding a tight end. The only two tight ends on the roster are Tony Moeaki, coming off an ACL tear, and Jake O'Connell, who is seldom ever used. Pioli brings in Oakland's recently released Kevin Boss, and signs the promising young player to a contract. Not only is Boss, who is good at both run blocking and receiving, a great pair to Moeaki, but also a significant upgrade to last year's tight end options that included Anthony Becht and Leonard Pope (although I will admit, I am a Pope fan).

Tight end: Check

Now it's time for big one: Eric Winston. I'm sure I wasn't the only Chiefs fan out there that masochistically thought the Chiefs would stick with Barry Richardson no matter what anyone in scouting departments or statistic databases said. But that is no longer a worry because Pioli solved possibly the most glaring need on the team.

Right tackle: Check

And last but not least (possibly least), Pioli brought in quarterback competition/Cassel's backup quarterback. His name is Brady Quinn, and he actually turned down more money to stay with the Broncos for a chance to compete for the starting job in KC (which makes you wonder what Pioli told Quinn behind closed doors ...). Either way you look at it, we don't have to select an over-valued quarterback in the first two rounds and we're no longer an injury away from the Tyler Palko Experience.

Quarterback: Semi-Check

But there is still one position of vital importance to the team that Pioli has yet to address: Nose tackle.

Since the Chiefs switched over to a 3-4 defense, the team has been in need of a dominate nose tackle to fill the void in the middle of the defensive line. The Chiefs have tried with Ron Edwards, Shaun Smith, and Kelly Gregg. But those have all been stop gaps, short term fixes for what needs to be a long term solution. Sure, the Chiefs drafted Jerrell Powe in the sixth round last season, but he never saw the field. And the Chiefs can take that route again, drafting a nose tackle, possibly even with their first round pick.

But if the Chiefs don't want to have any glaring need to force their hand in the draft, then they would address this need in free agency. Most of the good nose tackles on the market have been locked up already - Sione Pouha, Paul Soliai, Red Bryant, Jason Jones, Brodrick Bunkley - but there happens to be one particular free agent left that the Chiefs should take some interest in:

Aubrayo Franklin: Remember this guy? He was regarded as one of the most coveted nose tackles in free agency by Chiefs fans everywhere. Yet he signed with the Saints on just a one-year deal in a defense that doesn't really play with a nose tackle and didn't take advantage of his skills. That's why he ended up with only 17 tackles on the season, his lowest since his days back in Baltimore in 2004. I imagine the price tag will be lower for Franklin this year if Pioli wants to kick the tires on this 6'1" 317 lb nose tackle.

Any other nose tackles on the market that the Chiefs should be interested in? Or is a Dontari Poe or a Alameda Ta'amu the best solution for the Chiefs need at nose tackle?