Chiefs with a stunning makeover
Alex Smith’s franchise record of 249 passes without an interception came to an end in the 49ers’ loss to the Vikings in Week 3.
Credit: AP
The long list of teams that have tried and failed to build through free agency is ample proof that you can’t buy a championship in the NFL. But with the remarkable makeover the Chiefs have completed over the last few weeks, capped by a flurry of transactions over the past few days, you have to believe that this team will at least be capable of a swift turnaround from last year’s 2-14 calamity.
Championship run? Let’s hold off on that level of hyperbole for now. But newly hired head coach Andy Reid and newly hired general manager John Dorsey orchestrated a series of stunningly effective moves to bolster a roster that was reflective of its woeful 2012 record.
It started with an agreement late last month with the 49ers to make a trade for quarterback Alex Smith, who was replaced in San Francisco last season by Colin Kaepernick. Smith was enjoying a second straight impressive season before suffering a concussion and ultimately losing his job to Kaepernick, so you have to believe the Chiefs are much better off with him over Matt Cassel, who was released and subsequently signed by Minnesota.
And then came the avalanche of transactions:
- Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe was re-signed to a long-term deal. Ditto for Pro Bowl punter Dustin Colquitt.
- Re-signing Bowe allowed the Chiefs to place the franchise designation on left tackle Branden Albert and keep him in Kansas City for at least another season.
- Just before the start of free agency, the Chiefs signed former Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson. - And once the signing period began, they wasted little time in signing Jets free agent defensive tackle Mike DeVito, Dolphins free agent tight end Anthony Fasano, Saints backup quarterback Chase Daniel, former Colts and Rams receiver Donnie Avery, and then coveted cornerback Sean Smith, the former Dolphins’ defender widely regarded as the top cornerback on the open market.
“I think we got the types of players we wanted to get here,” Dorsey said. “We didn't get flashy players. We got solid, foundational players.”
Oh, and one more thing: The Chiefs still own the No. 1 overall pick in next month’s draft.
