Tuesday Morning Cup O’Chiefs
Whether the Chiefs use the third choice in the 2009 NFL Draft or not, the player selected there will be the 74th player that can lay claim to the title of “third player drafted.”
 The odds would say that the third player selected each year  should be a player who goes on to a successful career. The whole premise of the draft is the better players are taken first, and thus their chances for success should be greater.
What does history show us with this pick? That like all selections, anything is possible. A look at the 73 third picks is quite a tableau of different NFL careers.
There have been Hall of Famers, guys like Antony Munoz, Barry Sanders, Y.A. Tittle, Dick Butkus (both to the left), Merlin Olsen and Bobby Layne. That’s one end of the spectrum. At the other end are guys like Akili Smith, Andre Wadsworth, Heath Shuler, Bruce Pickens and Steve Spurrier: complete busts as pro football players.
Only the most serious of football historians know anything about the very first third pick of an NFL Draft. That came in 1936 when the Pittsburgh Steelers chose William Shakespeare, an All-America halfback and punter out of Notre Dame. Bill Shakespeare declined the opportunity to continue his football playing career. He went on to lead a very full life, as he went from private to captain during World War II and won the bronze star for gallantry in action. He later went on to run a manufacturing company in Cincinnati. Shakespeare, who gained the nickname “The Bard of Staten Island” passed away in 1974.
The Chiefs have never used the third pick of the NFL Draft since joining the selection meeting with their American Football League mates in 1967. They actually held the third choice in 1988, but they got spooked that the man they wanted – Nebraska defensive end Neil Smith – would not be there. So they made a deal with the Lions and moved up to the second spot and drafted Smith. Detroit with that third choice grabbed safety Bennie Blades.
Chiefs great Johnny Robinson was the third player selected in the 1960 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. The LSU star signed with Lamar Hunt and the Dallas Texans, but only after he had already signed with the Lions. It would take a federal judge to decide which contract was valid and he ruled for the Texans and Robinson became a Chiefs Hall of Famer.
The third pick has quite a history. Here are the players selected with that pick since the NFL Draft began on February 8, 1936 at a Philadelphia hotel. Players in red are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
1930s: ’36 – Bill Shakespere, Steelers; ’37 – Ray “Buzz” Buivid, Cardinals; 38 – Boyd Brumbaugh, Dodgers; ’39 – Parker Hall, Rams.
1940s: ’40 – Kay Eakin, Steelers; ’41 – Norm Standlec, Bears; ’42 – Pete Kmetovic, Eagles; ’43 – Glenn Dobbs, Cardinals; ’44 – Creighton Miller, Dodgers; ’45 – Joe Renfroe, Dodgers; ’46 – Doc Blanchard, Steelers; ’47 – Fritz Bakzilauskas, Yanks; ‘48 – Bobby Layne, Bears; ’49 – Doak Walker, Yanks.
1950s: ’50 – Chuck Hunsinger, Bears; ’51 – Y.A. Tittle, Forty-Niners; ’52 – Ollie Matson, Cardinals; ’53 – Jack Scarbath, Redskins; ’54 – Art Hunter, Packers; ’55, Alan Ameche, Colts; ’56 – Howard “Hopalong” Cassady, Lions; ’57 – John Brodie, Forty-Niners; ’58 – Don Currie, Packers; ’59 – Bill Stacy, Cardinals.
1960s: ’60 – Johnny Robinson, Lions; ’61 – Joe Rutgens, Redskins; ’62 – Merlin Olsen, Rams (right); ’63 – Jim Dunaway, Vikings; ’64 – Charley Taylor, Redskins; ’65 – Dick Butkus, Bears; ’66 – Dick Leftridge, Steelers; ’67 – Steve Spurrier, Forty Niners; ’68 – Claude Humphrey, Falcons; ’69 – Leroy Keyes, Eagles.
1970s: ’70 – Mike Phipps, Browns; ’71 – Dan Pastorini, Oilers; ’72 – Lionel Antoine, Bears; ’73 – Jerry Sisemore, Eagles; ’74 – John Hicks, Giants; ’75 – Ken Huff, Colts; ’76 – Chuck Muncie, Saints: ’77 – Eddie Edwards, Bengals; ’78 – Wes Chandler, Saints; ’79 – Jack Thompson, Bengals.
1980s: ’80 – Anthony Munoz, Bengals; ’81 – Freeman McNeil, Jets; ’82 – Chip Banks, Browns; ’83 – Curt Warner, Seahawks; ’84 – Carl Banks, Giants: ’85 – Ray Childress, Oilers; ’86 – Jim Everett, Oilers; ’87 – Alonzo Highsmith, Oilers; ’88 – Bennie Blades, Lions; ’89 – Barry Sanders, Lions.
1990s: ’90 – Cortez Kennedy, Seahawks; ’91 – Bruce Pickens, Falcons; ’92 – Sean Gilbert, Rams; ’93 – Garrison Hearst, Cardinals; ’94 – Heath Shuler, Redskins; ’95 – Steve McNair, Oilers; ’96 – Simeon Rice, Arizona; ’97 – Shawn Springs, Seahawks; ’98 – Andrew Wadsworth, Cardinals; ’99 – Akili Smith, Bengals.
2000s: ’00 – Chris Samuels, Redskins; ’01 – Gerard Warren, Browns; ’02 -Joey Harrington, Lions; ’03 – Andre Johnson, Texans; ’04 – Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals (left); ’05 – Braylon Edwards, Browns; ’06 – Vince Young, Titans; ’07 – Joe Thomas, Browns; ’08 – Matt Ryan, Falcons; ’09 – ?, CHIEFS.
LIONS UPDATE THEIR LOGO AND UNIFORMS
The Detroit Lions say they’ve yet to make a decision on who will be the first player selected in the 2009 NFL Draft. But they have made changes to the uniform that player will wear with the Lions starting with the coming season.
You’ve got to be a real Lions fan to really see the differences. The Lion is more detailed and fierce, with a flowing mane and visible fangs.
The Lions unveiled the new logo and uniforms at a sporting goods store in a northern Detroit suburb. The fans who showed up made their feelings known, chanting “We want Curry!” and, “Don’t draft Stafford!” Team president Tom Lewand could not avoid the issue.
“I’m gonna pretend that sounded like ‘Barry’,” Lewand said, smiling as he took the podium to chants supporting the Wake Forest linebacker. “And we’ve already retired No. 20, so …
“It’s not just about a transformed lion,” Lewand said of the new logo. “This is about transforming our brand.”
SIGNINGS & MOVEMENT AROUND THE NFL
COLTS – re-signed S Matt Giordano.
JAGUARS - signed WR Torry Holt (St. Louis) to a two-year contract.
JETS – signed P Eric Wilbur; re-signed OT Michael Kracalik.
If the Lions draft curry like the fans are begging for, then the rams will pick monroe or the other guy.
This is where our strategy comes in… We pick up Stafford, and then people panick because People might move up for sanchez and we have A LOT of bargaining power here to make massive trades like the Chargers did a few years back
Chuck, I agree with your analyis. In fact, taking Sanchez if Stafford is gone dries up the premier QB market and could force the hand of a team like the Skins, for example or any other QB needy franchise looking to make a deal to get their guy.
But what if they don’t? Then what? Us picking Stafford or Sanchez, like some are suggesting, is freakin’ insane. And then try to deal them? What’s our leverage? Any team trying to deal for either one, would KNOW that we were desperate to get rid of them. There’s no way we could pay a top drafted QB, in addition to Cassel’s salary this year.
Trade the pick? Sure…if you get the right deal. Draft a player and THEN try to deal him? Crazy talk. Plain and simple.
If Stafford is on the board at #3, the phone will be ringing off the hook. they will trade the pick.
the browns, seahawks broncos, skins are all potentially looking for qbs, especially if mangini has taken a liking to sanchez, he will want his own guy to groom into what he wants the player to be… Grabbing stafford at three basically guarantees teams either grab a bunch of pics to get stafford back, or they can massively overpay for cassel (1st and 3rd round pick) but i doubt we would trade cassel hahaahahah
You telling me the Skins, Jets and Bucs wouldn’t want a piece of the Sanchez action, there Scott? You’re saying that?
Re-assess who’s being crazy with their comments.
oh true jets and bucs both have new coaches. new coaches want to bring in their own guys too
yeah all of those teams are going to be massively overpaying for freeman.. we played against him in high school he was pretty good, but i saw some kstate games his mechanics are like 2-3 years off of starter material…
huge dropoff in talent, we got a lot of leverage..
Rip,
Of course they do. And they may very well be working on a deal right this very minute…for our PICK at #3. There is no way in hell that we are going to actually pick Sanchez (or Stafford), and then turn right around and try to unload them to the highest bidder. NO WAY.
And if Hell freezes over and we do? I’ll be the first one to admit I’m a total moron.
If QBs start to fall, KC’s pick becomes less valuable for teams wanting QBs. Those teams will wait and see before trading up.
However, any team wanting Sanchez better have a plan in place to move ahead of Seattle. He’d be a great pick for Seattle at #4.
Bob,
Do you think the Chiefs will change/update their uniforms possibly the year they open the new Arrowhead stadium? Do you happen to have a photo of the prototype helmet shown on NBC years ago of a Chief’s helmet with an Indian Chief Warbonnet covering the whole helmet? I thought that was a decent attempt, not endorsed by the Chiefs organization of course, to modernize the uniform. Granted there are people who say we don’t need change but that is one thing that everyone can not deny happens in the NFL.
Chuck Diesel says:
the browns, seahawks broncos, skins are all potentially looking for qbs…
The key word here is potentially. I don’t want to get stuck with a QB when we have a ton of other needs. I’m with Scott, we trade the pick if we can but don’t use it on a QB. All of those teams mentioned above are fine at the QB position. I don’t think by taking one of the top 2 QB’s we “force” anyone to deal with us. They’ll know we don’t want the QB and it will drive down the value. I understand your logic…I just don’t agree with it.
Look,
The Lions will pick Stafford. If they don’t…they are really, really stupid. Do you really want to “start over” with Culpepper as the “franchise” QB? Sure, Stafford is not a sure thing. But, you have to take that chance. YOU’RE THE WORST TEAM IN FOOTBALL!!! All this BS about them thinking about taking Curry or Smith is just that, a BS smokescreen. Unless of course, they are PLANNING on using the # 1 overall pick NEXT year to take a QB they think might be better. Of course, this IS Detroit we’re talking about…so who really knows for sure?
We might…MIGHT get a decent offer for our #3 pick for a team wanting Sanchez. Unfortunately, a team could very well make a slightly lesser offer to Seattle. Seattle will likely pick Sanchez, but aren’t really DESPERATE to. Hasselbeck (and Seneca Wallace) can still get the job done.
I’m still holding on to slight hope that we can get a deal for our #3, and get more picks. The odds are REALLY against it, though. Nobody wants top 5 picks anymore. Too much money for the unknown. I think we’ll be stuck with it.
Totally agree with Scott. NO way we pick a player we don’t need in hopes of trading him. Don’t get me wrong, the move sounds crafty and witty and all that, but in reality it’s so far from a possibility it hardly seems worth talking about. These kind of moves just don’t happen in the top 5, even from the riskiest and boldest front offices.
And if you’re thinking “but what about the chargers,” that was a pretty unique situation. Unlike us, the chargers needed a QB. But I’ll admit, the did take on huge risk, as Manning had publicly said if the Chargers take him, he wouldn’t sign. Still, that was once in lifetime draft drama. Don’t count on it this year.
Also agree with Scott. The only leverage is before the pick. Let teams bid against one another. Drafting someone to trade is what gets you unemployed. Trade a player for picks? We have Waters and Gonzalez who don’t want to be there. Use the pick at 3 for a solid OT who will be there for years and trade disgruntled veterans for a pick or two to work on the D.
I hope Pioli has DJ on the market too. He’s done nothing for the Chiefs, don’t expect to see that change, especially if they go 34.
Scott is right. However, the suggestion has merit and would be a bold move but it is also the kind of move that could get a GM fired. No way Pioli does something that risky this early in his tenure with the Chiefs.
can we get both a second round pick from both gonzalez AND waters? maybe.
maybe we draft jason smith, trade both gonzalez and waters, and also we’ll trade LJ.. then we can pick up knowshown moreno/beanie wells after trading both our 2nd round picks.. Then we hope that jamaal charles can use that olympic speed to good use…
I say the only way we will be able to trade our pick is if Stafford is still on the table at the 3rd pick. If he isnt we will be drafting Curry or Smith, ect. If Stafford is on the table, we will have some power to be able to trade for more picks. I can not see us drafting Stafford at all. To keep him or try and trade him. Thats not a smart move IMO!!
GO CHIEFS
Now that Herm has said the Chiefs should take Curry, I’m thinking we should go OT.
IMO, our best trade down situation would be if Stafford WAS taken first overall. That would leave only 1 top rated Qb on the board. Whether or not Seattle has good qb’s that can still get the job done, the Bucs and Jets etc. know we’ve just committed to Cassel. Their best bet, if they’re really wanting Sanchez (who is the only QB left on the board rated in the top 5) is to deal with us. Otherwise they’d be risking Seattle taking Sanchez as their heir apparent to Hasselback.
I don’t see any realistic way we can trade down very far given the huge contracts. If I were at #10, I’m not even sure I’d do an even swap of #3 for #10, much less give up the next years #1 too, or whatever the “chart” says.
I think the only way may be if we work our way down, i.e. trade down to #4, then #6, then…. etc, such that nobody is taking a huge contract hit in a single trade..
of course, that would be pretty hard to pull off.
It’s not important how they do it, so long as they find a way to get it done, and that is to get Pioli at minimum, a second round pick to work with.
Okay, the draft falls this way:
1) Stafford to Detroit
2) StLouis takes their OT of choice
3) Chiefs end the QB drama, bet on the come, and take Sanchez, then have time to talk and negotiate with the teams wanting Sanchez
We, OK so far? Sure it’s a risk but in this league as in life it’s all about high risk/high reward OR low risk/low reward. OK on that?
In this scenario, it probably is the most effective way of trading out at #3 overall. There won’t be enough time to sort out the details of the agreement, and there will be multiple suitors for Sanchez so it remains a seller’s market. OK so far, or am I going too fast?
I don’t buy the draft a qb and trade later idea. We’d be negotiating from a position of weakness b/c:
a) If Sanchez at #3, we severely reached. The guy has what, 16 starts? That a top-3 pick a QB does not make, hmmm?
b) $$$$$ – way too much money, especially if Sanchez, especially in this economy
c) Most importantly, everyone knows that we *HAVE* to make the trade… the ultimate position of weakness (part of what drove Cassel’s price down).
I’m going to have to agree with Uncuffed here. You don’t take a player just to flaunt him in front of the rest of the NFL expecting someone to come begging us to trade him off. Like Uncuffed said, they already know we don’t need him (and he’s likely to struggle), so we’d either be stuck with him or have to hand him off and a bargain basement price. We’re screwed either way.
And dont forget the teams could pick a player they want at another position and there is going to be a stronger QB class next year where they can get a franchise QB… Take a OL or Everette Brown, then call it a day…
Scott is correct. We have some slight leverage with the pick, considering no onewants to pay #3 prices, but lose it when/if we draft the QB. Rest assured, IF we do draft a QB, there already is a deal arranged, as Pioli is not stupid enough to lose leverage, or get caught with a QB that he doesn’t want/need.
Ok to start I want to say I like the guy and think he is a starter, that got a lot of xp last year. But I think we should also say that with the teams needing Qb’s, Tigpen is available for the right price. I know having a great backup either way is inportant in how the NFL works now n days, but with paoli suscess record at grabing a late round Qb that turns into somthing special looks really good. So lets just look at it this way. #3 one of the two or both or on the board. (this will get the boat rocking)(and a constant call on the bat phone ring side) we trade down. If one is gone then trade to Seahawks and take a OT either one thats left. Looking for a deal here, Gonzo and Waters to Eagles for their remaining 1st rounder and they smoke us when we play them this year. We might even get a call once more trading Cassel to Denver for 1st and 2nd would be a deal as well. What ever happens it will be off the hook. I cant wait for this year to begin, Chiefs are fine in 09 and will win in 10