Dontari Poe is the lone unsigned Chiefs pick

Posted by Josh Alper on May 17, 2012, 6:32 PM EDT
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The Chiefs have signed all of their draft picks except for first-round defensive tackle Dontari Poe.

The team announced Thursday that they have signed third-round tackle Donald Stephenson. Stephenson signed a four-year contract with Kansas City.

At the Chiefs’ rookie minicamp, Stephenson worked at left tackle. He played the same position at Oklahoma, but will probably see some time on the other side as well. The Chiefs will start Branden Albert on the left side and Eric Winston on the right, but Stephenson could become the swing backup behind them as a rookie.

“Whenever they call on me, whenever they need me, I’ll be happy to help,” Stephenson said in the team’s statement announcing the signing.

Albert is heading into the final year of his contract, but there have been reports of contract talks between the two sides. That would work out well as Stephenson has the size for the position but probably needs a little more seasoning before he’d be ready to fill it.

Chiefs next on Yeremiah Bell’s free-agent tour

Posted by Evan Silva on May 15, 2012, 9:49 PM EDT
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Free agent safety Yeremiah Bell was in Tennessee on Tuesday visiting the Titans, and he’s got a fallback plan in place if Mike Munchak’s team doesn’t make an offer Bell deems suitable.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Bell is scheduled to visit the Chiefs on Wednesday.

Bell, 34, would have a better chance to start in Kansas City than he would in Tennessee. The Chiefs could slide Eric Berry to free safety and use Bell at strong safety.

The Chiefs’ safety position opposite Berry is currently up for grabs. Top competitors include Kendrick Lewis, Donald Washington, and rookie De’Quan Menzie, a converted college cornerback.

Martin Rucker Says He's A Chief

by Joel Thorman on May 15, 2012 6:01 PM CDT



A few hours ago, someone tweeted me and said that former Mizzou TE Martin Rucker agreed to a deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. Absent any confirmation, I couldn't post it on the site.

But we now have a little more confirmation. Rucker himself tweeted that he is now a Chief.

"Thanking God 4 another opportunity 2 pursue my dream. Thank u all 4 ur prayers and support. I'm a Kansas City Chief!! Good 2 b home!! "

He was in KC last weekend for the rookie minicamp but only on a tryout basis. His tweet makes it sound like he got an actual contract from the Chiefs (presumably a one-year deal). We'll wait for it to become officially official when the Chiefs announce the signing.

Rucker was originally the Browns 2008 fourth round draft pick, the same year the team was headed by Romeo Crennel.

The Chiefs have shown quite a bit of interest in tight ends this offseason. Kevin Boss was inked to a deal and the Chiefs also worked out Dallas Clark.

Chiefs’ Brandon Flowers “not too worried about Peyton Manning”

Posted by Michael David Smith on May 15, 2012, 4:41 PM EDT
AP

Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers doesn’t think Peyton Manning’s arrival in Denver makes the Broncos the favorites in the AFC West.

Flowers told the Kansas City Star that in the AFC West — where the Broncos won a three-way tiebreaker to make the playoffs with an 8-8 record last year, and the Chiefs were in last place at 7-9 — is ripe for the taking. And the Chiefs plan to take it.

“We’ve got the mindset we’re going to win the AFC West,” Flowers said.

As for Manning, Flowers doesn’t doubt that he’s a great player, but he does believe that if the Chiefs’ secondary does its job,

“Peyton Manning, he’s a quarterback that everyone wants to have,” Flowers said. “He’s not going to turn the ball over, he’s not going to make critical mistakes. But I’m going out there saying if my man can’t get open, he won’t have no one to throw the ball to. So as long as I do my part, we’re not too worried about Peyton Manning.”

Romeo Crennel thinks Luke Patterson has “it,” whatever “it” is

Posted by Mike Florio on May 13, 2012, 9:36 PM EDT

Last year, the Chiefs signed defensive lineman Luke Patterson as an undrafted free agent. The Chiefs quietly have moved him from defense to offense.

And he may have a bright future with the team, if coach Romeo Crennel’s assessment is accurate.

“We had him on defense, and didn’t feel like that was going to be the place for him, but he’s showed enough tenacity and work ethic that we thought maybe he could help us offensively,” Crennel said regarding Patterson, in comments distributed by the team. “So, we moved him to the offensive side of the ball. It’s a total change for him, but the kid has something to him. I think he’s got some toughness. He’s not a vocal guy. He’s kind of quiet, but I think he’s made progress in the year that he’s been here.”

The quality is intangible, but unmistakable. “That’s that ‘it’ factor,” Crennel said. “You can look in his eyes and say that he has ‘it.’ You can’t really say what ‘it’ is. You can’t really define it but he has ‘it.’ When I say that he has something to him, it’s kind of like an ‘it’ factor.”

Of course “it” is no substitute for ability. But that extra something can be the difference when it counts, and the Chiefs may have found someone they can develop into a key contributor.