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Examining who faces the most challenging season for the Chiefs and why.

I wish I could be creative here and point the finger at someone other than Matt Cassel in Kansas City.

I just can’t.

No one is facing more of a pressure situation in Kansas City than Cassel heading into the 2012 season. Sure, Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli (who traded for Cassel three years ago) will feel the heat if Cassel fails in 2012. But Pioli probably will not be fired if Cassel fails in 2012. Pioli probably will be given an opportunity to replace Cassel.

However, if Cassel fails this season, he probably will lose his job. Hence, the immense pressure.

The Chiefs showed confidence in Cassel this offseason when they built around him in free agency and the draft instead of replacing him. Kansas City has put together a strong team, one that appears to have few holes. It is set up to make a playoff run.

But Cassel has to lead them there. Again, it’s all on him. The pieces are there. If Cassel doesn’t seize the moment, he’ll pay for it by losing his job.

The Kansas City Chiefs were interested in Alabama safety Mark Barron, who went four picks before they made their choice in the first round.

In the end, though, the Chiefs may have still gotten a safety from Alabama. The Chiefs took DeQuan Menzie in the fifth round.

He played cornerback at Alabama and did a nice job. But he doesn’t have great speed and may project to safety. He is a smart player who knows how to make plays. I think this could be a player to watch develop in the next couple of years and it is another SEC pickup by Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli, who craves players from that conference.

In other AFC West news:

• The Raiders picked up an extra seventh-round pick when they traded a fifth-round pick (148th overall) to Detroit for the 158th and 230th overall picks. The Lions took small-school cornerback Chris Greenwood at No. 148. Oakland was studying him. Yet, it seems the Raiders want another late pick to add to the bottom of the roster.
• For all new season tickets purchased and paid for in full from May 1 to June 30, the Raiders will donate ten percent of the gross ticket purchase price to the Oakland Unified School District.
• At No. 158, the Raiders drafted Penn State defensive end Jack Crawford. He projects to be a rotational pass-rusher. He fits into both the 4-3 and 3-4 so he will fit the Raiders’ versatile group of front seven players.

The Kansas City Chiefs went for their biggest need and ended any thought that Dontari Poe would fall down the draft board in one decision, taking the Memphis nose tackle with the No. 11 overall pick.

The Chiefs bypassed Mississippi State defensive lineman Fletcher Cox and Stanford guard David DeCastro to take Poe.

In terms of sheer talent, Poe was the right pick. But there is concern that he doesn’t play up to his immense measurables. Poe showed stunning speed and strength at the combine at 6-foot-3, 345 pounds. However, his game film was not strong against marginal college competition.

Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli is big on production, so this pick is a bit surprising. However, if Poe does play well, it’s a major score. Nose tackle was really the last hole in Kansas City.

Todd McShay has offered his final mock draft, in an Insider piece, and he has some extremely interesting choices for the three AFC West teams that are picking in the first round.

McShay has the Chiefs taking Alabama safety Mark Barron. There has been increased talk in the past couple of days that the Chiefs are on Barron. It makes sense. Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli loves players from the SEC. A Barron-Eric Berry combination would be potentially out of this world.

Barron has become one of the hottest names in the draft, and there have been reports the Chargers could try to trade up from No. 18 to get him. Perhaps they will have to leapfrog a rival to get Barron.

McShay has the Chargers doing just fine for themselves. He has South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram dropping to No. 18. Folks, if that happens, you will hear roars of excitement from the Chargers’ war room. He’d be the impact 3-4 pass-rusher the Chargers have been craving.

McShay completes his AFC West blockbuster first round with Denver taking Boise State running back Doug Martin. I know the Broncos like Martin, and with the top defensive tackles off the board, maybe this is where the Broncos will be headed, although they might be able to trade down and still get Martin.

With the NFL draft starting in six days, there are many interesting storylines involving the AFC West. Let’s take a look:

Will the Chiefs make a big move up? The Kansas City Chiefs could become the story of the division with a move up for Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. There has been recent buzz that the Chiefs may be one of the teams interested in moving up for Tannehill. If he is available at No. 7 (Miami may take Tannehill at No. 8), I could see the Chiefs jumping in the mix. Jacksonville, which has the No. 7 pick, probably would be willing to part with the pick or the Chiefs could take a risk and hope he falls to No. 11. Tannehill is the only attainable quarterback who could immediately press Matt Cassel.

Will a second-day quarterback be on the way? I think a Friday storyline could be the addition of a second-tier quarterback in the division. If the Chiefs don’t take Tannehill, they could take a quarterback in the second or third round, and Denver could take one on the second day as well. The quarterbacks available on the second day probably will be Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden, Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins, Arizona State’s Brock Osweiler and Arizona’s Nick Foles. Kansas City could look at any of the four and Denver is probably in the mix for all but Weeden. He will soon turn 29, and with Peyton Manning in Denver, I don’t think the Broncos will take an older quarterback.

Will there be a Manning factor? The Chiefs and Chargers could both opt to use their first-round picks on defensive players. With Manning entering the division, focusing on defense may be the right call in Kansas City and San Diego.

Will there be a changing of the guard? Stanford’s David DeCastro is considered one of the best guard prospects in the past several years and he is considered a sure thing. Both the Chiefs and Chargers are considered teams that could land DeCastro.

Will the Raiders make a move up? The Raiders don’t pick until No. 95, the final pick of the third round. Oakland could move up to get a better prospect, but I wouldn’t think Oakland would move too far up the draft. Sooner or later, the team must stop mortgaging future picks, and I think new Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie gets that. I’d expect him to suck it up and deal with what he has this year for the most part.

Will the Chiefs add a running back? There was early talk Kansas City could make a play for Alabama’s Trent Richardson, which could require a move up to No. 5. That may not be a likely scenario. However, the Chiefs could still take a running back in the early rounds. Jamaal Charles is coming off a torn ACL and Peyton Hillis signed a one-year deal. The Chiefs have been visiting with running backs, so I could see them taking one at some point.

Will the Chargers and Broncos take a running back early? There have been projections that both Denver and San Diego could take a running back as early as the second round. I’d think Denver is the more likely of the two teams to take a running back early. Boise State’s Doug Martin, Virginia Tech’s David Wilson, Miami’s Lamar Miller and Oregon’s LaMichael James are all possibilities.

Will A.J. Smith make a splash? The Chargers probably will have to make the playoffs for San Diego general manager A.J. Smith and coach Norv Turner to keep their jobs. The Chargers have been aggressive in free agency and they have always been aggressive in the draft. I could see the Chargers taking a chance and moving up for the right impact player.

Will Denver take a defensive tackle? The Broncos haven’t taken a defensive tackle since 1997 when they took Trevor Pryce. It is the team’s greatest need. However, if players such as LSU’s Michael Brockers and Mississippi State’s Fletcher Cox are gone by No. 25, Denver may opt for another position or trade down rather than reach for another defensive tackle prospect.

Will the Raiders be a draft factor? The Raiders only have five picks, but I think they can still get a couple of developmental players. It may be too much to ask for the Raiders to find instant impact players, but I think McKenzie will salvage this class.

Will the Chargers reach for their top need? The Chargers badly need an impact pass-rusher, but it isn’t a deep class. By the time the No. 18 picks rolls around, the top pass-rushing prospects -- South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram, North Carolina’s Quinton Coples and Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw -- all may be gone. The next level of players include Syracuse’s Chandler Jones, USC’s Nick Perry and Illinois’ Whitney Mercilus. Many scouts think taking those players at No. 18 may be too high. So, the Chargers could be on the move down if that scenario develops.

Will the Chiefs be swayed by Poe’s beauty? Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe is a high-risk, high-reward player. He has all the measurables and he has big potential. But he has unimpressive game tape against second-level competition. Many teams are leery of taking him. The Chiefs could use him, but with a recent history of taking under-achieving defensive linemen, can Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli take the risk?

Another Georgia Tech receiver in Denver? If the Broncos bypass a defensive tackle at No. 25, they could look to give Manning another weapon. A name to keep an eye on is Georgia Tech’s Stephen Hill. The Broncos have been scouting him and they wouldn’t mind adding another former Georgia Tech receiver. Denver took Demaryius Thomas out of the school with the No. 22 pick in 2010.

Will Golden Domers head to the beach? Two players Smith likes a lot are Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd and safety Harrison Smith. Floyd could require a trade up and Smith could be a candidate via a trade down. Don’t be surprised if one of the two ends up a Charger.

Is Josh Chapman AFC West bound? One of the underrated players on a strong Alabama defense is versatile defensive tackle Josh Chapman, a fit for both 4-3 and 3-4 defenses. He has visited both the Raiders and the Chiefs and could be a target of any team in the division in the third round.

This is considered a deep draft class for defensive tackles.

The name that has been on the top of the list has been Memphis’ Dontari Poe. However, in recent weeks, Mississippi State’s Fletcher Cox has been getting a lot of attention, and many scouts think Cox could end up being drafted before Poe. Cox has better game film, and scouts think he might be a safer pick.

This is what ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay had to say about Cox on a conference call this week: “As far as the defensive tackles, it's a deep group, and there's a lot of talent here. Fletcher Cox, the more tape I watch, the more he just grew on me, and I love his versatility. I think he plays the game hard. I think he can rush the passer both from the inside and the outside, different styles, more of a three technique. On the outside he seals the edge and is stronger at the point of attack than when he plays on the inside, but I also see some ability to get off the quarterback with power moves and leverage moves as a left defensive end type or a 3-4 defensive end, as well, on occasion. I think he's the best of the group, I really do, and I think he'll continue to get better.”

It makes me wonder whether the Kansas City Chiefs could be interested in Cox at No. 11. There has been a lot of talk that Poe could be headed to the Chiefs. However, Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli is a huge believer in college production. Poe had mediocre game film, which is a red flag despite his terrific measurables and combine numbers.

The Chiefs’ biggest need is a nose tackle, and Poe is considered a better fit as a 3-4 tackle than Cox. Although he is versatile, Cox is considered a better defensive end prospect for a 3-4 team. The Chiefs used the No. 5 pick on Glenn Dorsey in 2008, and the No. 3 pick on Tyson Jackson in 2009. Both are serviceable, but neither has lived up to their draft status.

Perhaps Pioli will target Cox, and see where he best fits on the Chiefs’ defensive front. Kansas City coach Romeo Crennel is one of the best coaches in the league for getting production out of players.

Adding a quality player like Cox would only help Kansas City, regardless of where he lines up. I’m not saying the Chiefs are going to take Cox, but I think he has to be considered a possibility.

The Kansas City Chiefs are in an interesting draft position with the No. 11 pick. They may not be in a perfect spot for their needs and that’s why I could see them moving out of the slot once the draft starts.

This week, Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli said he was completely open to this approach in the first round.

“We may pick, we may trade up if something is getting close to us that we can get and someone is trying to bail out at a ridiculous price that we can’t pass up and there’s a player that really is the apple of our eye, or move back if someone comes to us with something,” Pioli said in a pre-draft news conference. “I think it might be a little bit interesting this year while we’re sitting there as to what we want to do.”

I think there may be a limited group of players Kansas City would trade up for. I could see them moving up to the No. 7 range for Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill, but I’m not convinced Kansas City would go up to the No. 3-4 range for the quarterback.

I’m not so sure there are any other prospects the Chiefs will make a big reach to get.

If the Chiefs stay at No. 11, they will focus on Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly or Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe.

Bailing out and sliding down five to 10 spots and picking up another quality pick is also feasible option. By dropping down, Kansas City would eye Stanford guard David DeCastro (he could be available in the No. 14-16 range) or even Alabama safety Mark Barron (he could also be available in the same spot) to pair with Eric Berry.

The Chiefs have a lot of options and I think they will be one of the most interesting teams to watch in the first half of the first round.

Matt Cassel is not focusing on whom the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t add this offseason. Instead, he is concentrating on whom the team brought in.

Much was made of the Chiefs’ attempt to pursue Peyton Manning. In the end, Manning chose to focus on other teams, and the Chiefs plan to move forward with Cassel.

The Chiefs added several pieces, including key offensive players such as right tackle Eric Winston, running back Peyton Hillis and tight end Kevin Boss.

Speaking to reporters during Chiefs offseason workouts, Cassel expressed excitement about the talent added to an already-explosive offense.

“I’m excited about all of the additions that we’ve made this offseason, especially offensively,” Cassel said. “Eric Winston is a guy that’s been a proven right tackle in this league for a long period of time. You’ve got Peyton Hillis that is going to give us more depth at the running back position and Boss is coming in at the tight end position as well. … I’ve gotten a chance to meet these guys over the last few days and they’re hard workers and you can tell that they’re eager to get started themselves.”

Asked about how he dealt with the news that the Chiefs were interested in Manning, Cassel praised general manager Scott Pioli for the way he handled the situation.

“It was one of those things where the Kansas City Chiefs were very open with me,” Cassel said. “Scott Pioli and everybody were open with the fact that they were going to reach out to Peyton. For me, I don’t take any disrespect in it. Peyton Manning is Peyton Manning, and he’s one of the best quarterbacks to ever play this game, so how can you take disrespect in that? The fact is he didn’t end up here, and we’re going to be competing against him twice a year, which will be fun and I’m looking forward to the competition. It’ll be fun.”

Especially with all of his new toys.

The Oakland Raiders are one of the most intriguing franchises in the NFL these days. How will the post-Al Davis Raiders evolve?

After Al Davis' death in October, the much-less-involved Mark Davis turned his father’s beloved franchise over to Reggie McKenzie, a respected personnel man from Green Bay, who is embarking on his first journey as a general manager. McKenzie has entrusted former Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who at 39 is the youngest coach in the league, to be the next coach of a team that finished 8-8 last season and barely out of the playoffs.

The first focus for McKenzie has been clearing the Raiders’ roster of bloated contracts given to players as the Raiders desperately, and unsuccessfully, chased championships in Davis’ final years.

It has been a necessary exercise as Oakland begins the process of getting out of salary-cap jail. But Oakland has lost more talent than it has brought in the past month.

The question begs to be asked: Has Oakland fallen behind the rest of the AFC West for the 2012 season? It depends on whom you ask, of course. Asked this week if his team will be stronger or weaker in 2012, McKenzie, without explanation, said this: “Honestly, I envision it being stronger.”

However, many folks around the league wonder how.

“I think they have fallen behind,” Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. said. “They are in a tough salary-cap position and they are paying for it now. I just don’t see the improvement.”

Added Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc.: “I do think they have slipped.” Williamson, in an Insider piece, gave the Raiders one of the worst free-agent grades in the AFC.

It’s difficult to look at the list of players Oakland has added and lost and not come to the same conclusion. Even given the need for salary-cap repair, a loss of talent mustn’t be brushed aside.

Some of the key players who were either cut or departed Oakland as free agents: linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, running back Michael Bush, quarterback Jason Campbell, cornerback Stanford Routt, tight end Kevin Boss, defensive tackle John Henderson, running back Rock Cartwright, receiver Chaz Schilens, defensive end Trevor Scott and cornerback Chris Johnson.

The projected starters who have been brought in: guard Mike Brisiel and cornerbacks Ron Bartell and Shawntae Spencer.

“You look who has come and who has gone, and it’s scary,” Horton said. “I like Mike Brisiel. He will help. But the two cornerbacks are just guys. They are not starters for a good team. The defense needs improvement and I don’t see it. All I see is the loss of talent. Where is the coverage coming from? Where is the pass-rush coming from?”

In addition to not having much cap room, the Raiders have a small draft class. They have five picks and their first pick is No. 95, at the end of the third round. McKenzie has said the Raiders need a starting outside linebacker. He might not know who that player is for some time.

Compounding the concern in Oakland is the fact that the rest of the AFC West has been aggressive this offseason.

Denver added the big prize of the NFL offseason --quarterback Peyton Manning. Kansas City added several players, including Routt and Boss after they were jettisoned in Oakland. The Chargers lost star receiver Vincent Jackson and key backup running back Mike Tolbert, but added several pieces and have been lauded by scouts around the league for using their resources properly and adding to their overall talent level. Speaking this week solely about his own team, Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli said he felt the need to improve his roster because of the improvement around him in the division.

Meanwhile, McKenzie and Allen are seemingly beginning their tenure in Oakland by taking a step back. Asked about the loss of talent while at the NFL owners meetings this week, Allen took a realistic approach.

“You know what, we knew what the situation was when we were going into it,” Allen said. “We knew it was going to be a tough situation. I think Reggie’s done a great job of managing everything as we’ve gone through this. You go through it every year. Every year, you have good players that you lose. And you’ve got to find a way to regroup and replace those guys and that’s what we’re trying to get done.”

The problem is that Oakland has more holes than it did at the end of last season. In the past couple of seasons, the Raiders were intriguing because they were both young and didn’t have many glaring needs. All they needed was their young talent to continue to improve. Now, though, Oakland has holes at tight end and at linebacker and depth issues at all layers of the defense, running back, the offensive line and at quarterback.

“What if this team gets hurt a lot?” Horton asked. “There is no depth in this team.”

Still, not all is lost in Oakland. Running back Darren McFadden is an elite runner when healthy, the defensive line is an upper-echelon unit, the interior offensive line is strong, the special teams are top-notch, the receiver crew is potentially dynamic and the team believes quarterback Carson Palmer will benefit from a full offseason in the program.

The Raiders are hopeful that their talent can withstand this necessary offseason of cap repair. In a couple of years, if McKenzie continues to be financially prudent, the Raiders should be out of cap jail.

“This team wasn’t far away when I got here,” Allen said at the owners meetings. “We’re excited about trying to build on that and develop this team into a playoff-caliber team. Obviously, we took a couple hits because of the cap situation, but we’re looking forward to trying to develop the team, and the players.”

The only question: Has the rest of the AFC West left the Raiders behind in the immediate future?

The Chiefs’ brass released statements on the recent signings of standout right tackle Eric Winston and backup quarterback Brady Quinn:

Kansas City coach Romeo Crennel on Quinn: “I had the opportunity to work with Brady in Cleveland, and I can tell you he is a true professional. “He is a veteran player who knows how to study and prepare for game days, and you can count on him to always go out there and give you his best, whether that be on the practice field or on Sundays.”

Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli on Quinn: “Brady is another solid addition for our team. In Brady, we have added another good football player who will increase competition and provide quality depth.”

Crennel on Winston: “We are always looking for good football players, and when Eric became available, we decided to pursue him. He is a big, strong, physical player up front that will be a good addition to our offensive line.”

Pioli on Winston: “We are very happy to add a quality right tackle like Eric to our team. He is a smart lineman who is going to bring passion, intelligence and toughness to our offense.”

There are numerous reports that the Raiders will cut linebacker Kamerion Wimbley on Friday. The move has been expected for several weeks.

Wimbley was not interested in a pay-cut. Keeping him on the roster through Saturday would have triggered $17.5 million in bonuses. Wimbley will be paid $6.5 million by the Raiders anyway for this year, but it will save Oakland $4.5 million. He will draw interest on the open market. While the Chargers have already spent a lot in free agency (they have re-signed two players, and added four outside contracts), they need a pass-rusher and might be interested. Chicago is another team to keep an eye on.

Oakland now has more money to spend. It is looking at cornerbacks, including Ronald Bartell and Tracy Porter, and guard Mike Brisiel. Wimbley is poised to be Oakland’s seventh salary-cap dump. So, the Raiders have more roster holes than expected with limited cap room and a small draft class.

In other AFC West news:

Here are the Chiefs’ reactions -- via a team statement -- about the signing of tight end Kevin Boss:

Coach Romeo Crennel: “We are excited about the opportunity to make Kevin a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. Kevin has been a part of successful teams in the past, and knows what it takes to win. I am eager to add him to our offense.”

General manager Scott Pioli: “We felt that signing Kevin continued our free agent plan of adding good players to our roster. Kevin has a track record of personal and team success in this league, and he is a good fit for us.”

The Chiefs are visiting with right tackle Eric Winston, and are trying to sign him. He has a visit set with St. Louis after the Chiefs.

NFL Network is reporting the Broncos will visit with Tampa Bay linebacker Geno Hayes. Denver is looking at several defensive players.

In an Insider piece , Mel Kiper looks at how free agency has affected the Chargers’ draft plans.

Minutes before the deadline, the Kansas City Chiefs did what was long expected of them: they placed the franchise tag on receiver Dwayne Bowe.

"Today was the league’s deadline to designate a franchise player and we felt it was in the best interest of the Kansas City Chiefs to place the tag on Dwayne," Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli said in a statement released by the team.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Feb. 25 that Bowe will be franchised. Here were my thoughts on that report.

There was little chance the Chiefs, who are in excellent salary-cap position, would allow Bowe to hit the open market. Expect the Chiefs to try to sign Bowe to a long-term deal by the July 15 deadline. If Bowe is not given a long-term deal, he will be set to be an unrestricted free agent again next year.

Pioli has done a good job of keeping the Chiefs’ best players and has gotten off to a good start in free agency. The Chiefs have already secured Bowe and former Oakland cornerback Stanford Routt. He was signed two weeks ago.

The Chiefs’ top unrestricted free agent is cornerback Brandon Carr. There is little chance he will return. Expect Dallas to be among the teams to make a big push for Carr.

The Washington Redskins look like an early favorite to acquire the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft from the St. Louis Rams.

Jim Thomas' update for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch covers quite a few angles.

Another came to mind while reading the piece. What if the Redskins were the only team drafting among the top six with serious interest in Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III?

Such a thought seemed improbable while Griffin was lighting up the NFL scouting combine recently, but a post-combine report from Fox Sports' John Czarnecki lingers in my mind.

According to Czarnecki, Browns president Mike Holmgren and the team's coaching staff aren't necessarily sold on Griffin.

Under this thinking, Holmgren would prefer a quarterback to fit his system, not the other way around. Griffin's winning personality and phenomenal athleticism might make him a great prospect, but would the Browns see him as an ideal fit for their system -- enough so to justify parting with significant draft capital to get him?

Holmgren is not the Browns' coach, but he is particular about his offense and quarterbacks. He hired Pat Shurmur as head coach in part because Shurmur shared his vision for offense. Then again, Shurmur worked under Andy Reid in Philadelphia. Reid has obviously adapted his offense for a range of quarterbacks, notably Michael Vick.

All of this might be over-thinking things. My AFC North colleague, Jamison Hensley, thinks the Browns have little choice but to make a strong play for Griffin. That would serve the Rams well.

But if the Browns aren't all in for Griffin, what team represents the Redskins' competition for the second pick?

Minnesota picks third and Tampa Bay picks fifth. Both teams have invested in quarterbacks recently. Jacksonville, which picks seventh, has publicly committed to Blaine Gabbert as its franchise quarterback. Miami picks eighth, and as Thomas notes, the Dolphins might not be interested in dealing with St. Louis after the teams battled over Jeff Fisher. Miami also has ties to free-agent quarterback Matt Flynn.

Carolina picks ninth and already has Cam Newton. Buffalo picks 10th and has already publicly ruled out trading up for Griffin. Kansas City holds the 11th choice and could have interest even though Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli has said Matt Cassel is the clear starter. Seattle (12th) and Arizona (13th) hold the next two picks, and both can forget about the Rams sending a franchise quarterback their way.

Griffin might be worth taking second overall. That doesn't necessarily mean the market will allow the Rams to maximize the value of that choice.

The Rams do not necessarily need to make a killing in a trade. Griffin isn't in their plans, so they could conceivably get the player they really wanted a little later, plus whatever comes their way by trade. That would still represent a net gain.

Things to consider while the Rams weigh their options.

INDIANAPOLIS -- While much of Romeo Crennel’s media session Saturday focused on quarterbacks, the Kansas City Chiefs coach did address some other areas.

Like Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli did Friday, Crennel said the team wants to keep free-agent receiver Dwayne Bowe. Crennel wouldn’t say if the Chiefs will use the franchise tag on Bowe by the March 5 deadline.

Crennel also kept the company line going, saying that the Chiefs want cornerback Brandon Carr back even though they just signed Stanford Routt and they have No. 1 CB Brandon Flowers. I’m sure the Chiefs do want Carr back, but it is unlikely he’ll return in unrestricted free agency.

Crennel said safety Kendrick Lewis is recovering from a torn labrum he suffered at the end of the season. Crennel said Lewis will be managed by the team during the OTA’s.

When asked about Routt’s penalty issues in Oakland in 2011, Crennel said that is an area he will need to “coach” Routt in.

INDIANAPOLIS – Alabama star running back Trent Richardson is the premier player at the NFL combine at his position.

However, Richardson is unable to show NFL teams he is ready to be the league’s next great back. Richardson had minor knee surgery after suffering an injury in January. He is not participating in drills at the combine. He will have his pro day late in March where he is expected to be fully healed.

While many top prospects don’t do much at the combine, Richardson is upset he is not getting the chance to showcase his skills in Indy.

“I’m very disappointed I can’t do the stuff here that everybody else can do,” Richardson said. “In college, it irked my nerves when I heard guys say they don’t want to this and that at the combine. That’s something that you dream of and want to do your whole life and being a college football player and a competitor, I always wanted to come to this and show all my skills. That’s what the top guys do.”

If you listen to several league observers, expect the Kansas City Chiefs to have keen interest in Richardson’s workout. Many mock drafts have the Chiefs taking Richardson at No. 11.

In my mind, there are a lot of obstacles in the way of that intriguing pairing. The biggest issue is Richardson’s availability. There is a chance Richardson could go as high as No. 5 to Tampa Bay. If Richardson does drop to No. 11, the Chiefs would have to decide if they want to bypass needs at tackle and linebacker to take Richardson.

Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli said Friday that the Chiefs will look at running backs in the draft and in free agency. Starter Jamaal Charles is expected to be ready for training camp after suffering a torn ACL in his knee in September. Kansas City running backs Jackie Battle and Thomas Jones are free agents, so the position is a need area.

If the Chiefs don’t pursue a running back — New England’s BenJarvus Green-Ellis and San Diego’s Mike Tolbert could be possibilities — in free agency, Richardson could be a target.

The blunt Richardson said he is ready to make an impact in the NFL.

“When it comes down to it, I’ll be the dude that’s on the field and getting the ball on third and three or fourth and one,” Richardson said. “Not to be cocky or anything, but I work on my game every day and even if it’s not physical stuff, I work in the classroom learning plays and learning the defensive line and what the linebackers and safeties are doing so I can pick up my blitzes. I love to block. Everybody knows I can run the ball. I’ve never been caught from behind, so if anyone wants to questions my speed, just look at the tape. When it comes to playing football, any game you want to just look at it a try to find a negative.”

That could turn out to be a positive in Kansas City.