Chiefs Release Tackle Eric Winston

Just days after placing the franchise tag on left tackle Branden Albert, the Chiefs have released right tackle Eric Winston.  The release may signal that the team is heavily leaning towards drafting a tackle with their first overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Winston had signed a four-year, $22 million contract with Kansas City a year ago, and this move saves the Chiefs $5.5 million in cash and $3.5 million in cap space. Winston, who was originally selected by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2006 NFL draft, became one of the better right tackles in the league before the Chiefs made a move for him in last year’s free agency period. Winston had a decent season for Kansas City, but the Chiefs are looking to get younger, and Winston may not be a strong fit for new head coach Andy Reid’s man-on-man blocking system after spending his career in a zone scheme.

Winston became famous in Kansas City for criticizing Chiefs fans for cheering when quarterback Matt Cassel got injured in a game last season. Winston told the media he understood Kansas City’s decision, and was appreciative that they released him quickly so he could catch on with another team.

In response to his release, Winston called the move “philosophical” and also suggested that the team will likely draft an offensive lineman with its top overall pick. Most draft experts believe that Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel or Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher could be likely targets for Kansas City.

One issue the Chiefs may face if they draft Joeckel or Fisher is dealing with Albert, who has made it clear he does not want to move to the right side of the line. The team could try to trade Albert to a team that is desperate for a good left tackle, or convince him to move to right tackle or guard. The Chiefs also could keep Albert at left tackle and use Joeckel or Fisher on the right side of the line.

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Chiefs Officially Introduce Andy Reid As Head Coach

The Chiefs officially introduced Andy Reid as the team’s head coach this afternoon, ending a short search that brought the former Philadelphia coach to Kansas City within a matter of days. Now that the ink on Reid’s five year deal is dry, Chiefs fans can turn their attention to several burning matters that Reid must address.

For starters, Reid will have to decide who will be the team’s general manager, an integral piece of rebuilding the team’s roster. The Chiefs have the first overall pick in this year’s draft, and thus will have a pick at the start of each round in the draft as well. This provides the franchise with an excellent opportunity to instantly inject young talent into the roster, as the weak drafting by Scott Pioli was one of the leading causes to the downward spiral the team has been on over the past two seasons. Kansas City also needs to do a better job in free agency, as the team has badly whiffed on several signings while losing valuable veterans such as Brandon Carr.

While the GM is the first step to the puzzle, Reid also must decide how to assemble his new staff. The former Eagles coach was heavily criticized in Philadelphia for some extremely questionable hires at defensive coordinator, and the offensive-minded Reid will likely need to find an experienced coach he can trust to run the defense.

Finally, Reid must figure out what to do with the quarterback position. Reid has constantly had a good quarterback on his roster, whether it was Brett Favre while he was an assistant in Green Bay, or Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick during his tenure as head coach for Philadelphia. If the team does select a quarterback with its top overall pick, Reid and his staff will have to devout time and energy to helping the player develop. If the Chiefs decide to move in a different direction, Reid and his new GM will be forced to find a veteran who will provide a significant upgrade from Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn. That shouldn’t be hard to do, as there are several good veteran quarterbacks looking for a starting shot this offseason.

Reid has a lot of work to do, and Chiefs fans should be excited that a new era has begun in Kansas City. The next several weeks will be interesting to watch.

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