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THE ESCAPEES: 2007-09
February 16th – 6:19 AM

Successful talent evaluation begins from within.

Finding the right free agents to round out the Chiefs roster for next season is no different than an employer searching for the proper employees to staff that organization’s next quarter of business. The NFL’s version just happens to be done in a very public spotlight.

Much too often we get wrapped up about the “greener grass” when discussing free agency. Part of the reason is that it’s just simply fun to pick and choose from available players around the league and play “what if games” as we picture them in a Kansas City uniform. Hiring outside talent is a critical key of a successful evolution, but correctly identifying those that can hack it, who already reside within the organization, is even more important.

“Core Players”

“The Nucleus”

Guys Who “Get It”

Those are the words and phrases that we’ve heard Chiefs head coach Todd Haley utter over and over again throughout his first season at the helm. It’s not coach speak. Haley realizes that one of the most vital parts of getting this team back on course is to keep the best talent of the Chiefs locker room IN the Chiefs locker room. From there, the outside additions are sprinkled in to complete the overhaul.

Internal review is something that an organization does for its own purpose, plain and simple. If the review is conducted poorly, in-house talent slips through the cracks and ends up excelling for the competition. The only entity who gets hurt by poor in-house evaluation are the evaluators. Like so many things in life, most won’t take notice until there is a screw up.

Internal evaluation goes hand-in-hand with self-evaluation and the two pair to be very powerful forces in seeing the overall success of a team charge forward. The term “promote from within” isn’t lost on the NFL. We saw that concept executed first hand with the rise of Jamaal Charles following Larry Johnson’s departure. Brian Waters is another prime example.

You’ve got to re-sign your talent or you’re going to pay (both literally and figutarively).

Over the past three NFL offseasons, hundreds of veteran free agents have signed with new teams. Former Chiefs represent 13 of the total. Every year, it’s “the one that got away” which haunts NFL clubs.

Let’s take a look at the players who the Chiefs have LOST via unrestricted free agency (during the five-month UFA signing period) over the last three years and take note of what those players’ post-Kansas City career has done for them.

2009 (2 players)

T Adrian Jones
Background: It took Jones less than a week to find work as he joined the Texans as an unrestricted free agent on March 2nd. In his lone season with the Chiefs, Jones began 2008 as the starter at right guard, but suffered injury and eventually saw Wade Smith take over that role. He played in 11 games (10 starts) with the Chiefs.

Result: Jones never played in a game with the Texans as Houston released him on September 5th. He remains a free agent.

LB Pat Thomas
Background: Thomas signed with the Bills as an unrestricted free agent in Buffalo after appearing in 16 games (nine starts) with the Chiefs in just over a season with Kansas City.

Result: Thomas battled injuries throughout training camp and ultimately lost out on the battle to back up starter Paul Posluszny. He was released by Buffalo on September 2nd without ever playing in a game and remains a free agent.

*DE Jason Babin and LB Rocky Boiman both signed contracts with new teams in August, after the NFL’s unrestricted free agency period had concluded.

2008 (6 players)

LB Keyaron Fox
Background: Fox landed in Pittsburgh as an unrestricted free agent after an up-and-down ride for four seasons in Kansas City. Battling minor injuries throughout much of his Chiefs career, Fox played in 40 games (four starts) on special teams and as a reserve linebacker. He entered the league as a third-round pick of the Chiefs in 2004.

Result: Fox’s yearly defensive numbers in Pittsburgh are similar to those that he posted in Kansas City, but he’s thrived on special teams in his new environment and was selected by his teammates as the Steelers special teams captain for 2009. He’s played in 29 games (three starts) since joining Pittsburgh.

WR Samie Parker
Background: Parker landed in Denver as an unrestricted free agent after spending four seasons in Kansas City and registering 110 catches for 1,529 yards with seven TDs. He played in 47 games (31 starts) with the Chiefs from 2004-07 after joining the team as a fourth-round pick in 2004.

Result: Parker was released by Denver prior to the start of the regular season and hasn’t played in an NFL game since leaving Kansas City. He’s been signed and released by four different clubs (Denver, Carolina, Seattle, Oakland).

CB Benny Sapp
Background: Sapp was picked up as an unrestricted free agent by Minnesota following a four-year career in Kansas City that saw Sapp in action 56 times (six starts). He was a nice success story, earning the Chiefs nickel duties after entering the league with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2004.

Result: Sapp has been a significant contributor to the Vikings defense over the past two seasons, appearing in 30 games and making 11 starts. Over his two seasons with Minnesota, Sapp has established single-season career highs in every major defensive category.

C Casey Wiegmann
Background: Wiegmann signed with Denver as an unrestricted free agent after serving as the Chiefs resident iron man in the trenches from 2001-07. He was part of arguably the greatest offensive line in NFL history and played in every possible regular and postseason snap since early in the 2001 campaign.

Result: Wiegmann has started all 32 games in Denver since leaving Kansas City. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2008.

DE Jimmy Wilkerson
Background: Wilkerson joined Tampa Bay as an unrestricted free agent after reportedly denying a similar offer from Kansas City. Over five years in Kansas City, Wilkerson never could crack the starting lineup, appearing in 72 games with just five starting assignments. He posted pedestrian numbers and only logged 1.0 sack after joining the team as a sixth-round pick in 2003.

Result: Wilkerson has really blossomed since joining the Bucs, establishing and topping single-season career highs each of the past two seasons. He started all 15 games in played in for Tampa in 2009. Over two seasons in Tampa, Wilkerson has seen action in 31 games (16 starts) and registered 11.0 sacks.

FB/TE Kris Wilson
Background: After bouncing around between multiple positions over four seasons with the Chiefs, Wilson joined the Eagles as an unrestricted free agent. After being selected in the second-round of the 2004 NFL Draft, Wilson completed his Chiefs career with 42 catches for 345 yards and four TDs over 49 games (23 starts). He also carried the ball four times for 13 yards.

Result: Wilson never played in a game with the Eagles, but found an immediate home in San Diego. He’s played a reserve role for the Chargers over the past two seasons, appearing in 19 games and catching four passes for 28 yards with a TD. He also recorded a TD catch in San Diego’s divisional round playoff game vs. the N.Y. Jets this postseason.

2007 (5 players)

T Jordan Black
Background – Black joined the Texans as an unrestricted free agent, escaping the criticism he was receiving as Kansas City’s starting right tackle. He played in 48 games (29) starts over three seasons in with the Chiefs after he was selected in the fifth-round of the 2003 NFL Draft.

Result: Black played in eight games as a reserve with the Texans in 2007. He was then released in June of 2008 and remained out of football for that entire season before joining the Jaguars for 2009. He played in nine games (two starts) a year ago with the Jags.

RB Dee Brown
Background: Brown signed with Washington as an unrestricted free agent after spending two seasons as Kansas City’s occasional third-down back. Typically, Brown’s role was regulated to special teams during his time with the Chiefs (23 games).

Result: Brown was cut by Washington prior to the start of the regular season and hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since leaving Kansas City.

S Sammy Knight
Background: The veteran defensive back started all 32 games over his two-year career in Kansas City and signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent following the 2006 season.

Result: Knight proved to have more left in the tank than most gave him credit for, turning in a very successful 2007 season in Jacksonville (93 tackles, four INTs). He also played in nine games as a reserve for the N.Y. Giants in 2008 before being released in February of 2009.

LB Kawika Mitchell
Background: Mitchell found himself as an unrestricted free agent after leading the Chiefs in tackles in 2006 (118). He signed with the N.Y. Giants after four seasons in Kansas City. Mitchell played in 59 games (50 starts) with the Chiefs and tallied a career-high 135 tackles in 2005.

Results: Mitchell helped guide the Giants to a Super Bowl title as New York’s on-field defensive general in his only season with the Giants. He became a hot commodity as an unrestricted free agent following that Super Bowl run and landed in Buffalo, where he’s resided as the Bills starting inside linebacker each of the past two seasons. His 2009 campaign was shortened to just five games due to injury.

CB Lenny Walls
Background: Walls joined the Rams as an unrestricted free agent after one season in Kansas City. He played in all 16 games (two starts) as a third/fourth cornerback with the Chiefs.

Result: Walls played in five games (three starts) with the Rams before being released. He was later signed by Baltimore, but never appeared in a game for the Ravens. He hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since.

2007-2009 Overall Reflections: Of the unrestricted free agents who signed during the NFL’s unrestricted free agent period, the Chiefs have boasted a flawless in-house exit record since Scott Pioli took over in 2009. Neither Jones nor Thomas has appeared in an NFL game since leaving Kansas City.

Eventually, the odds and numbers of NFL free agency will catch up with Pioli and the new administration at some point, but it’s nice to see a perfect slate of in-house player exits for the time being.

When analyzing the results of those who have left, there are plenty of wise choices, but several stick out as big misses. Mitchell’s exit in 2007 not only resulted in a Super Bowl ring for the player, but also up-and-down play with the inside linebacking core ever since his exit. The Chiefs have been shuffling through inside linebackers on a yearly basis since Mitchell left Arrowhead.

Another player on the list that makes you wonder “what if” is Jimmy Wilkerson. A player who came out of college early, Wilkerson never seemed to get an opportunity in Kansas City (and maybe rightly so since he was playing behind Tamba Hali and Jared Allen). Wilkerson has seemed to really develop in Tampa Bay once he hit his prime playing years.

Coming off the best statistical season of his seven-year career, Wilkerson just turned 29 last month. Did the Chiefs lose patience with Wilkerson?

Other players that jump out are obviously Wiegmann, who took his iron man routine west and earned a Pro Bowl bid in his first season away from Kansas City. Some thought he was on the verge of retirement when exiting Kansas City, that prediction was obviously inaccurate.

Fox is another player that Chiefs fans have watched on national television since his exit from Kansas City, but the perception could be inflated with that national spotlight. Statistically, Fox is the same player on defense, but he’s certainly embraced his special teams role in the Iron City.

How will 2010’s list of exits look one, two or three years from now? Another chapter of Chiefs history will begin unraveling in the upcoming weeks.