Chiefs’ 2007 season derailed by draft-day decision

By Mike Ash  |   Friday, November 30, 2007  |  Comments( 8 )

Kansas City Chiefs
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When the Kansas City Chiefs selected UCLA kicker Justin Medlock in the fifth round of April's draft, many of the team's fans were puzzled. Not because Kansas City already had a kicker - everyone could see the writing on the wall for incumbent Lawrence Tynes, who missed a chip-shot field goal in the Chiefs' playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts in January.

The decision seemed strange because Medlock was the first kicker taken, and most draft followers rated Colorado's Mason Crosby as the best player at the position. In truth, though, Crosby reportedly performed poorly in pre-draft workouts, and teams were concerned that the extra-long field goals he'd attempted in the thin Colorado air had damaged his mechanics. As a result, although some initially considered Crosby worthy of a first-day pick, he ultimately became the third kicker taken in the draft, falling all the way to the middle of the sixth round before being selected by the Green Bay Packers.

Of course, just a few months into his pro career, Crosby has already shown signs of being the top-flight kicker many anticipated he'd be during his college years. Nick Folk, the second kicker drafted in 2007, has likewise been a solid performer for the Dallas Cowboys.

Medlock, on the other hand, is currently sitting at home in California, not on the roster of any NFL team.

It's difficult to blame the Chiefs for taking Medlock, considering he was widely considered the unquestioned No. 2 kicking prospect during his senior year. And once teams began wavering on Crosby, Medlock overtook the top spot on many draft boards. Dallas, for example, clearly didn't have Crosby as its top-rated kicker, so one has to wonder if the Cowboys would have taken Medlock if Kansas City hadn't.

But all that aside, there's also the fact that Medlock was a UCLA product, and Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson is a well-known alum of the same university. Indeed, it was Peterson, not head coach Herm Edwards, who took point on addressing the media about Medlock after making the pick. Whether fair or not, it has long been assumed that Peterson's familiarity - and perhaps bias - for UCLA players was the deciding factor in the decision to take Medlock above Crosby or Folk.

Whatever the reason, though, the decision to draft Medlock didn't work out for the Chiefs. Amid rumors of unusual behavior during training camp, Medlock began struggling on the field and performed poorly during the preseason. He remained the kicker when the season began, but he was released after the team's first game. Despite early statements from the Chiefs that they planned to put him on their practice squad, no such move has happened, and Medlock has not been added to the roster or practice squad of any other team in the league.

After cutting their rookie kicker, the Chiefs made an effort at possibly containing the damage by signing Dave Raynor. A 2005 draft pick of the Colts, Raynor appeared to be a victim of circumstance during his brief pro career. The Colts had no use for him after signing Adam Vinatieri, and the Packers - his 2006 team - decided to let him go in favor of the more heralded Crosby. It was possible that, in a roundabout way, the decision to draft Medlock had led the Chiefs to a talented young kicker after all.

That hope fell apart earlier this week, though, when the Chiefs released the struggling Raynor. To replace him, they signed 43-year-old veteran John Carney.

If the Chiefs had a reliable kicker during the 2007 season, at least four of their seven defeats could have turned out differently. In losses to the Texans and Jaguars, Kansas City mounted impressive drives on its first possession, taking the ball into the enemy red zone. Both times, the Chiefs ultimately came away with nothing because of missed field goals from short distances. And, both times, the Chiefs never led in the game, despite having the opportunity to jump out in front from the very beginning.

Against the Colts two weeks ago, Raynor missed two field goals in the prime kicking conditions of a dome in a game the Chiefs only lost by three points. And last week against the Raiders, Raynor's miss from 33 yards in the fourth quarter led to Edwards opting against a game-tying 40 yard field goal on a fourth-and-1 play late in the game. Kansas City ran the ball instead, and Oakland's defense made the stop.

Although field goals may not be quite as nail-biting with Carney handling the duties for the rest of the season, he's clearly not a long-term answer. The Chiefs can always take another kicker in next year's draft, or pick up another young castoff like Raynor and hope for better luck. But neither option will undo the Medlock debacle that ultimately helped derail the Chiefs' 2007 campaign.

No matter where the Chiefs turn to find their next young kicker, though, fans hope at least one valuable lesson has been learned: Decisions regarding key positions shouldn't be based on where the general manager went to college.
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