Chiefs hire Steve Spagnuolo as new defensive coordinator

[TLO]

The #Chiefs are hiring Steve Spagnuolo as their new defensive coordinator, sources say. The former #Giants DC and interim HC/#Rams HC began his NFL coaching career as an #Eagles assistant under Andy Reid. Now rejoins Big Red in KC.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 24, 2019

[RunKC]

I don’t think I’m paying Fuller unless it’s a reasonable deal. He isn’t “top dollar” worthy as an outside corner.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Originally Posted by RunKC

I don’t think I’m paying Fuller unless it’s a reasonable deal. He isn’t “top dollar” worthy as an outside corner.

I wouldn’t pay him like a premiere corner but a deal in the $8-10M per year range would be really solid. If he has a good year and hits the market in 2020, he’ll almost certainly get $12M+.

If Fuller returns to 2017 form, where he was a great slot corner, in this Spagnuolo defense, everyone is going to wish we had extended him sooner because he will hit the market and leave town.

He was solid last year in Sutton’s shit defense, he’ll be better in ‘19. We can draft another corner early this year who will be cheap while Fuller has his pay raise.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

"Do you want to compete for championships in Kansas City, or do you want to earn the big bucks in Detroit"? is the gist of my conversation with any player on this 53 man roster NOT named Mahomes, Hill, Kelce, or Jones.
We need to get our cap under control and Veach should begin the transition to hardball THIS year, no waiting. This is especially true with any of the depth guys( and some of the lesser starters even )who may be looking at contracts this year. It's time to overhaul our in-house "value system".

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

I wouldn’t pay him like a premiere corner but a deal in the $8-10M per year range would be really solid. If he has a good year and hits the market in 2020, he’ll almost certainly get $12M+.

If Fuller returns to 2017 form, where he was a great slot corner, in this Spagnuolo defense, everyone is going to wish we had extended him sooner because he will hit the market and leave town.

He was solid last year in Sutton’s shit defense, he’ll be better in ‘19. We can draft another corner early this year who will be cheap while Fuller has his pay raise.

His brother got 14m after a similar season and went on to be first team all pro.

Fuller is exactly the type of person and player you give a big contract to without worrying about it hurting you later on.

[Buckweath]

Yeah you absolutely pay Fuller and now is the perfect time.

[Buckweath]

Originally Posted by RealSNR

Veach would have more credibility in peoples' eyes if it weren't for the Watkins and Hitchens contracts. I know I'm one of the biggest culprits on this forum for bitching about his first draft, but had he either played it safe in free agency last year or acquired only players whose production could match their contract, we'd be doing just fine moving forward with more cap space and fewer question marks. His draft would be more widely thought of as just the best he could do with the picks he had, hoping to hit on some dudes with high potential.

The good news is that those two "mistakes" can be fixable. The Sammy Watkins deal is short term. We don't have to keep him for the 3rd year of that deal if he can't give us better production and stay healthy.

And I think a big reason Spagnuolo was chosen is he offered the greatest chance for us salvaging Hitchens and making him the player we thought we were getting when we acquired him. If Hitchens turns into the reliable guy we needed this season but didn't get, then the contract isn't a problem at all to our cap.

Getting Watkins was a good move. He is part of the reason why this offense was historically good. Unless he gets injured next year, he will be staying in KC for the duration of his contract.

Hitchens is the one I am scratching my head on. Big dollars and poor play.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Buckweath

Getting Watkins was a good move. He is part of the reason why this offense was historically good. Unless he gets injured next year, he will be staying in KC for the duration of his contract.

Hitchens is the one I am scratching my head on. Big dollars and poor play.

I subscribe to the theory that Spags was coming to KC long before the hire. Acquisitions like Hitchens and draft picks that were clearly geared toward a 4-3, combined with the light speed of the hire, make clear that Veach and Reid were setting the table.

I expect we will see a "much improved" Hitchens coming out of camp this year.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by BossChief

His brother got 14m after a similar season and went on to be first team all pro.

Fuller is exactly the type of person and player you give a big contract to without worrying about it hurting you later on.

And he will want more like any player would. Kendall Fuller is “good”. That’s fine, but you can’t afford to overpay for “good”, especially with a $200 million quarterback.

He isn’t a top 10 caliber outside corner. $15-16 million a year needs to equal that pay.

[MVChiefFan]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

I subscribe to the theory that Spags was coming to KC long before the hire. Acquisitions like Hitchens and draft picks that were clearly geared toward a 4-3, combined with the light speed of the hire, make clear that Veach and Reid were setting the table.

I expect we will see a "much improved" Hitchens coming out of camp this year.

This is exactly how I feel. It’s uncanny how many players we signed/drafted that fit the 4-3 scheme better. It’s just too crazy to be a coincidence.

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Source tells me @Chiefs made run at hiring Antonio Pierce as their new LBs coach but he's staying at Arizona State

— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) February 3, 2019

[Dunerdr]

Originally Posted by Icon

I'm not sure why Hunt has such respect for Veach. His first draft class was nothing to brag about and he overpaid for Hitchens and Watkins.

I hope Hunt is proven right but so far - meh...

The guy extended pioli in a 3-13 season, his take doesn’t mean a whole lot..

[RunKC]

Ah damn

Source tells me @Chiefs made run at hiring Antonio Pierce as their new LBs coach but he's staying at Arizona State

— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) February 3, 2019

[Cosmos]

Per Twitter, seems Antonio Pierce was offered and has turned down a LB coach position under Spagnuolo, and will remain at Arizona State.

Spag can’t pull a college position coach away....not a good sign IMO...

[Chief Northman]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

I subscribe to the theory that Spags was coming to KC long before the hire. Acquisitions like Hitchens and draft picks that were clearly geared toward a 4-3, combined with the light speed of the hire, make clear that Veach and Reid were setting the table.

I expect we will see a "much improved" Hitchens coming out of camp this year.

I tend to agree. Spagnuolo’s name was floated last year around this time before Andy confirmed Sutton’s return, and at the very least, the personnel drafted by Veach strongly indicated a 4-3 scheme was incoming at some point.

Not making excuses for Hitchens, but I think the rib injury really lingered and caused him to play a bit gunshy for several weeks. He looked quite good over the late stretch which leads me to be believe he got healthy. No doubt a 4-3 should allow him to succeed more than his 3-4 deployment.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Originally Posted by Showtime

Source tells me @Chiefs made run at hiring Antonio Pierce as their new LBs coach but he's staying at Arizona State

— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) February 3, 2019

Damn. Think that would have been a great hire.