Guard Will Shields did the Chiefs a huge favor by announcing his retirement before the draft, and not after it.  In contrast, former Kansas City left tackle Willie Roaf left the Chiefs hanging until late July before calling it quits. 

So, this year, the Chiefs can attempt to fill Will’s large shoes in round one, if they so choose.  How about Auburn’s Ben Grubbs in round one?  Grubbs could step in for Shields as a rookie, just as Shields did 14 seasons ago.  Justin Blalock is also a possibility. 

Then again, Shields was a third-round pick; arguably, a first-round pick isn’t necessary to fill this need.

The Chiefs also still need help at Roaf’s position.  Kyle Turley has been cut, and John Wellbourn is too erratic.  If Levi Brown lingers past No. 10, a trade up might be a good move.

Indeed, the Chiefs might want to work out a deal that would send Trent Green, the No. 23 overall pick, and maybe a third-round pick to the Dolphins in order to get the No. 9 selection.

Another glaring area of need is at receiver, where the Chiefs haven’t had a superstar since the days of Stephone Paige.  They’ll have plenty to choose from at No. 23, if they choose to go in that direction.   

The Chiefs also should consider adding a real fullback to help open holes for Larry Johnson.  Is it a coincidence that Johnson’s production saw a dip after Tony Richardson bolted for Minnesota?  Why not pose that question to Kris Wilson, who was moved from tight end after all of the other guys on the roster got boo-boos that prevented them from playing? 

On defense, the Chiefs need to focus on the defensive tackle position, where Ryan Sims seems to be on his last legs. 

They also have needs in the secondary, where Ty Law and Patrick Surtain are getting close to the end, and the safeties are so-so at best.

All things considered, this 2006 playoff team is clearly in a state of transition.  Maybe the NFL knew precisely what it was doing when it omitted the Chiefs from the 2007 prime-time schedule (with the exception of a tentative late-season Sunday night that could be replaced via flex scheduling).