The Kansas City Chiefs approach the 2011 NFL Draft with needs at many positions. Depending on the position, those needs are driven by the need to improve talent, replace an aging veteran, fill a spot previously occupied by a player who is now an unsigned free agent, or a combination of some or all of those factors.

A year after landing Pro Bowl rookie Eric Berry in the first round, Scott Pioli and his scouts were able to find players who started at some point during 2010 with five of their remaining six selections. That is extremely impressive for a team that also turned around its losing ways, rebounding from a 4-12 2009 season to go 10-6, win the AFC West, and make their first playoff appearance since 2006.

The Chiefs still have holes to fill at other positions, but they won't likely find five starters for 2011 in this year's draft. That said, you can fully expect the team to look for players in the first three rounds that they expect to play prominent roles in their run to repeat as division champs. Here are the Chiefs most pressing needs, and the players likely to be on the board when it's the Chiefs turn to pick at the 21st selection.

Wide Receiver
Dwayne Bowe turned in an excellent season in 2010, but unfortunately for Chiefs fans, 2009 free agent pickup Chris Chambers didn't even come close to what he did prior to signing a contract extension before last season. Second-round pick Dexter McCluster was dynamic when he wasn't hobbled by injury, but his value is in playing the slot, not the team's #2 receiver. The Chiefs desperately need to find someone to stretch the field and take pressure off of Bowe and young tight end Tony Moeaki in the passing game.

Who will be available that the Chiefs may pick in round one?
1.     Torrey Smith - Maryland
Smith is one of those guys you want to root for. He overcame a difficult childhood that resulted in him becoming the man of the house at age seven with six younger siblings. Character alone would make this guy a target for Pioli. Throw in the fact that he's blazing fast, has great size (6'1" and 204 lbs), runs extremely well on short throws after the catch, and blocks well in the running game, coach Todd Haley would be licking his chops to get this kid on the field. He could be the surprise pick of the first round.
2.     Randall Cobb - Kentucky 
Cobb doesn't have elite speed but he runs excellent routes, isn't afraid to go across the middle despite his size (5'10" and 191 lbs), and his ability and tenacious blocking in the running game could mean that Chiefs rotation at wide receiver on running downs could finally come to an end.

Who will be available but won't be the Chiefs pick...
1.    Jonathan Baldwin - Pitt 
He's had a tendency to drop balls and his arrest for indecent assault in 2009 won't endear him to Pioli who wants good character guys.

Nose Tackle
It was two years ago when new head coach Todd Haley declared that his team would move from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense, and the team has struggled to find a player who could thrive at the nose tackle position. Last season, veterans Ron Edwards, Shaun Smith, and Anthony Toribio each saw their fair share of time at the position, with Edwards seeing the majority of the snaps. And when Edwards is your best option and only tallies 26 tackles, 2 sacks, and hasn’t forced a fumble in seven years, you need an upgrade. Oh and did I mention that Edwards is a free agent?

Who could be available that the Chiefs may pick in round one?
1. Phil Taylor - Baylor  
Taylor is enormous (6’3” and 334 lbs) and has the talent to become one of the most dominant nose tackles in the game. He plays the run very well, which would fill the exact need that the Chiefs have along their defensive line. However, questions abound about Taylor’s work ethic and lead most to believe that Pioli will ultimately pass on Taylor.

2. Stephen Paea - Oregon State
Despite what could be considered “smallish” size for a nose tackle prospect (6’1” and 303 lbs), Paea is ridiculously strong and is an anchor against double-teams in the running game. He broke the NFL Combine record with 49 bench presses of 225 lbs. Paea was a team captain in each of his final two seasons with the Beavers, something we know Pioli loves. And finally, if there was one word used to describe this guy’s motor, it would be relentless.

Who could be available but won't be the Chiefs pick...
1. Marvin Austin – North Carolina  
Austin’s questionable work ethic and maturity issues resulted in being disciplined by his coaches in the past and his eventual dismissal from the team this season for improper dealings with an agent. Pioli won’t touch him. 

Outside Linebacker
Like the situation at the nose tackle position, the Chiefs 2010 starter at the position (Mike Vrabel) is an aging veteran who is a free agent heading into the 2011 season. The question is, how much faith does Pioli and the coaching staff have in backup Andy Studebaker and last year’s final draft pick Camerson Sheffield, who missed most of the season with a neck injury? 

Who could be available that the Chiefs may pick in round one?
1. Brooks Reed - Arizona  
Reed is another team captain whose makeup will attract the Chiefs personnel people. Although he played defensive end in college, his size (6’2” and 263 lbs) and speed (4.65 - 40 yd dash) translate well into the 3-4 OLB he’d play for the Chiefs. He tackles well, is very good at rushing the passer, has the skills to drop back into zone pass coverage, and has long blonde locks and a motor that will remind Chiefs fans of the Packers Clay Mathews.   

2. Akeem Ayers - UCLA  
Unlike Reed, Ayers played outside linebacker for the Bruins. Like Reed, he was a team captain and was a good student without any off-field issues. Ayers is a very good pass-rusher but has trouble wrapping up at times against the run. 

Who could be available but won't be the Chiefs pick...
1. Bruce Carter – North Carolina  
Carter was a solid producer for the Tar Heels, and has excellent speed sideline to sideline. However, he plays with a finesse style of play that leads to too many missed tackles, and would give Haley flashbacks to the type of player Derrick Johnson was when he lost his starting job. 

Offensive Tackle
Ever since the retirement of Willie Roaf, the Chiefs have had a need at offensive tackle. While many fans and draft experts keep saying the team needs to find a left tackle that will allow them to move Brandon Albert to the right side, there likely won’t be that type of player available who could start on day one on the left side. There are a couple players however, that could step in as starters on the right side and perhaps develop into future left tackles. 

Who could be available that the Chiefs may pick in round one?
1. Nate Solder - Colorado  
Solder is regarded by many as having the highest upside of any of the tackle prospects. He played all 36 games of his college career at left tackle for the Buffalos, and displays exceptional athleticism. His size will remind many of former Chiefs left tackle John Alt (6’8” and 319 lbs), and he is considerably faster (4.96 – 40 yd dash) than most who play the position. Is the ideal candidate if the Chiefs want someone who could start on the right side and eventually replace Albert.

2. Gabe Carimi - Wisconsin  
If you’ve ever been to the upper  Midwest during the winter, Carimi’s blocking skills in the running game will remind you of a Wisconsin snow-plow. A four-year starter at left tackle for the Badgers, he’s not as accomplished a pass-blocker as Solder is, but he uses his massive frame (6’7” and 314 lbs) as perhaps the draft’s best  blocker in the rushing game.

Who could be available but won't be the Chiefs pick...
1. Marcus Gilbert – Florida  
If you followed the Chiefs draft last year, you know the affinity Pioli showed for the SEC. Gilbert is huge (6’6” and 330 lbs) and while he can hold his own with his pass-blocking, he’s not the type of run-blocker that would pave the way for Jamaal Charles.  

So Who Will the Chiefs Pick?
With the exception of the tackles who will be available when the Chiefs pick, most of the others listed here could be available if the Chiefs are able to trade down a few picks, or even into the second round. Regardless, given Pioli's draft track record of not picking offensive linemen in the first round, I predict he'll stick to that M.O. in this draft as well.

If the Chiefs keep the pick… Reed. 
He is the best value at 21 and could step into Vrabel’s outside linebacker spot and start immediately, and in all likelihood Reed will put up much better numbers than Vrabel did last season. 

If the Chiefs trade down a few spots… Smith. 
The offense, including the offensive line, would benefit greatly from acquiring a receiver the caliber of Smith, who would step right in and start opposite Bowe. 

My sleeper pick… Paea.
The guy is simply a beast and with his motor, I can see him becoming a Chiefs fan favorite who will do his fair share of firing up the Arrowhead faithful on Sunday afternoons.  

After winning just ten games in their previous three seasons combined, the Kansas City Chiefs surprised the NFL in  2010 with a 10-6 record, a trip to the playoffs, and their first division championship since 2003. As the 2011 NFL Draft quickly approaches, here are the Chief’s draft needs, which if not addressed could result in a fall from grace every bit as dramatic as last season’s rise to the top of the AFC West. 
 
Quarterback:  Low
Matt Cassel proved to everyone in Kansas City in 2010 that the Chiefs were right in acquiring him from the New England  Patriots back in 2009, throwing for 27 touchdowns and earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl. However after six years in the league, backup Brodie Croyle just doesn’t have the makings of a full-time NFL starter should anything happen to Cassel. The Chiefs need to find the next QB-in-wait in Kansas City, but it may only be in the form of a late-round flyer in a quarterback-rich draft.

Running Back:  Low
With Jamaal Charles under contract through 2015, the Chiefs need only worry about the eventual departure of veteran Thomas Jones. While Jones has confirmed that he will return for his 12th season, the Chiefs should begin making plans for life without
Thomas in 2012. 

Wide Receiver:  Must Have
After the 2009 season, Kansas City thought they may finally have a solid #2 receiver to pair with Dwayne Bowe in veteran Chris Chambers. However, 2010 likely saw Chambers-era in Kansas City come to an end as the veteran wide out caught only 22 passes on the season and was deactivated from the Chiefs’ playoff loss to the Ravens. The Chiefs have to address this position in the draft and find themselves a starter that can take some pressure off Bowe and tight end Tony Moeaki.

Offensive Line:  Must Have
It isn’t the nature of Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli to draft offensive linemen in the first round; in fact the only time it’s happened in Pioli’s career was when he was a member of the Patriots’ front office in 2001 when they selected Matt Light. This year, with needs at both right tackle and center, don’t be surprised if Pioli and company go after Wisconsin’s Outland Trophy winner Gabe Carimi in round one. Carimi is the best run-blocking tackle in the draft, and he would appear to be a perfect match for the Chiefs’ running game and Jamaal Charles. 

Defensive Line:  Very High
While the Chiefs defense made huge strides in 2010 under the leadership of Defensive Coordinator Romeo Crennel, the most glaring area in need of improvement remains the defensive line, particularly nose tackle. Veteran Ron Edwards has held the position for the past two seasons, but has done so averaging fewer than 30 tackles per season and not forcing a single fumble. Defensive end is also an issue, but may only be addressed if Pioli is willing to admit that drafting Tyson Jackson was a  mistake. Jackson has underwhelmed in his two seasons since coming to the Chiefs as a first-round pick out of LSU, averaging 34 tackles and registering just one sack in 28 games. 

Linebacker:  Very High
After veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel gets done with his off-season job of representing the players union in its negotiations with the owners, he’ll be looking to see if the Chiefs are willing to offer the 35 year-old free agent a new contract. Vrabel tallied his lowest tackles total (48) since 2000 when he was special team’s player with the Steelers, and for the first time in his career didn’t register a single sack. Needless to say, the Chiefs need to find a replacement for Vrabel quickly, and while reserve Andy Studebaker has shown flashes in his three seasons, it remains to be seen if he can truly take over a starting role.  

Secondary:  Low
The Chiefs have one of the best young cornerback tandems in the league with starters Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr. And after drafting safeties Eric Berry and Kendrick Lewis to go with nickel back Javier Arenas a year ago, the Chiefs appear set for at least the next few years in the secondary.  

Special Teams:  Low
Punter Dustin Colquitt and Kicker Ryan Succop aren’t at risk of losing their jobs anytime soon, and with the Chiefs picking up Arenas and wide receiver Dexter McCluster in last year’s draft, they have the return game covered as well. 

Statistically speaking, the Baltimore Ravens have been impressive at stopping the run this season. They finished the regular season ranked fifth in the NFL against the run, allowing just 93.9 yards per game on the ground.

So the question that may most impact the outcome of Sunday's playoff game between the Ravens and Chiefs is, "Can the Ravens fifth-rated rush defense stop Jamaal Charles and the Chiefs NFL-leading rush offense?"

The Ravens defense has done well against some pretty good running backs this season. They held the Falcons' Michael Turner to just 39 yards on 17 carries. In two games against the Bengals' Cedric Benson, he averaged less than 3 yards per carry (2.9). In two more games against the Steelers' Rashard Mendenhall, the Ravens stuffed the running game allowing Mendenhall just 2.8 ypc.

What's most obvious about most of the running backs the Baltimore defense has faced this season is that not a single one of them is as explosive as the Chiefs' Jamaal Charles.

Charles, the league's second-best rusher with 1,467 yards, is averaging an NFL-best 6.4 ypc and unlike almost all of the backs the Ravens have faced this season, Charles does a majority of his damage on the outside. That fact alone is likely to cause the Ravens defense some problems.

The strength of Baltimore's defense is up the middle, between massive defensive ends Haloti Ngata and Cory Redding who gobble up double-teams and allow middle linebackers Jameel McClain and perennial All-Pro Ray Lewis to fill open holes and punish running backs.

Outside linebackers Terrell Suggs and Jarret Johnson are both bigger linebackers, each tipping the scales at more than 260 pounds. While Suggs has the straight-line speed that helps him get off the edge as the team's best pass rusher, neither he or Johnson has the speed to consistently get off of blocks and corral Charles. That puts a lot of pressure on safeties Ed Reed and Dawan Landry to come up and help stop Charles.

The Chiefs will likely look to exploit the smaller cornerbacks of the Ravens with passes to receivers Dwayne Bowe, Chris Chambers, and company. When Landry and Reed are kept honest by quarterback Matt Cassel throwing downfield to the receivers, and force those two to stay back and help in the passing game, that is when Charles will strike with the big play in the running game.

Kansas City and Charles aren't going to line up in multiple tight-end sets and pound the ball up the middle against the Ravens, rather they will look to effectively mix up the pass and run, keeping the Ravens off-balance and freeing up Charles to have a big game.

For Chiefs fans, who haven't seen a home playoff win since 1994, they are hoping Charles can put together his biggest game of the year and help his team earn a second-round playoff game in New England or Pittsburgh.

The last time the Kansas City Chiefs won a home playoff game was 1994. That season, head coach Marty Schottenheimer led a ball-hawking defense and grind it out offense to a 27-24 overtime defeat of the Pittsburgh Steelers. For the Chiefs to defeat the Baltimore Ravens at home this Sunday, current Chiefs coach Todd Haley will need to employ a Schottenheimer-esque gameplan to do it.

Like those Schottenheimer teams of the 1990s, Haley and soon to be Florida-bound offensive coordinator Charlie Weis have turned the Chiefs rush offense into one of the best in the NFL. And while defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel's defense is much improved from the squad he inherited from last season, players like linebackers Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson, cornerback Brandon Flowers, and rookie safety Eric Berry will need to force more turnovers than their Ravens counterparts to give Chiefs fans their first home playoff victory in 17 years.

For the 12-4 Ravens, perhaps no other statictical category more accurately reflects their success than turnover ratio. In the games they've won the Ravens are +11, but in the games they've lost they are -4.

The Chiefs offense, until this past week against the Raiders, has done a good job of protecting the football. What is in question is if the Chiefs defense can peel the ball from the hands of running back Ray Rice and force quarterback Joe Flacco into throwing an interception or two.

If the Chiefs can, and they win the turnover battle against the Ravens, they should have an excellent chance of taking their show on the road the following week to play the New England Patriots. That matchup would give Weis, Crennel, and general manager Scott Pioli an opportunity to face their former employer, something I'm sure each would love to do rather than ending their season at home to Baltimore.

The Kansas City Chiefs had an opportunity on Sunday to not just avenge a loss earlier this season to the Oakland Raiders, but they also had a chance to secure the #3 seed in the AFC playoffs and a matchup against a New York Jets team that has struggled down the stretch. Instead, the Chiefs offensive line allowed the Raiders defense seven sacks of quarterback Matt Cassel, who finished a miserable 11 of 33 for 115 yards and 2 interceptions. While the interior defensive line of the Raiders dominated the Chiefs on Sunday, it won't get any easier next weekend when the Chiefs host an even stingier defense in the Baltimore Ravens, a team that has won six of their last seven games and four in a row.

Two of the Chiefs most promising defensive players coming out of training camp, safety Kendrick Lewis and defensive end Wallace Gilberry, led the way on Sunday as the defense recovered from a subpar first quarter and harassed Rams quarterback Sam Bradford all day long. Bradford, a leading candidate for rookie of the year, was just 21-of-43 for 181 yards but was intercepted twice by Lewis. He was also sacked three times, all by Gilberry.

On offense, Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel was a little rusty after missing last week because of surgery to remove his appendix, throwing his first interception since week nine but still completing 15 of 29 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown. That was plenty for an offense that turned in yet another 200-plus yard day rushing, with Jamaal Charles leading the way with 126 yards on 11 carries, including a big 80-yard run late in the fourth quarter that set up a two-yard touchdown run by Thomas Jones that sealed the team's ninth victory and one-game lead in the AFC West.

Next up for the Chiefs, a game against the Tennessee Titans in Kansas City where the Chiefs are a perfect 6-0 this season. With a resurgent San Diego team charging there way into Cincinnati to play a bad Bengals team next week, this game against the Titans now looms as the biggest game of the season for a Chiefs squad looking to land their first playoff birth since 2006.

As reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5909051), the Kansas City Chiefs have re-signed running back Jamaal Charles to a 5-year contract worth $32.5 million. The contract guarantees Charles $13 million.

For the Chiefs, the league's best rushing offense, the signing goes a long way in reinforcing the team's identity as a run-first team as long as Charles is a Chief.

A versatile back out of the University of Texas, Charles has been the Chiefs most dynamic offensive threat since taking over for Larry Johnson as the team's primary back last season.

Since week ten of last season, Charles has rushed for 1,944 yards on 343 carries, good for 5.7 yards per carry. Over that same span, he also has caught 57 passes for 537 yards.

Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel had what appears to be an emergency appendectomy Wednesday and appears likely to miss Sunday’s game in San Diego against the Chargers. If he does play, he will do something no player in recent memory has done, and that’s play the same week as having that procedure done.

So what happens to the Chiefs’ offense if Cassel can’t go? Obviously, the quarterback job will fall to backup Brodie Croyle who is yet to win a game in nine career starts, including the 2009 season opener. What makes sense is for the Chiefs to accentuate their league-best rushing attack against a Chargers defense that is fifth in the league in rush defense, allowing just 95.2 yards per game.

Croyle has a strong arm and can make all the throws, his major knock has always been staying healthy. He also has a little bit of a gambling streak in him, and the Chiefs don’t need him turning the ball over. Where Croyle can help the offense is on play-action and then looking for Dwayne Bowe or another of the receivers running deep down the field. Throwing the deep ball is something he does do better than Cassel.

Also, don’t be surprised if offensive coordinator Charlie Weis utilizes a healthy Dexter McCluster in the backfield along with running backs Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles is some sort of triple-threat wildcat formation. Even for one of the best run defenses in the league, the Chargers would have a heck of a time defending a triple-option consisting of those three Chiefs.

The Kansas City Chiefs are 7-4 and atop the AFC West, with a one-game lead over rival San Diego, and the question everyone wants answered is can they hold off the Chargers. Well, if you look at how well the team has performed over those first 11 games, there appears to be a correlation with winning and the safety position.

Last season, the Chiefs played most of the season with veterans Jon McGraw and Mike Brown playing side by side and giving up one big play after another to opponents. The defense was continually gashed for big runs by opposing running backs, and receivers like Jabar Gaffney and Miles Austin posted career games against the Chiefs rickety old secondary.

This season, the Chiefs front office made the secondary, and specifically the safety position, a priority in the draft and came away with the best two safeties out of the SEC. Eric Berry, arguably the best pure athlete in the draft, has been solid for the Chiefs, but perhaps the player who quietly makes the biggest difference when he’s in the lineup is “the other rookie” Kendrick Lewis. Lewis only has 24 tackles and an interception on the season, but he has missed three games because of injury. Those three games against Houston, Oakland, and Denver were all losses for the Chiefs. In the eight games he’s played, seven as a starter, the Chiefs are 7-1.

So heading into this important divisional matchup against the Broncos on Sunday, the Chiefs coaching staff will be happy to have Lewis back in the lineup. The Broncos have the league’s fourth-best passing offense, led by quarterback Kyle Orton who threw for 296 yards and 4 touchdowns in the last meeting between these two teams in Denver three weeks ago.

Not only will Lewis help in defending the Orton-led passing attack, but he should play a big role in stopping a Broncos rushing attack that has floundered in every game except their last meeting against the Chiefs. In that game, Knowshon Moreno ran for a season-high 106 yards.

Lewis and the Chiefs defense won’t let that happen again on Sunday at Arrowhead.

Prediction
Chiefs - 38
Broncos - 17