Blair Stover

Draft preparations were started in earnest by all 32 clubs. Now that the season has ended except for two remaining teams, the groundwork for free agency is already being established..

Some say its a watered-down version of free agency. One name that has appeared in circles at the Senior Bowl is Derrick Johnson. There were rumors during the season that the Kansas City Chiefs would move to trade the ex-first-round draft but that never occurred as he rode the pine all season instead.

Johnson maintained a nice attitude as a starter in the nickel package and created some big plays along the way, But none were bigger than the two interceptions he returned for touchdowns in the Chiefs season-ending 44-24 victory over Denver. Hes been called an underachiever in the past but none expected him to fall that far out of favor.

But what exactly will the Chiefs do with Johnson? That remains to be seen. He said at the end of the season that he wanted to meet with the front office to discuss his plans. If there wasn’t a starting spot moving forward, hes going to want out. However, Johnson, who is out of contract, doesnt have all the aces. Hes one of the players that will be trapped if there’s no extension of the collective bargaining agreement.

Kansas City might control his rights as a restricted free agent or maybe place the franchise or transition tag on him with hopes of moving him in a trade. That doesnt look too bad since it means hes headed to a team that wants him. Who knows what his value will be in a trade right now? Its fair to say the Chiefs didnt use it well it during the season. For more interesting stories, be sure to visit http://www.blairstover.com/.