Chiefs sign Engram

[biju]

The Chiefs have agreed to terms with three free agents: wide receiver Bobby Engram, linebacker Monty Beisel and wide receiver Terrance Copper.

Engram has played in the league for 13 years for the Bears and Seahawks. Although he’s 36 years old, the Chiefs hope he can provide some stability at a position where they need some help. Engram set the Seahawks’ single-season record for pass receptions in 2007, and set career highs with 94 receptions and 1,147 receiving yards.

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This is interesting to me. Engram is a great possession receiver and will receive the least amount of attention between himself, Gonzalez, and Bowe. But at the same time he's not a long term answer and is likely a one-year player. The Chiefs weren't big players *at all* for a WR during the early parts of free agency. Assuming (yes, I know what I am for assuming) RotoWorld is relatively all-inclusive for all free agent interests and visits, the Chiefs talked and signed three WRs: Engram, C.J. Jones (spent two seasons on NE's practice squad), and Terrance Copper (formerly of the Ravens and Saints and essentially a special teamer).

With Gonzalez also being a "short timer" with his age, I'm starting to wonder if the Chiefs are setting themselves up to grab Crabtree. With Engram they would have a veteran to immediately help the team in 2009 while Crabtree gets his wheels underneath him and adapts to "NFL speed" and be ready to steamroll AFC teams with the Bowe/Crabtree combination.

Need more proof? Think about what Todd Haley has been working with: Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Their physiques closely matchup and allow Haley to create a similar offense to the one he ran in Arizona.

So if this plays out correctly, Seattle will either end up with an upgraded OL through Smith or Monroe, or end up replacing Julian Peterson with Aaron Curry.

Ruskell might have figured KC to grab Crabtree, expected the Rams to go OL after the release of Orlando Pace, and the trade to the Lions might have forced their hand to not draft Curry (note that the trade occured 4 days *after* the Rams released Pace possibly ensuring that the Rams go OL instead of taking Curry).

This has the makings of being one of the greatest strategic off-season moves I've seen. We gain D-line depth, a 5th round pick and get younger (and possibly better) at our one of our strengths: LB.

Now let's just hope this actually pans out this way.

Edit: Mild clarifications