The Kansas City Patriots?

Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli was brought in from New England to bring Patriot-like success to Kansas City.  Who knows whether they'll win next season, but at least Pioli is 'patriotizing' the roster.

Yesterday Kansas City traded for linebacker Mike Vrabel.  Today, they have acquired quarterback Matt Cassel.

Cassel had accepted the back-up role to Patriots QB Tom Brady and was going to play for the franchise tag induced $14.65 million salary that he was due to receive.  I know, right?  He was prepared to accept nearly $15 million to be a back up.  What a guy.

But the fact is Cassel was too good last year not to be starting in 2009.  Cassel threw for nearly 3,700 yards last season with 21 touchdowns and only 11 picks for a team not expected to do much after Brady went down.  Granted, New England didn't make the playoffs, but the Patriots went 11-5 and were in the playoff hunt until the last week of the regular season.  Even though he had a lot of weapons to help him on the offense, Cassel was illusive and dynamic, and many Pats fans would say he won them a few of their games by himself.

Will the Chiefs be good this year?  It's hard to tell.  You'd think after the atrocious year they had last season, going 2-14 and earning the third pick in April's draft, they have nowhere to go but up.  Considering they've hired a new coach, Todd Haley, and have acquired a quality quarterback and a good linebacker, they're improving, to say the least.

And it's not like they didn't have talent there this year.  They still have Tony Gonzalez.  They still have Dwayne Bowe.  They still have Larry Johnson.  Most importantly, in a league where it's not only not unheard of but almost expected to go from worst to first, why couldn't K.C. charge towards the playoffs?  After all, the Dolphins were 1-15 in 2007, and then AFC East Champs in 2008.  Is it so crazy to think the Chiefs could be next year's Dolphins?

We'll find out come next winter.  But if I were a Chiefs fan, I'd be feeling pretty good about the direction of my football team.