The Bucs open the preseason in Kansas City tonight.

I had the chance to interview Patrick Allen, FanSided’s NFL Director and Editor of Arrowhead Addict, the network’s Chiefs site. They’re as excited about the start of the preseason in Kansas City as we are in Tampa. Patrick and I talked about expectations, our teams’ off-seasons and what to expect tonight. You can read my answers to Patrick’s questions here.

In the meantime, here’s what Patrick had to say about the Kansas City Chiefs

Last year the Chiefs were one of the NFL’s top turn-around stories, improving by six games and winning the west. How do you expect the team to look this season? Improve or regress?

I think they will improve on the field but regress in their regular season record.

As much as I hate to admit it, the Chiefs arrived ahead of schedule last season. Their schedule was one of the easiest I’ve ever seen. Now that doesn’t mean they didn’t take a huge step forward. The 2009 Chiefs couldn’t beat the likes of the Bills and the Browns. The 2010 version learned how win and that is perhaps the most important step a struggling franchise can take.

That being said, this is still a very young team that now has to learn how to contend. That is their next step. Their 2010 schedule is absolutely brutal. KC plays the Patriots, Jets, Colts, Packers and Bears. They also must face the Chargers twice, plus a Raiders team that had their number in 2010. That would be a rough schedule for the best of teams. I think a record in the neighborhood of 7-9 to 9-7 is realistic.

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I recently spoke with Patrick Allen of Arrowhead Addict about tonight’s contest between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs. Instead of having me ramble on about tonight’s game, I figured it would be a nice change of pace to incorporate fellow bloggers and get their opinion on each game. So let’s see what Mr. Allen had to say about the Chiefs heading into their matchup with the Bucs.

1. Kansas City’s coming off a 20-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in their preseason opener. What is one thing you would like to see them improve upon against Tampa and throughout the preseason?

- I’d like to see the Chiefs first team get off to a fast start. Against Atlanta the offense began the game with two 3 and outs, the second of which was a strip sack that led to points for the Falcons. On defense, the Chiefs looked incredibly soft against the run. Michael Turner blew through the middle of the Chiefs line on a 9 play opening drive that lead to a FG.

I want to see the Chiefs come out early, play to their strengths and get something done. The Chiefs didn’t score a first quarter touchdown in 2009 until week 17. If they can show some polish early against Tampa’s starters, it could be a sign the Chiefs are moving in the right direction. They just need to start the game with some urgency.
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I had real visions of a grandiose offseason for my beloved Bucs.  Of course, I didn’t expect it to start out with the firing of a good Head Coach and GM in Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen.  I also was a little taken aback by the release of Derrick Brooks.  I understood it from a rebuilding standpoint, but I didn’t like the shitty excuse Mark Dominik gave me about not wanting Derrick Brooks on the sideline wearing a cap.  I’m a fan of the Bucs though, so I accepted these shaky decisions and started looking forward to a free agency period that featured a few players who we could certainly benefit from and 61 mil in cap space to pursue who we wanted as well as resigning our own guys.

Let me preface my free agent rant with one thing, I’m a firm believer in building via trades and via the draft, two things that generally are one in the same in the NFL.  I think that free agency leads to overpayment of players, and unrealistic expectations as a result of overpayment.  On the other hand, with the release of 5 guys on the eve of free agency and some glaring holes to fill, I thought we would come in to FA strong, namely for one guy in particular, Albert Haynesworth.  As I mentioned earlier, I’m all for not overpaying for guys in FA.  If we thought that Albert Haynesworth was going to be a little too rich for our blood, and we backed off, than so be it.  My issue comes with the subsequent resigning of WR Michael Clayton to 10.5 mil in gauaranteed money.  It was reported everywhere that the Bucs and the Skins were the final two teams in the running for Big Al.  He signed for about 41 mil in gauranteed money.  What do you think the Bucs were offering, 35, 36, 37 mil?  In my head that 4-6 mil difference would be enough of a gap for the Bucs brass to back off, and for Big Al to say that’s a big enough difference to sign in Washington.  Fine.  I’m ok with all of this.  10.5 freaking million for Michael Clayton. For real.  The guy doesn’t have over 500 receiving yards since his rookie season.   Dominik didn’t think it more beneficial to add that 4-6 mil to Big Al’s deal, and offer Clayton what he is worth, around 6 mil gauranteed.  Does anyone not see the ridiculousness of this.  Defensive Tackle is in my mind, one of the two most important positions on the defensive side of the ball.  This man wreaks havoc at this position.  He is constantly shedding double teams, and cut blocks and still not just occupying blockers, but getting to the damned QB.  Serious blunder in deciding that a 3rd WR, because lets be honest, that’s what Michael Clayton has shown over the last 4 years (I loved this guy out of college, so don’t get all Steve Duemigie on me and think I got a personal bias against the guy) is more important than signing a defensive cog in his prime, who at one point might have been the MVP of the NFL season.  What’s gonna make me even more upset is when the Nate Washington’s and Devery Henderson’s of the world sign for 1/2 of what we gave to Michael Clayton.

Today was the icing on the cake for me.  This whole Jay Cutler story is eating me up inside.  If the BS reports out of NE and KC are true, that the Bucs just jumped into the equation too late, isn’t this a stain on the front office that must be accounted for.  With all of the inside information that is passed around the NFL, you would assume that someone in our front office would have caught wind of something like this going down.   Franchise QB’s don’t become available via trade very often, and for a few hours yesterday, it appeared that one was available, and we whiffed.  

I’m generally very supportive of my teams front office.  I understand the complexities of the cap, of the business side of the operation as well as the player and football side of the whole thing.  I’m usually one to give the front office the benefit of the doubt for a missed pick, a missed FA, or just a general error that sports radio hosts in Tampa will crucify the front office for.  This situation though leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, and it is one that I hope our front office gives me a nice frosty glass of scotch to wash that bitterness out with….very soon.