The new additions are WR/KR Kevin Robinson, a sixth-round pick out of Utah State who will compete primarily for a returner's job; and DE Brian Johnston, a seventh-round pick who saw some time as a rush end in the first-team nickel during spring drills.

The Chiefs had previously signed WR Will Franklin, a fourth-round pick who could contend for the No. 2 or 3 receiver position; CB Brandon Carr, a fourth-round pick who might play on the first-team nickel; and T Barry Richardson, a sixth-round pick who has a chance of being a backup right tackle.

Still unsigned are top pick Glenn Dorsey, the LSU defensive tackle drafted fifth overall; Branden Albert, the No. 15 pick the Chiefs plan to start at left tackle; Brandon Flowers, the 35th player taken who likely will start at right corner; Brad Cottam, a third-round tight end likely to start in double tight end formations; Jamaal Charles, a running back taken in the third round; DeJuan Morgan, a safety drafted in the third round; and TE Michael Merritt, a seventh-round pick.

Of the unsigned group, Dorsey, Albert and Flowers worked almost exclusively with first-team units, and Cottam played with the No. 1s in two tight end formations, which the Chiefs will employ heavily.

DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED

--WR Will Franklin (4/105): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

--CB Brandon Carr (5/140); 3 yrs, terms unknown.

--OT Barry Richardson (6/170): 3 yrs, terms unknown.

--WR Kevin Robinson (6/182): 3 yrs, terms unknown.

--DE Brian Johnston (7/210): 3 yrs, terms unknown.

DRAFT CHOICES UNSIGNED

--DT Glenn Dorsey (1/5).

--OT Branden Albert (1/15).

--CB Brandon Flowers (2/35).

--RB Jamaal Charles (3/73).

--TE Brad Cottam (3/76).

--S DaJuan Morgan (3/82).

--TE Mike Merritt (7/239).

UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS

QUARTERBACK: Starter -- Brodie Croyle. Backups -- Damon Huard, Tyler Thigpen.

Croyle will get his best chance to show he is the quarterback of the future the team thinks he can be. That's a lot of confidence put in a third-year player who has yet to win a game in six starts. Croyle was severely handicapped last year by an injury-ridden offensive line and the absence of injured running back Larry Johnson, and his 69.9 passer rating reflects those problems. He seldom had time to throw, so his 6-to-6 TD-to-INT ratio wasn't surprising. But he was the Chiefs' top guy all spring, and the job is his to lose. Second-year player Tyler Thigpen will try to surpass veteran Damon Huard for the backup spot, but the Chiefs still need a steady hand like Huard's should the injury-prone Croyle go down.

RUNNING BACKS: Starter -- RB Larry Johnson. Backups -- RB Kolby Smith, RB Jamaal Charles, FB Mike Cox, FB Oliver Hoyte, FB Steven Jackson, RB Jackie Battle.

Johnson seems to be fully recovered from the fractured bone in his foot that caused him to miss eight games last year and limited his carries to 158 tries netting 559 yards. Still, that's only a 3.5-yard average prior to his injury -- hardly what was expected of a back who averaged 5.2 and 4.3 in his previous two seasons when he exceeded 1,750 yards in each. Whether LJ can again be the back of 2005 and '06, especially when working behind a rebuilding offensive line, is a key question this season. Smith had a strong start as his replacement -- 150 yards vs. Oakland in his first game as a starter -- but also ended up with only a 3.4 average. Rookie speedster Charles will push him for the backup spot. A true fullback failed to emerge from spring drills, and new coordinator Chan Gailey may have to use two tight ends instead of two backs. Underrated rookie Cox, who played for Gailey at Georgia Tech last year, may be the leading candidate, though Jackson will press him and Hoyte.

TIGHT ENDS: Starter -- Tony Gonzalez. Backups -- Brad Cottam, Michael Allen.

Gonzalez showed few signs of wear and tear at age 31 last year. He again led the Chiefs in receiving with 99 catches, second-best in his career only to his 102-catch season in 2004 when he set the NFL single-season receptions record for a tight end. His 820 career catches are the most of any NFL tight end, and he needs only 179 yards to pass Shannon Sharpe's league record for receiving yards (10,060). Gonzalez can still make the tough catch despite double teaming, but the attention he draws in the red zone make catching touchdowns (only five in each of the past two seasons) especially difficult. Rookie Cottam looks like a polished blocker who can replace the vanquished Jason Dunn, who was essentially a valued sixth offensive lineman during his KC years. Cottam, who needs to work on catching the ball better, could see a lot of playing time in the two tight end formations Gailey may have to employ heavily.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- Dwayne Bowe, Devard Darling. Backups -- Jeff Webb, Will Franklin, Bobby Sippio, Maurice Price, Kevin Robinson.

Bowe, KC's top draft pick in 2007, had an outstanding start with 70 catches and 995 yards to lead all rookies in both receptions and yards. He demonstrated a consistent ability to make the tough catch and established himself as a wideout with a big future. But finding a solid No. 2 wideout will be a chore. Darling was one of KC's few free-agent acquisitions, but he was more of a special teams player at Baltimore where he had only 20 career receptions in four years. Webb had turns as KC's No. 2 last year, but he used the opportunity to catch only 28 passes. Rookie Franklin, a fourth-round pick out of Missouri, has a solid spring and should press the vets for playing time.

OFFENSIVE LINE: Starters -- LT Branden Albert, LG Brian Waters, C Rudy Niswanger, RG Adrian Jones, RT Damien McIntosh. Backups -- T Will Svitek, T Anthony Alabi, T Will Svitek, G Herb Taylor, C Wade Smith, G Tre Stallings, T Barry Richardson.

Of the prospective starting linemen, only Waters, a three-time Pro Bowl pick, has extended time at his position. All four others have little or no NFL time at their spots. Albert is the team's "1A" draft pick, the 15th player taken overall who will be thrown into the open waters at left tackle and told to swim. He played mainly at the left guard position at Virginia. McIntosh was a capable left tackle for nine seasons before being shifted to the right side for the first time in his career. Jones was primarily a tackle for coach Herm Edwards' Jets, but has seen spot play up and down the line and will be tried at right guard. Niswanger was showing flashes last year before a December knee injury forced him out after seeing time in five games on offense. Even then, he was primarily a guard. Backups have little proven experience. Svitek started in four of 13 games last year at both tackles, but his play is a mixed review on a good day.

DEFENSIVE LINE: Starters -- LE Alfonso Boone, LT Ron Edwards, RT Glenn Dorsey, RE Tamba Hali. Backups -- E/T Turk McBride, T Tank Tyler, T T.J. Jackson, E Brian Johnston.

Kansas City's pre-draft trade of NFL sack leader Jared Allen to Minnesota got the Chiefs three draft picks (one first, two thirds) and an unsettled defensive line. Hali, who has 15.5 sacks in his first two seasons at the LE spot, will shift to Allen's vacated right side. Boone will shift from tackle to LE, where he could offer better point-of-attack resistance than Hali did. First-round draft pick Dorsey (5th overall), if he plays like anything close to the player who won every interior lineman and defensive player award there was to win at LSU, could provide a pocket pass rush that compensates some for Allen's loss. He also should fortify a rush defense that ranked only 28th last year. McBride and Tyler, second- and third-round draft picks last year, really need to step up in their sophomore seasons. McBride will be pushed for the LE spot in the nickel by rookie Johnston, a Division 1-AA player (like Allen) who had a strong spring.

LINEBACKERS: Starters -- OLB Derrick Johnson, MLB Napoleon Harris, OLB Donnie Edwards. Backups -- Demorrio Williams, Nate Harris, Johnny Baldwin, Pat Thomas, Steve Octavien.

Positions aren't written in stone here. Edwards finally showed his age (34 last year) and the wear and tear of 12 stalwart seasons in 2007. He will be pushed by free-agent acquisition Williams, KC's biggest veteran pickup. Napoleon Harris led the Chiefs with a career-high 123 tackles, but even then his play wasn't as consistent as the Chiefs need from an MLB that has major pass coverage responsibilities in the Cover Two. Johnson shows occasional flashes of brilliance -- a team-high 16 tackles for losses last year -- but then disappears for long stretches. Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham now coaches the LBs as well, and he rode Edwards and Napoleon Harris loud and long all spring. Other than Williams, however, there are no proven reserves.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- LCB Pat Surtain, SS Bernard Pollard, FS Jarrad Page, RCB Brandon Flowers. Backups -- CB Tyrone Brackenridge, CB Dimitri Patterson, CB Brandon Carr, S Jon McGraw, S DeJuan Morgan, CB Maurice Leggett.

Rookie Flowers, a second-round draft pick (35th overall) from Virginia Tech, was thrown immediately into the RCB spot vacated by Ty Law during spring drills. Ready or not, he showed flashes and likely will be the guy. Surtain is showing signs of age (32 this year) and 10 seasons at the other spot. He remains the best of the CB crew, but his starting spot isn't written in stone. Brackenridge, who saw extended action last year as a rookie, missed offseason drills while recovering from a December knee injury, and his spot in the nickel was played by rookie Carr from Division II power Grand Valley State. Page, a two-year starter at free safety since midway through his 2006 rookie season, also missed spring drills while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. He's had six picks in his first two seasons. Pollard is a close-quarters hitter who misses too many open-field tackles. Not a good risk-reward gamble, and he could be pushed by rookie third-round pick Howard before the year is over.

SPECIAL TEAMS: P Dustin Colquitt, K Nick Novak/Connor Barth, LS John-Phillippe Darche, KR Kolby Smith/Jamaal Charles, PR B.J. Sams/Kevin Robinson.

Colquitt's 95 punts last year (fourth most in team history) averaged 45.5 gross (seventh-best in the league) and 39.1 net (fifth). He was one of KC's most consistent weapons. Journeyman kicker Novak will battle North Carolina rookie Barth during camp for kicking duties, but the winner shouldn't feel real secure. KC went through three kickers last year. KC's return game was just awful in '07 with the deposed Eddie Drummond handling both duties, so KC may divide them up this year. Smith is a tough runner, rookie Charles the speedster who will vie for kickoff return duties. Sams was good early in his career at early in his career at Baltimore before falling off. Robinson, a sixth-round draft pick, set an NCAA all-purpose yardage record at Utah State.

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