It's true that Johnson, who ran for more than 1,750 yards in back-to-back seasons in 2005 and '06, doesn't fit well in the spread offense the Chiefs developed at midseason to accommodate the skills of new quarterback Tyler Thigpen, a spread QB in college.

But, a new GM might decide to abandon the spread and resort to a more traditional power game that still suits Johnson, even though he will be 30 next November.

Until that decision is made, Johnson's status remains as uncertain as that of any coach.

COACHING CAROUSEL: It seems unlikely that Herm Edwards or any of his coaches can survive after the Chiefs won only two of their last 25 games. Even if he were to be retained by a new general manager, Edwards would be pressured to replace Gunther Cunningham and most of his defensive staff. But that discussion seems moot in light of the wholesale changes coming throughout Arrowhead Stadium.

FREE AGENT UPDATE: Kansas City has no free agents who will command significant attention, either from the Chiefs or other teams. MLB Pat Thomas might get a look after coming virtually out of nowhere to win a starting spot before getting hurt and landing on injured reserve. But he was the best of a bad set of choices in Kansas City.

DE Jason Babin, who had two of the team's 10 total sacks, also could get an offer from the Chiefs or someone else. LB Rocky Boiman showed himself to be a versatile player who could have a spot in Kansas City. RG Adrian Jones was a starter whose position is tenuous. Other prospective unrestricted free agents are special teams captain Jon McGraw and Oliver Celestin, both defensive backs.

Prospective restricted free agents Rudy Niswanger, the starting center, and Jarrad Page, a three-year starter at safety, either will be signed to long-term deals or tendered at the highest levels. That likely won't be the case with CB Dimitri Patterson and WR Jeff Webb.

FEELING A DRAFT: The Chiefs will draft third (after losing a tiebreaker to 2-14 St. Louis), which is the highest they've picked since taking Neil Smith with the second pick in 1988 after a four-win season.

At that spot, the Chiefs could well have a shot at the kind of prospective franchise quarterback who is often available that high. It will be interesting to see if the Hunt family would pay the big bill necessary to sign such a player.

TEAM NEEDS

Pass rusher: After trading DE Jared Allen and his 15.5 sacks to Minnesota before the 2008 season, Kansas City generated almost no pass rush. The Chiefs' 10 team sacks were the lowest number in NFL history, including strike-shortened seasons. Kansas City desperately needs a defensive end or outside linebacker who can apply pressure.

Quarterback: The Chiefs could try to get by on Tyler Thigpen, who showed signs of being able to move an offense, especially after the team employed a semi-spread offense that was similar to the one he ran at tiny Coastal Carolina. But Thigpen won only one of 10 starts, and his performance waned as the season progressed. He's yet to prove himself a winner, which means the Chiefs must at least consider one of the elite QBs likely to be available with the No. 3 pick.

Wide receiver: TE Tony Gonzalez remains the team's top receiver, and he'd like to be traded to a contender. Dwayne Bowe is a proven wide receiver, but the Chiefs have no other wideouts who have demonstrated consistency.

Linebacker: The Chiefs could use at least two of them, and that's assuming a new GM will find the play of 2005 top pick Derrick Johnson to be compelling enough to keep him as a starter.

MEDICAL WATCH: QB Brodie Croyle likely will miss spring workouts while rehabbing from the knee surgery that ended his season after only two games and put his future as the Chiefs' starter in serious jeopardy.

The team is still evaluating whether rookie CB Maurice Leggett will need surgery on a shoulder injury that kept him out of the season's final two games.