Peter King: Tony Moeaki Reminds Todd Haley Of Wes Welker And Dallas Clark

The Kansas City Chiefs entered 2011 needing one and possibly two more playmakers in the receiver category to help quarterback Matt Cassel take things to the next level. The No. 1 rushing attack in the league was already present with Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, but the lack of any real option past Dwayne Bowe was disconcerting and ultimately led to the team's demise against the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL playoffs. Thus, the team loaded up in the offseason.

Steve Breaston was signed from the Arizona Cardinals to serve as an option outside or in the slot. Jonathan Baldwin was the first round selection out of Pittsburgh. Both immediately bolstered one of the Chiefs glaring weaknesses and gave Cassel some immediate options. But the one possibility that could become the biggest receiving threat alongside Bowe was already in house: tight end Tony Moeaki.

Peter King writes glowingly of Moeaki in his Monday Morning Quarterback column today. "One can see how much Cassel gravitates to Moeaki. He's Dallas Clark. The way Peyton Manning flexes Clark tight and wide and in the slot is the way Kansas City wants to use Moeaki, who had 47 catches a year ago but could have 80 in this offense if he stays healthy, which has been a problem at times for him in college and the NFL. 'You can make Moeaki whatever,' said Haley. 'You can make him Wes Welker if you want.'"

Both Clark and Welker are primary targets for their team and flex in space all over the field. They've both provided invaluable targets to the top two quarterbacks in the NFL, so if Cassel is to take that leap, he's going to need that sort of indispensable option that Moeaki can apparently provide. Last year, the Iowa product had 47 receptions for 556 yards, so it's not that far fetched to think of him taking things to another level rather quickly.

More important than the speedster along the outside is the Welker/Clark type of option that Peyton Manning and Tom Brady both enjoy. If Moeaki can develop in ways that King believes he can, the Chiefs' offense will step up to the level of competition this 2011 schedule will demand. And that will keep them in the playoffs for the second consecutive season.