Nobody in the Chiefs' organization thought it would be easy to replace departed TE Tony Gonzalez, a 10-time Pro Bowler and surefire Hall of Famer, but they probably didn’t think it would be this difficult, either. In one of the more surprising developments of the team’s recent minicamp, head coach Todd Haley declared the competition for the starting tight end job wide open, dispelling the widely believed thought that the spot belonged to Brad Cottam. From what we hear, Cottam, a 2008 third-round pick by the Chiefs and the favorite to capture the job, struggled mightily during offseason workouts, frequently dropping catchable passes. His failure to seize the opportunity has opened the door for others — like veterans Sean Ryan and Tony Curtis and seventh-round rookie Jake O’Connell — to enter the mix for starting duties. Although the Chiefs aren’t expected to utilize their tight ends as receivers very often, the offense would be lacking without a skilled pass catcher at that spot. Thus far, Cottam has “dropped the ball.”

Kickoff is coming! Be sure to buy copies of the Pro Football Weekly/Yahoo! Sports 2009 NFL preview magazine, as well as the Pro Football Weekly/Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Football Guide 2009, both of which are now available at bookstores, newsstands and retail outlets where magazines are sold. Or order your copies online at PFWStore.com.