Veteran cornerback Patrick Surtain isn't quite ready to retire.

The 33-year-old was cut loose by the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason following the arrival of the new regime of General Manager Scott Pioli and coach Todd Haley.

Proclaiming himself to be healthy again after an injury-plagued season last year, Surtain wants to give it one more shot.

"I'm just waiting on a call," Surtain told Ethan Skolnick of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. 

Surtain said he's willing to play either cornerback or safety.

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On assignment in Miami for a story on Derrick Thomas' legacy, I got to thinking about his impact on the Chiefs and the Kansas City community. I lived 1,000 miles from Kansas City when Thomas died after a car crash in February 2000, but the linebacker's death had a profound impact on me because of how the community and Chiefs fan base poured into Arrowhead Stadium for one last sendoff at Thomas' public viewing. I hadn't seen or heard anything like it, and it was touching and sad at the same time.

Even to me, it doesn't seem like it has been nearly a decade since Derrick's death. I'm sure it has affected many of you in much different ways, having experienced Thomas' influence on and off the field.

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WHAT'S NEW

The head coach and quarterback are the two most important faces of a franchise, so you may have to do a double-take at the Chiefs this season. Todd Haley, whose star rose as the offensive coordinator of the high-powered Cardinals last season, replaces defensive-minded Herm Edwards as the head coach. And the Chiefs, who started three different quarterbacks in 2008, made one of the biggest moves of the offseason when new GM Scott Pioli traded for Matt Cassel, who was a viable fantasy starter (and a fantasy playoff star) while filling in for Tom Brady for Pioli's Patriots in 2008.

Both moves will seemingly bring more fantasy oomph to a 2-14 team that ranked 24th in yards per game and 26th in scoring. But there are big questions surrounding both: How will Haley's offense fare when he's not designing routes for Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, and how will Cassel's stats look when he's no longer playing pitch and catch with Randy Moss and Wes Welker?

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Reporting date: July 30

New Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli is not afraid to make the bold move. Virtually everything Pioli did in his first few months with the Chiefs rocked to life what had been a stale organization.

Pioli hired Todd Haley as head coach even though Haley didn't have any previous experience at that position. He traded with New England for young quarterback Matt Cassel. He signed several 30-something veterans and made an unpopular trade that sent tight end Tony Gonzalez to Atlanta.

That's a lot for one offseason, but the Chiefs needed a breath of life. Pioli and Haley, the offensive coordinator the past two seasons with Arizona, are learning on the job so it's difficult to know what to expect from the Chiefs, who are trying to rebound from the worst season (2-14) in franchise history.

A lot of young players received valuable experience last season and some promise, so Pioli and Haley have a talented bunch to work with.

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That Branden Albert, he's too modest for my tastes. He wants to win games and donate his time to community organizations and talk about the team instead of individuals.

Where's the "me" time? Or the self-promotion? Isn't this the NFL? Chad Ocho Cinco and Terrell Owens would take away Albert's players card.

I asked Albert last week whether it was too early to call him a potential Pro Bowler in 2009. This is what he said:

"It’s too early," he said. "I’m not going to toot my own horn like that. I’ve got a lot of work. That sets myself up for failure. I’m just going to keep working hard."

You might have heard this, but Albert has lost a few pounds. Thirty-six of them, actually. In three months. He's skipped the fatty foods and the long afternoons in the recliner and instead hit the treadmill.

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