KANSAS CITY — The Kansas City Chiefs for the last decade drafted the way Donald Rumsfeld ran the Defense Department: with a swagger backed up by astounding failure.

Think about it.

Junior Siavii, defensive lineman, second round in 2004. Ryan Sims and Eddie Freeman, defensive linemen, first and second round, respectively in 2002. Sylvester Morris, wide receiver, first round in 2000.

Go back a little further, and there’s Trezelle Jenkins, offensive lineman, first round in 1995, maybe the biggest bust. Jenkins started one game before former Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson finally admitted failure and cut the team’s losses.

The Chiefs drafted just two Pro Bowlers in the first and second rounds in the last decade: offensive lineman John Tait and running back Larry Johnson. A 2-for-18 record won’t lift a team to the Super Bowl. Or the playoffs. Or anywhere other than a franchise-worst 2-14 season, which is where the organization bottomed out at after the last year.

And that’s why Scott Pioli gets to hand over the Chiefs’ selections to the commissioner at next weekend’s NFL draft. Pioli built a reputation as a top draft and personnel man while helping Bill Belichick build the New England Patriots into, well, the New England Patriots.

Pioli talked to reporters this week about the upcoming draft. And — other than his reputation — his words offered some reason for Chiefs fans to hope.

“Some teams do things based purely on need. Other teams do it based on what they think is the best player is available. I think it is a combination of those two things.” — Pioli

Peterson drafted Larry Johnson when the Chiefs had Priest Holmes — the top offensive weapon in the NFL at the time — and the worst defense in the league (not to mention a coach who desperately wanted anyone but a running back). Don’t forget that Peterson also was negotiating a contract extension with Holmes at the time.

Pioli, on the other hand, talks like a man with nothing to prove. He’s practical. He’s not going to purge the roster of every veteran and load the team with inexperienced and unprepared rookies (you haven’t already forgotten Herm Edwards, have you?).

Pioli appears open to every option possible to rebuild the Chiefs.

“We’re trying not to marry ourselves to one specific way,” he said. “…You never know what the opportunities might be, what free agency might be from year to year. You never know who’s going to be cut and put out on the street.

“There’s opportunity

everywhere.”

“I wouldn’t say there is a specific focus on one part of the team. I think when you are in a situation like we are in right now, there are a lot of places that we need to improve in roster spots 1 through 53 and a lot of different positions.” — Pioli

An honest public assessment from someone in Chiefs’ management? Huh. That’s new.

Pioli was talking about the upcoming draft, but that statement says a lot about the roster he took over. Is there an area of strength to point to? Pioli didn’t state one.

There’s no talk about potential or youth or signs of growth.

“The best 53 players don’t necessarily mean the most skilled, the most athletic or the most talented. I think it is something we are trying to address this offseason in terms of veteran players that we brought in who are proven winners, guys that we know have a certain work ethic and a certain makeup.” — Pioli

Dick Vermeil all but refused to play first- or second-year players. Herm Edwards cleaned out most all the veterans in one fell swoop. Neither coach led the Chiefs to a playoff victory.

For that matter, Arrowhead’s been the focus of more rebuilding plans lately than Detroit’s Big Three automakers.

But Pioli and new coach Todd Haley state a pretty clear agenda: They’re not going to sacrifice this year for three years from now. They’re not going to sacrifice the future for now, either.

They know the draft’s important. But they also know they need leaders for the younger players.

So they’ll bring in veterans to make an impact now and lay the foundation for the future. That explains the trades for quarterback Matt Cassel and linebacker Mike Vrabel, and the free agent signings of 36-year-old receiver Bobby Engram and 35-year-old linebacker Zach Thomas.

“Having veterans, it’s important for them not just to teach the young guys football, but to teach them how to be professionals and how to be prepared,” Pioli said. “You don’t just wake up and roll out of bed … and go to seven Pro Bowls (like Zach Thomas).”

Pioli and Haley won’t lead their first Chiefs’ squad into a game for another five months. But their words sound like the most promising plan to come out of Arrowhead since Carl Peterson’s first five-year plan 20 years ago.