Trent Green is being looked on as the Chiefs' offensive savior in 2001.(AP)

"I hear the names that are being thrown around here," Green said, quickly trying to take his name out of consideration for a bust in Canton. "When you look at those individuals, the supporting casts they had around them, they were surrounded with Hall of Fame caliber players."

Kansas City? Well, the Chiefs are just trying to put a representative offense on the field for first-year coach Dick Vermeil. There aren't any Hall of Famers around just yet. Aside from tight end Tony Gonzalez, the offense is disjointed with the likely retirement of center Tim Grunhard and a mediocre receiving corps.

Green, along with free-agent running back Priest Holmes, do nothing more than give the Chiefs an NFL-caliber offense. And a certain fire in the belly. Both players have Super Bowl rings that are more flashy than earned.

Holmes won his as a backup last year for Baltimore. Green got his jewelry in 1999 while sitting on the sidelines with a reconstructed knee. They are both starters again wanting to earn a ring with their bodies, not a roster spot.

"You're going to recognize certain characteristics about them," Vermeil said. "This means a lot to them."

Green's comparisons to the all-time greats lie in the hopeful minds of the rebuilding Chiefs. Of course, when your backups are Bubby Brister and Todd Collins it doesn't take much to look like a minor god. Offensive coordinator Al Saunders was reunited with Green whom he coached the last two years in St. Louis. Saunders also once coached Fouts with the Chargers and Montana with the Chiefs. It was general manager Carl Peterson who traded a first-round pick in 1993 to get Montana.

"I want you to notice this tie," said Peterson, wearing some gaudy neckwear featuring Joe Cool. "Why am I wearing this tie? I've never worn this tie. The reason, this is only the second time I've given a first-round draft choice for a quarterback."

No subtle symbolism there by Peterson, more like a sledgehammer to the brains of reporters.

Green was worth it, you idiots.

Green's arrival in the flesh at Arrowhead Stadium ended a bruising six-week period with St. Louis during which the Chiefs identified him as their quarterback of the future. The two sides then spent most of their time staring down each other for the second time this year.

It took the NFL to eventually decide compensation (a second-round pick) for the Chiefs signing of Vermeil. It took common sense between the parties this time to settle the Green issue.

Each organization held a bargaining chip. St. Louis coveted Kansas City's No. 12 pick to get an impact defender to help their beleaguered defense. The Chiefs wanted to get Green and his questionable left knee in town as soon as possible to save a moribund offense.

As good as Green has been made out to be, he lost his job at St. Louis in the 1999 preseason when the knee was hit and required reconstructive surgery. Kurt Warner took the opportunity to make history.

Green started five games in place of the injured Warner in 2000 but wasn't satisfied sitting on the bench.

"It's been tough now for over a year," said Green, who grew up in St. Louis but never became the starter in two years there. "My whole intention in going to St. Louis was to be the starter and have a team to call my own. Unfortunately with the injury and Kurt's level of play, that made it impossible."

A February procedure to clean out the knee put Green further behind schedule for whatever team he was going to end up with. He wants to be back on the field for the Chiefs' second mini-camp in June but realistically Kansas City might not get to see Green until July training camp.

On the other side of the state, Rams coach Mike Martz got emotional about getting a starting job for the quarterback he had nurtured since 1997, but the Chiefs weren't buying it.

"Why didn't they let him go six weeks ago and let him rehab with us?" one Chiefs official said angrily. "There's a lot of showmanship in that."

"You gotta remember some of the things Mike and I went through," Green said. "We were both in Washington when I was third-string. He was quarterback coach trying to get an opportunity to be an offensive coordinator. We both moved over to St. Louis together. We kind of got the ball moving there. I had the injury and we went on to win the Super Bowl. It was a roller coaster-type thing, we've been through it together."

Now it's all about semantics, Chiefs-style. In Peterson's eyes, his franchise didn't give up a No. 1 pick for Green. Green is the No. 1 pick.

"The last time Carl traded a No. 1 for a quarterback it was for Joe Montana," Vermeil said. "We like to believe in terms of the Kansas City Chiefs we have the equivalent right here.

"We picked the guy that can make a more immediate impact to the success of our football team now than anybody we would have picked in the first round. That's a fact."

If nothing else, the Chiefs got an upgrade in the character department. Former quarterback Elvis Grbac, now with Baltimore, was famous for his "I can't catch 'em, I only throw 'em," line after an emotional loss. He once said he'd be content to be a backup. His reputation for folding under pressure was as infamous as Green's future is anticipated.

"I've been around two great quarterbacks in my career that I consider truly great, Joe Montana and Dan Fouts," Saunders said. "I really, truly believe that Trent Green has the qualities of those people. He's a terrific, terrific player, great courage. I'm putting all this pressure on him."

That's the beauty of a top draft pick, as Green will remain defined in these parts. The pressure, along with opposing defenses, don't hit you between the eyes until September.