KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Scott Pioli said at his introductory news conference last month that his new job as Kansas City Chiefs general manager was not to collect individual talent but build a team.

He backed that up with his first player acquisition. Pioli traded on Friday with his old team, the New England Patriots, for veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel. The Chiefs didn't acknowledge the trade, so the compensation due the Patriots was unclear.

Vrabel, who will be 34 in August, was an eight-year starter for the Patriots and a key member of their three Super Bowl championship teams. He played mostly at outside linebacker in New England's 3-4 system, so his acquisition seems to confirm the Chiefs will make the switch.

As Vrabel nears the end of his career, there's little chance he can accomplish for Kansas City as much as he did with the Patriots. But the Chiefs are hoping he can help start them down the same path.

Vrabel's talents were often overlooked on a successful team stocked with defensive and offensive stars. He may in fact be better known for his offensive contributions. The Patriots often used Vrabel as an eligible receiver in their goal-line formations, and each of his 10 career receptions have gone for touchdowns. He scored a touchdown in two different New England Super Bowl victories.

But Vrabel was known to the Patriots as a do-a-little-of-everything linebacker. He had at least four sacks in each of the last seven seasons, including a career-high of 12› in 2007.

He is also durable, having missed just three games, all in 2003, during his eight New England seasons.

In Kansas City, Vrabel will fill many roles. First, he gives them a body at linebacker.

The Chiefs because of injuries and ineffective play were low on linebackers all last season. Rocky Boiman wound up starting nine games for the Chiefs even though he didn't join them until October.

The shortage became more acute earlier in the week when the Chiefs released veteran Donnie Edwards. Vrabel joins Derrick Johnson and Demorrio Williams as the Chiefs' only veteran linebackers.

Boiman and Pat Thomas are unrestricted free agents, and the Chiefs may not re-sign either player.

Vrabel also immediately improves a pass rush that was the worst in NFL history, setting a 16-game season record for fewest sacks with 10. Vrabel is the Chiefs' most prolific pass rusher. He has 55 career sacks, more than Johnson, Williams, Tamba Hali, Turk McBride and Alfonso Boone combined.

Perhaps just as important: Vrabel brings his three championship rings to a locker room pitifully short on that sort of jewelry. On last year's Chiefs, only Boiman, quarterback Damon Huard and cornerback Ricardo Colclough were with winning Super Bowl teams.

Unlike Vrabel with the Patriots, all were reserves at the time. Boiman is unsigned, Huard was released this week, and Colclough may not make the team out of training camp.

Vrabel started his career with four seasons with the Steelers. But he didn't start a game with Pittsburgh and New England signed him in 2001 after his contract expired.