How to revive or how to do even better? The editorial team of touchdownactu offers you a point of view franchise by franchise: inventory of strengths and weaknesses as well as ideas for the market and the draft. Today: Kansas City Chiefs.
What happened in Kansas City during this 2nd half of the AFC final? While the Chiefs seemed to have everything in hand to play their third Super Bowl in a row, they collapsed and let the Bengals steal the finalist spot from them. This year, the offensive line was not in question as Leach had been able to recreate it during the 2021 offseason. What then? The lack of talent in the defensive back? Possible. Mistakes by Patrick Mahomes? Likely.
Anyway, the leaders will have to make a new off-season of quality to find the heights.
The owners
1. Patrick Mahomes (QB)
2. Chris Jones (DT)
3. Tyreek Hill
Patrick Mahomes may have had his most complicated season on the pitch in 2021, like this AFC final where he missed a few opportunities to win his team. But Mahomes is also this incredible quarterback who blew up the Bills’ defense twice in 1 minute in the divisional, he’s also this quarterback who has been leading the most effective offense in the league for 3 seasons. Kansas City’s number 15 remains the franchise’s most important player.
In defense, the Chiefs can count on Chris Jones. The soon to be 30-year-old is by far the best defensive player on this team. Effective against the run, valuable on the pass-rush, the defensive tackle is number 2 in his position in the league. There’s a KC defense without him, and a defense with him.
Last of our stalwarts, Cheetah Tyreek Hill. The Chiefs receiver has been piling up yards and receptions for several seasons. His attack can generally always count on him and few players in the NFL are able to change the course of an action like him on a support, a race.
Undesirables
With Anthony Hitchens cut a few days ago, the Chiefs don’t really have any undesirable players in the squad. At the limit, Franck Clark’s contract could be studied but with nearly 14 million “dead cap” in the event of a cut, this remains unlikely. Unless the Chiefs find a trade partner.
This being Clark’s talent, while erratic, makes him hardly undesirable.
Man of the Summer: Orlando Brown (T)
Arriving in the 2021 offseason via a trade with the Ravens, Brown had a lot of pressure on him. Obliged to protect the blind side of the Mahomes wisp and respond on the field to his request to become a left tackle, the native of Baltimore has generally convinced. A little in trouble at the start of the season, his level has increased like the entire Kansas City offensive line.
At 25, at the end of his contract and playing in a key position, the player is entitled to ask for a big contract this offseason. Something the Chiefs should be willing to offer him. Indeed, it’s hard to see Kansas City letting go of the player after spending a 1st round pick on him last year. Big contract or franchise tag, the Missouri team will undoubtedly make Brown its star of the offseason.
The main free agents
1. Orlando Brown (T)
2. Tyrant Mathieu (S)
3. Charvarius Ward (CB)
4. Melvin Ingram (OLB)
5. Jarran Reed (DT)
Les autres : Andrew Wylie (T), Jarran Reed (DT), Mike Remmers (RT), Mike Hugues (CB), Daniel Sorensen (S), Byron Pringle (WR), Darrell Williams (RB), Chad Henne (QB), Alex Okafor (DE), Austyn Blythe (G), Kyle Long (G)…
Besides the Brown case mentioned above, the Chiefs have a very large number of free players to manage this offseason.
Among them, the Tyrann Mathieu case. The versatile defender is one of the leaders of this team and probably its “soul”. Inevitably Kansas City will wish to retain it but not at any price. If his profile will attract franchises (hello Baltimore…), the player could grant a preferential rate to the one who relaunched him. Still in the defensive backfield, Charvarius Ward (author of a decent season) might want to take a nice check elsewhere and hard to imagine the direction of the Chiefs aligning themselves.
On the defensive line, Kansas City must manage two potential departures. First the veteran Melvin Ingram who brought a real plus when he arrived during the season in Kansas City. It’s a safe bet that the team will try to keep him. For Reed, it will depend on his salary expectations but a return cannot be ruled out.
Beyond these cases, note all the same the large number of offensive linemen (often replacing). A situation that will necessarily have to be monitored for Leach. Same observation in the runner squad which for the moment no longer has Clyde Edward-Helaire under contract.
Top 5 Needs
1. Defensive line
2. Receiver
3. Safety
4. Cornerback
5. Offensive Linemen
It may not be the group that lacks the most talent, but the defensive line will undoubtedly be the Chiefs’ first project this offseason. Indeed, general manager Brett Veach is part of this school which is convinced that success is built first on the lines. After working on the offense in 2021, he should take care of the defense in 2022. Kansas City could lose Jarran Reed, Melvin Ingram, Derrick Nnadi and Alex Okafor this offseason. Numerically and in terms of talent, we can expect to see this squad reinforced.
Still on defense, the defensive backfield is an area to consider. Whether at the safety or cornerback position, there are many free players: Tyrran Mathieu, Daniel Sorrensen, Charvarious Ward, Mike Hughes… Depending on the extensions offered, there will be many options for management. Note that Leach has never allocated large resources on these positions either to the draft or the Free Agency, of which he could again seek inexpensive solutions with veterans or third-day draft picks.
The attack requirements will be conditioned by the choices made at the level of the free players. Whatever happens, the position of receiver is a real need. Whether DeMarcus Robinson or Byron Pringle are kept or not, Kansas City must think about strengthening their group and finding a real No. 2 receiver. When everything is rolling on offense, current receivers do the job, but when it gets tough… Bengals or Rams in the final with complete squads are necessarily models to follow.
Another point in attack, the offensive line will have to be reinforced if the many substitute offensive linemen are not retained.
Target: Quandre Diggs (S)
In the event of a departure of Tyrann Mathieu and Daniel Sorensen, the Chiefs will need to seek a safety. The management of the Chiefs will probably not break the piggy bank for a young safety, on the other hand a blow with a veteran looks like them.
At 29, Diggs is a very good free safety that will allow the Chiefs to effectively secure the bottom of the field, they who have suffered so much this season in this sector. In addition, Diggs is a real “playmaker” with 11 interceptions since 2019 or 21% of the passes thrown at him!
Another option: in the event that Tyrann Mathieu remains in Kansas City, the Chiefs could instead target the cornerback position went for a player like Levi Wallace. Replacing Tre’Davious White this season, Wallace is a solid cornerback whose status as a shadow player could allow him to be picked up at a very decent price by a team like Kansas City.
New blood: Cameron Thomas (DE) – San Diego State
With a view to signing a player on the defensive backfield via free agency and taking into account Leach’s history in this position, our choice in the Draft is oriented towards the defensive line with Cameron Thomas.
Possible “reach” here, but we are convinced that the Chiefs need reinforcements on the defensive line. 29th in sack, 31st against the run, 30th in yards per action, the Chiefs must be more efficient on the defensive line and especially in terms of pass-rush
Author of an excellent 2021 season with 11.5 sacks and 27 tackles for loss, Thomas is a real nightmare for the opposing offensive lines with his size, his power and a complete technical palette to get rid of the blocks of the opposing linemen.
The only downside is its division at the university, far from being the most competitive.
Other choices: perhaps more realistic, the names of Devonte Wyatt (DL), Kaiir Elam (CB) or Jaquan Brisker (S) are to be watched.