Projecting the K.C. Chiefs Offseason
by Laddie Morse | February 16, 2019
The first thing the Kansas City Chiefs need to do this offseason is… fire Defensive Coordinator Bob Sutton. Check. So, now that the Chiefs have hired his replacement in Steve Spagnuolo, and he’s begun to hire his own defensive staff… the hardest thing to do is projecting the K.C. Chiefs offseason. So, let’s take a look at what some are saying about the Chiefs and what needs to be done this offseason.
It’s probably best to decide what the team needs are first. However, we know from BJ Kissel’s One-on-One last week with GM Brett Veach that he and his staff were working on prepping for this offseason long before it began by making a draft-type board for other players in the NFL. He said this about the draft and approaching free agency:
“We kind of work it the same way. Right around week 15 or 16 we really begin to grind the pro tape, Um, obviously, because all their games have been compiled and we start working through that. And, we do a draft board per se for the free agents just like we do for the guys, we stack em, tier em. So once we get to the tail end of the season we start doing that. And we work through our free agency board for all positions, including special teams. Then we take a step back once the Super Bowl finishes up, our college guys come in [meaning scouts] and then we go through the exact same process on the college side of the board.” -Brett Veach
Veach is not going to give away any insider trading secrets right now and the closer we get to the draft, “Fake News’ becomes the standard fare. Walter’s Football was rather poignant in his season summary:
“Season Summary: An inch and a coin toss. That’s what it took for the Chiefs to lose in the AFC Championship. Dee Ford’s offsides penalty negated Tom Brady’s interception, while the coin toss landed on heads, and the league MVP never maintained possession in overtime.”
Walter’s Football also lays out the Chiefs 9 team needs:
1. Two Cornerbacks: It’s obvious that the Chiefs need to make some major repairs on defense. They’ll need two new cornerbacks if free agent-to-be Steven Nelson departs; one if he re-signs. Kansas City won’t have anyone at cornerback besides Kendall Fuller if Nelson leaves.
2. Two Inside Linebackers: Here’s another position of major weakness in Kansas City’s stop unit. The linebacking corps was a colossal liability, so that will need to change. There should be some nice targets available at the end of each of the first two rounds of the 2019 NFL Draft.
3. Safety: The Chiefs attempted to trade for Earl Thomas before he got hurt last year. They obviously think they need help at safety, and they would be correct. Perhaps they’ll go after Thomas this offseason.
4. Defensive End: Chris Jones is a spectacular defensive lineman, but the Chiefs don’t have much else up front. They could use another potent pass-rushing threat on the line.
5. Nose Tackle: Kansas City had one of the worst run defenses in the NFL last year. A monstrous, run-stuffing nose tackle would go a long way in helping fix that.
6. Guard: Kansas City boasted a solid offensive line last year, but there was one hole in the unit, which was at one of the guard spots. The front office should bring in an upgrade to join Dr. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif.
7. Running Back: The Chiefs should consider better running back options than Damien Williams and Spencer Ware in the wake of Kareem Hunt’s release.
8. Rush Linebacker: Dee Ford happens to be Kansas City’s top-rated impending free agent. A bookend across from Justin Houston will be needed if Ford departs.
9. Center: Here’s another offensive line concern. Mitch Morse is a very skilled center, but he also happens to be an impending free agent.
I’d move the Running Back position up the rank of team needs but otherwise, he pretty much hits the nail on the head. ESPN’s Adam Teicher sums up the Chiefs offseason teams needs and brevity is his best friend apparently:
“It’s reasonable to believe that of all of the defensive backs who played for the Chiefs this season, only cornerback Kendall Fuller might remain by 2020. The Chiefs need some long-term solutions at both safety and corner, and the time to get started on that is now, with the Chiefs holding three picks in the first two rounds of the draft.” — Adam Teicher
With Steve Spagnuolo now running the defensive sideshow (because we all know Andy Reid’s offense will always be the Main Event) there’s a chance Teicher is right here. What used to be the norm was… holding onto players way past their prime… may no longer be the case. If Spagnuolo gets to give his full input into the ingredients he’s being asked to cook with… then there’s a chance that much of the defense will look differently and not just because he’s installing a new scheme. Personally, I’m hoping this is the case. The Chiefs need an almost total re-build on the defensive side of the ball.
One of my all time favorite analysts is Gil Brandt (actually he has been much more than that, and is now being inducted into the Hall of Fame… a long time coming). He also writes for NFL.com and projected a Safety to the Chiefs this offseason:
“Tyrann Mathieu, S: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS. Mathieu signed a one-year, $7 million prove-it deal with Houston — and boy, did he prove it. The veteran tied a career high with 89 tackles while dispelling durability concerns, starting 16 games for a second straight season, and chipping in three sacks and two picks. As a playmaking presence whose competitiveness stands out, Mathieu would slot nicely into the Chiefs’ secondary. He’d team well with veteran safety Eric Berry on a Kansas City defense that ranked 31st overall and against the pass last season.” -Gil Brandt
A year ago, Terez Paylor projected 5 team needs for the Chiefs which were,
- 1) Defensive Line
- 2) Cornerback
- 3) Edge Rusher
- 4) Inside Linebacker
- 5) Safety
It just goes to show that not much has changed in a year. The Chiefs went on to draft almost exclusively defensive players plus signed a Linebacker in free agency. By firing Bob Sutton and hiring Steve Spagnuolo, many of those same ole, same ole problems may disappear. However, seeing is believing.
In an article written by Shane Ryan for GolfDigest.com… of all places… he posted a piece two days after the Chiefs pasted the Indianapolis Colts called, “The NFL Needs The Kansas City Chiefs to Win the Super Bowl” in which he wirtes:
“The Patriots are everything that should be left in the past: A grim, hostile group of serial cheaters endowed with the world’s foremost superiority complex, worshipped by a smug, spoiled fan base whose brains have been addled by pervasive tribal groupthink that promotes hyper-aggressive hero worship and—when met with the slightest criticism—a hasty retreat into conspiratorial posturing. It would be beyond dispiriting to see them win another Super Bowl.
A year like this deserves a fitting ending, and there’s no more appropriate Super Bowl champion than the ultra-enjoyable Kansas City Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes has become the exciting young face of the league in one season…. The Chiefs have been a breath of fresh air in a year that has been propelled by the winds of change. The NFL’s problems are not over, but a Chiefs victory would be a stylish finish to a league on the rebound, and a symbolic clearing of the cobwebs to usher in a better, more exciting era.”
More exciting indeed. While I thoroughly enjoyed reading his epistle on both the Pats and the Chiefs, it just serves to remind us that the purpose of this offseason will be to set this franchise up for Super Bowl runs for the next decade and beyond.
Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
If you are viewing this in Apple News and would like to join the Discussion, [GO HERE.](http://arrowheadone.com/projecting-the-kc-chiefs-offseason/#disqus_thread)