2020 Chiefs: Points of Impact – The 2020 Kansas City Chiefs are not the same team as the 2019 Kansas City Chiefs. Are they better? Are they worse? It’s one man’s opinion that they will be much better. Now, does that mean they’ll end up victorious in Tampa Bay this coming February? Not necessarily, but there are several players who will impact those chances… in a good way. In a good way, if you are a Chiefs fans. So, let’s take a look at the 2020 Chiefs points of impact.
Patrick Mahomes
Less Jekyll and More Hyde
The 2020 Chiefs season all starts and henges on the play of one Patrick Mahomes. Will he be the 2019 version or the monster who took the league by storm — a perfect storm — in 2018? While Mahomes numbers didn’t measure up to those 2018 numbers in 2019, he did lead the team to three playoff comeback victories and nail down the organization’s first Lombardi in 50 years. So, who’s to complain? Well, this is not a complaint as much as it is to say, Mahomes is an improved player and his 2020 season should show us just how much he’s learned and grown this offseason. Mahomes said recently, that he doesn’t miss the Preseason Games expect that first hit, because he likes to get “That first hit out of the way.” Personally, I don’t need to see our $500M Man hit at all. We know Mahomes is better physically and mentally. Consequently, I’m leaning towards a monster season, and that includes a Super Bowl berth.
Khalen Saunders
Pennel Replacement Without a Glitch
In Khalen Saunders rookie year, we saw progress, eventually. With Mike Pennel having to sit out for a yet undetermined period of time, Khalen Saunders will be relied upon to step in and step up, when it comes to shutting down the run. Pennel is 6-foot-4 and goes 332 while Saunders is 6-foot-0 and 324 lbs.. Although Saunders gives away 4 inches in height, he only gives up 8 pounds in girth. Why is that important? Because Pennel is not much smaller than Dontari Poe was during his heyday in K.C. and was a big reason the Chiefs DL was able to shut down any team’s running game, when it had to.
We know that Saunders is an exceptional athlete, so getting his rookie year under his belt should go a long way in helping him make an impact, especially as Pennel goes on hiatus.
Tyrann Mathieu
Your Defensive Coordinator on the Field, 2.0
Tyrann Mathieu was an incredible force for the Chiefs in 2019. He was so good we’ve almost completely forgotten that Eric Berry was still with the Kansas City Chiefs until last offseason. His relationship with DC Steve Spagnuolo is synonymous with synonymous. With Juan Thornhill likely out for the first six weeks, Mathieu will be depended upon even more to make the defensive backfield mesh and matchup from play to play. His overall understanding of the defense will be improved… enough to make as big an impact on the defense, as Mahomes does on the offense. That… is saying something.
Steve Spagnuolo
Tom Riddle, Lord Voldemort, on Caffeine
The difference between the 2018 Chiefs and the 2019 Chiefs in a word? Spags. When HC Andy Reid finally… finally… finally, dumped Bob Sutton and brought Steve Spagnuolo aboard to “fix” the defense, he quickly assembled the best group of D coaches in the league. Spagnuolo has brought a tremendous synergy to that side of the ball as well. Like in a Harry Potter movie: Spags knows how to suck the soul out of an offense… while Sutton only ever knew how to suck… leaving the defense lifeless. Bringing in Spags resulted in corralling some of the best talent needed to fill the critical positions of his proven Super Bowl defense. Now, with a full year under his belt, he’s indicated he has more “exotic blitz” packages to unleash on the opposition simply because most of the players he’s dealing with have experience in his scheme. Oh Yummy! Snap me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar and can we please start the season right now? BTW, Steve Spagnuolo is actually a good guy and not a Voldemort at all.
Tyreek Hill
Now Here’s a Player Who’s Matured… and All Grood Up
The voice of the Chiefs, Mitch Holthus, had an astute observation of Tyreek Hill recently saying: he’s matured. He said that after listening to Hill say he wasn’t focused on his personal stats and that he really just wanted the team to succeed. It seems like no coincidence that Hill is talking this way as an offseason of high praise for him comes to a close. In fact, he’s been identified by some, as the preeminent wide receiver in the league. I don’t know if he’s “the best” or not but I have long believed he is the most dangerous WR in the NFL, and if that’s not close to being considered the best, then I don’t know football. I do know, you can’t have a discussion about the most impactful players for the Chiefs in 2020 without mentioning his name right away.
L’Jarius Sneed
Here Comes the Sun, doot-n-doo-doo
Apparently, rookie CB L’Jarius Sneed will be thrown to the wolves. With Bashaud Breeland having to sit out the early part of the season, I don’t see any way for Sneed to warm his tush on the cushions of the bench at Arrowhead. Sure, Free Agent signee and 5th year man, Antonio Hamilton, may get the first crack at filling the Breeland void but I’m not so confident in that synopsis. So, when Sneed is called upon, I’m predicting that he makes a positive impact. Just remember, you heard is here first… or did I hear someone else talking about how talented Sneed is…. okay, okay, how many of you are raising your hand right now? While he’s a talented and fast DB, Chiefs area scout Willie Davis shared his views on Sneed smarts after showing his bidextrous backfield abilities going from CB to Safety last season:
“Now you see the intelligence and how he can pick up things and go play another position. You don’t worry about him coming in and you’re putting too much on his plate as far as learning because you see now he’s capable of learning all that.”
The next four Chiefs players to be mentioned are all either, on a one-year deal or in the last year of a contract. As Terez Paylor used to say, “The contract year is undefeated.” Consequently, I’m expecting that each of them — or most — will elevate their play and have their best seasons to date.
RG Andrew Wylie
One Whole Year of One-derful… Oh Yeah
It doesn’t seem unreasonable to believe Andrew Wylie will have his best season yet as an offensive lineman. He has done some of his best work in relief of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif when he’s been injured. Wylie appears to prefer the right side and so, he may just end up being the permanent man… if he can show Veach and Reid that they’re getting some bang-for-their-buck. My guess… he’ll make an impact right away, leaving only the Center position as the weak link along the OL. OC Eric Bieniemy had a revealing comment about Wylie when he said:
“The thing that we love about Wylie is that he has never stopped competing. He’s constantly competing. He’s back in the lineup, now it’s about making sure he can sustain a high level of play throughout the course of training camp into the season.”
Damien Wilson
One More for One More, Once Again
LB Damien Wilson was second only to Anthony Hitchens in tackles on the Chiefs D, 81-to-88 last year. However, his tackles appeared to be closer to the line of scrimmage. While Wilson was an average NFL LB last year, Hitchens wasn’t, and so Wilson seems to have a better chance of making an impact this season. Wilson ranked 71st out of all LBs ranked by Pro Football Focus in 2019 and Hitchens ranked 84th, so pick your poison but his second year in Dallas, his PFF score doubled and it leapt to 69.9. That placed him with the median score for the better LBs in the league. All of his current grades put him just above a 50.0 rating (average in PFF’s system) so a second season in Spags setup should mean he improves in 2019. Enough to make an impact. If it does, Veach may want to see about locking him up for several years.
Demarcus Robinson
One for the Money… Two for the Show…
Demarcus Robinson has the potential to be a #2 WR in the NFL or a #3 on most other teams. For one reason or another, he hasn’t flourished in K.C., yet. Here are his career stats:
In reviewing his stats, it was that Yards per Catch rate steadily rising each year that caught my attention. Sure, the introduction of Patrick Mahomes has certainly helped him in the that regard, but if that improves again this season, another team may decide they want to snag him. If DMarc has his best season yet overall, we can expect him to move along his way, to a team willing to shell out some cap dollars in the Spring of 2021. He’s more of an “IF” on my Impact Scale, but if he does breakout, it either means the offense is humming big time, or someone(s) in front of him went to the IR list (God forbid).
Tanoh Kpassagnon
Now That’s Gonna Be One Freaky Year
At 6-foot-7, and 289 lbs., Tanoh Kpassagnon has been categorized as a physical freak, since before the Chiefs drafted him out of Villanova, 59th overall in 2017. Last year, we got a little taste of his real potential as a freak on fire. The introduction of Frank Clark has to have had a positive effect on KPass, and if he maintains his current trajectory, Brett Veach is going to have a very difficult decision next Spring. While KPass seemed to twiddle his fingers in Bob Sutton’s 3-4 structure, he began to look like that freak-show in the 2019 Defensive Circus that we’ve all waited to see, especially in the postseason. KPass is also saying all the right things now as well:
“Year two in this defense, you get a lot more comfortable. You get a lot more comfortable with what the guys around you are doing. You get the whole scheme. You know why Coach Spags [Spagnuolo] is calling something in a certain situation. I think that continuity is there. That energy where we all come together as one is there.”
Breeland Speaks
In Shipshape and Ready to Rock-n-Roll
It’s hard to believe that I would be writing this next statement after last year’s offseason but: the Kansas City Chiefs are loaded at defensive end. Next to the wide receivers position (and QB of course), the defensive line may be the most talented and loaded position on the team. We should have expected this with Steve Spagnuolo coming to the Chiefs, right? Spags is known for loading his DL with players who are dominant and can collapse the pocket with the wave of his wand (again with the Harry Potter reference!?). Breeland Speaks appears to fit that mold and his showing up to camp in the best shape of his career bodes well for his projection. Speaks sat out the Chiefs SB winning season with both a suspension and an MCL injury and sometimes it’s just as simple as, absence making the heart grow fonder:
“I learned a lot about myself. It was just a constant deal of wanting to get back. It hurt not being out there with the guys, not being in the locker room with the fellas and not being able to chop it up with everyone. That just motivated me to want to work harder and get back.”
So, Speaks is back and playing with a purpose plus, his DC, Steve Spagnuolo, has noticed saying, “He’ working hard!” Jason Setchen of AthleteDefender says, “Breeland Speaks is in the best shape of his life and is a Pro Bowl talent that will greatly surpass all expectations in 2020.” High praise indeed and if he makes the kind of impact some are expecting, the Chiefs D will be one woolly mammoth.
Willie Gay Jr.
It Was the Best of Times and… It Was the Best of Times!
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how impressed I’ve been with rookie LB Willie Gay during this training camp. Sure, his fellow rookie, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, should have a breakthrough year too, but it is Willie Gay who I believe will repair the reputation of the Chiefs Linebacker room. Can he do it all by his lonesome? No. However, as is the case with so many talented players: they make those around them better. Which, is one of the reasons that Damien Wilson makes this list. Gay had one of my favorite quotes from this Training Camp so far:
“We have an advantage over here in Kansas City when you play against an offense like ours. You see some crazy stuff in practice, so when you see that, it’s like, ‘OK, I know everybody in the league can’t do what these guys are doing at quarterback, running back or receiver. It’s definitely making us a lot better.”
Sure my analysis may be biased — at least a little bit — in that, I sure do hope he makes an impact, but I also have the firm belief that Willie Gay will one day end up in the Pro Bowl. For now… I’ll settle for the Super Bowl.
Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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