Feature Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
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Chiefs 2021 Offensive Line Scenarios – by David Bell and Laddie Morse – Now that we’re well on our way past the three week mark since Free Agency began, many Kansas City Chiefs fans, including David Bell and I, are wondering what the final makeup of the offensive line will look like once the season rolls around. Heck, we want to know before the draft takes place in less than three weeks now. So, let’s explore some scenarios which David and I have talked about extensively, and we’ll begin with what we already know.
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Prevent this view of Patrick Mahomes
to the greatest extent possible!
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When we look at one huge factor, and one only that the Chiefs must solve, is the task of building a deep offensive line with the primary goal being: protect Patrick Mahomes.
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If the Season Began Today
The number one scenario is based on the players the Chiefs have in-house right now, and takes into consideration the possibility no one else will be joining the OL room this offseason, however implausible that is. So, in that case, the OL would look like this:
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- LOT – Joe Thuney
- LOG – Nick Allegretti
- OC – Austin Blythe
- ROG – LD-T
- ROT – Mike Remmers
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Players on the roster for depth at positions? Lucas Niang (OT), Andrew Wylie (2nd in OG), YAsir Durant (OT/OG), Martinas Rankin (first sub in: OT/OG), Darryl Williams (OG/OC- IOL). If Thuney is out for more than a few plays, then: LOT is Mike Remmers. If either is injured, Kyle Long steps in. If Nick Allegretti is injured, LOG becomes Martinas Rankin. OC is Nick Allegretti behind Blythe and if Allegretti goes down it’s Darryl Williams. ROG would be Kyle Long as the backup and this is where Kyle is used to playing so he fits this role. ROT backup would Lucas Niang, a rookie who begins as a backup then becomes the starter.
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The following three scenarios are based on having a FA Left Tackle already signed.
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Veach Signs Bridge LT Before 4/29
In this scenario, which is the one we both predict happens, Veach has signed a veteran LOT as the Bridge Tackle to get to where the draft pick starts. On the Right side, Martinas Rankin gets the start and behind him is Lucas Niang. In this view, Martinas Rankin could swap with Mike Remmers as the SW/T.
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Because a Bridge LT has been signed, Veach does not try to draft a player in Round 1 as It leaves many avenues with which to train up the future LOT. We’re thinking of the work Daniel Harms did for the OT view as follows:
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Daniel Harms — RGR Football — top ten OTs in the draft:
1. Penei Sewell
2. Rashawn Slater
3. Christian Darrisaw
4. Teven Jenkins
5. Liam Eichenberg
6. Brady Christiansen
7. Samuel Cosmi
8. Spencer Brown
9. Dillon Radunz
10. Stone Forsythe (ranked #251 by DrafTek)
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Then, the top 3 or 4 OT’s are surely already gone, but we could trade back and obtain an extra Top 100 draft pick (which is preferable), selecting a skilled player with the Chiefs initial pick in what would be early round 2, nominally a WR. Here, you take WR Terrace Marshall, as an example. He’s a Round 1 graded WR, with Chiefs heritage to boot: –> he could then wear his Great Uncle’s Number, Joe Delaney’s #37 (if allowed), so he’d be a great pick for the team and the right kind of player too.
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From Daniel Harm’s work, plus our own research, the developmental OT could be: Spencer Brown, or Brady Christianson, or Dillon Radunz or even Stone Forsythe (Laddie also likes Jalen Mayfield). Veach would have to plan it out and make sure his 64th pick is a Round 1 quality player (like he did last year), but that could very likely happen. Same for OLB.
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Veach won’t get the top selections in this scenario, but there will be quality draft picks available in round 3, and keep in mind we traded our Round 1 pick to get an extra top 100 draft pick. It’s here we see likely an OLB selected, plus we’re getting BPA’s at the same time.
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Then the 2nd pick in round 3 powers the draft, followed by 2 more in round 4, and 2 in round 5. We put any rookie draft pick, and Lucas Niang, as the #2 Tackle behind the respective day one starters with more experience.
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- LOT – Bridge OT + Draft PIck OT
- ROG – Joe Thuney + Andrew Wylie
- OC – Austin Blythe + Nick Allegretti
- ROG – Kyle Long + Yasir Durant
- ROT – Martinas Rankin + Lucas Niang
- SW/T – Mike Remmers: Problem here is Remmers fared poorly as the LOT against Speed and Bull rushers.
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Note:
Andrew Wylie is OG#2
Yasir Durant is OG#3
Remaining OL: Darryl Williams
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Veach Signs a Bridge Tackle,
Plus Kyle Long is ROT
What Laddie and I have kicked around is taking the best Center as the first pick and I’ve mocked this countless times, trading back in the process. So, the Chiefs would get another top 100 pick while making 2 selections in Rounds 2 and 3, which is a huge advantage.
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We’ve each toyed with making sure the IOL is completely handled with top notch depth and still obtaining a LOT who has all the earmarks of success. David’s dream choices in this case would be Landon Dickerson for Center and Liam Eichenberg as the LOT. Laddie feels the same about Dickerson, but thinks there’s a handful of OTs who would fill the bill. The big if is… if Veach makes sure the Bridge Tackle is in place. In that case, then we can take the time with a player like Spencer Brown (see Laddie’s piece called, “Chiefs: A Couple of OT Options” in which he features Spencer Brown) or Brady Christensen (shown above). We think it’s worth noting that Christiansen was QB prospects Zach Wilson’s blind side protection plus being a Consensus-All American in 2020 at BYU. And yes, we know how Andy Reid feels about BYU players (cough, cough… Daniel Sorensen).
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By viewing the data from Rogue Analytics for both players, plus running through Daniel Harms breakdown of the top ten OT’s, then you see that either player will not only be a success in the NFL, but have the ability to move to the left side.
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If Veach truly wants OC Landon Dickerson, then he is the Chiefs first pick in the draft at #31. If David’s higher rated player were the player for LOT, and Eichenberg was the pick, then he could be the first pick in the draft.
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- LOT: Bridge OT + Liam Eichenberg, Spencer Brown, Brady Christiansen, or Jalen Mayfield
- LOG: Joe Thuney + Nick Allegretti
- OC: Austin Blythe + Landon Dickerson or Quinn Meinerz
- ROG: LDT + Kyle Long (or vice versa)
- ROT: Remmers + Lucas Niang
- SW/T: Remmers – Rankin
- SW/G: Long
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For the Swing Positions, the second player listed becomes the SW/T or SW/G, depending on who wins the starting role. Player versatility on the OL is Andy Reid all over the place as he has: Nick Allegretti for OG/OC, Kyle Long for OG/OT, Yasir Durant for OT/OG, Darryl Williams for OG/OC, and Martinas Rankin for OT/OG.
Remaining players: Andrew Wylie, Darryl Williams
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Veach Signs a Quality Bridge Tackle,
Then Drafts an OC High
In this scenario, Veach is able to lock up one of three Free Agent Left Tackles we’ve identified as being preferable: Alejandro Villanueva, Russell Okung or Rick Wagner. That OT becomes this year’s starter and then Veach drafts a top OC like Landon Dickerson to help plug the middle.
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It’s our contention that any rookie OL who is drafted will start training camp as the backup and the same is the case here as Dickerson would start as soon as he’s 101% healed from his ACL surgery, but from the looks of things — after doing cartwheels on the lawn behind an interview of teammate QB Mac Jones at their Pro day — he’s going to be more than just fine. The 6-foot-6, 325 lbs. Dickerson had a knee injury in the SEC title game in December and had surgery in January, but his rehab is going very well, thank you. We like Dickerson more than Creed Humphrey and one of the reasons is, Humphrey is a left handed Center, something else the Chiefs would be putting on Mahomes plate, to learn how to deal with, a southpaw Center, if they drafted him:
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So, in this scenario the Chiefs OL starters and backup would look like this:
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- LOT: Bridge FA + Niang
- LOG: Thuney + Allegretti
- OC: Blythe + Dickerson
- ROG: LDT + Long
- ROT: Remmers + Rankin
- Other OL: Yasir Durant, Daryl Williams, Andrew Wylie
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Lucas Niang Starts At LOT,
Plus a Top ROT & OC Are Drafted
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We’ve toyed with this idea of moving Lucas Niang to the left side and it still makes sense (but not as preferable as keeping him at what is likely a more natural position at ROT). Niang already has the playbook down and he understands Andy Reid’s Zone Blocking System. Also, as both Laddie and I have noted, Niang has a leg up on Eric Fisher’s emergence because he has more speed than FIsh and better feet for a big man (at least better than when Fish had as a rookie playing at Right Tackle. You may recall Fisher started at RT his rookie year, 2013, because Branden Albert was here at LOT).
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Niang has an extremely smooth slide and glide, which helps him fend off the speed rush, along with a good burst at the snap. He also has strong hands which he utilizes with explosiveness. If Niang goes to the Left side initially, he’ll have a learning curve which entails him nailing the opposite foot drop-step. He is an intelligent player and Andy Heck can work him up, even using an in-house player as a possible bridge LOT, and someone to show him the ropes.
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David thinks that in this scenario you’d see Veach make a top draft choice in round 1 or 2 for the ROT position and that player would need to be a plug-and-play selection.
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This is a deep draft for Offensive Tackles, deeper than most view it, especially when considering the Right side. Included in this scenario is a high draft pick for OC, while using Blythe as the Bridge to that future stud player. Blythe is on a one-year deal and isn’t the Chiefs “future” at OC. Here, we move Yasir Durant inside as the #2 ROG. The Chiefs protected Durant from a PS swipe by keeping him on the active roster in 2020, plus he was originally projected as a 3rd round selection, but wasn’t, so he signed as a UDFA with K.C. last year. What we’re saying is, he’s got versatility and his upside will be worth exploring.
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- LOT: Mike Remmers + Lucas Niang (or visa versa)
- LOG: Joe Thuney + Nick Allegretti
- OC: Austin Blythe + Draft Pick
- ROG: LDT + Yasir Durant
- ROT: Kyle Long or Martinas Rankin + Draft Pick (or flip flop)
- SW/T: Martinas Rankin
- SW/G: Andrew Wylie or Darryl Williams
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As we’ve reviewed the Chiefs options over the past months and have been anticipating Veach signing a Bridge type player. Some of the above scenarios may occur simply because Veach doesn’t get a Bridge Tackle signed before the draft in which case, moving Niang to the left side makes sense or even Joe Thuney, although David is adamant that Thuney stays at LG. Of course, if no Bridge Tackle is signed in time, Veach may well jump at a first round opportunity to draft a skilled OT who has played predominantly on the left side. Do you have any scenarios you’d like to reveal? We’re all ears!
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David Bell and Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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