Chiefs Levels: On the Level

Laddie Morse

The Kansas City Chiefs have many excellent players. It take quite a few of these “excellent” players to win a championship. So, let’s take a look at their current roster and see if they have what it takes to be either: the elite of the elite, or elite, or excellent, or above average, or average, or needing, well you know. Let’s begin with the Elite of the Elite.

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Elite of the Elite

We need to begin with the Elite of the Elite, which is of course, Patrick Mahomes II. He has already broken every meaningful record a QB can break in his short 5+ year (as a starter) career. In December, one month ago, CBS Sports said of him:

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“Mahomes was the youngest quarterback to win Super Bowl MVP, the youngest quarterback to win league MVP since Dan Marino in 1984 (at the time he won the award), and he already holds 11 NFL records in his five full seasons as starter.”

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Mahomes is so elite, he not only holds records on the field, but his contributions to the community off the field are legendary s well. This video shares the Stupidly Expensive Things Patrick Mahomes Owns and it’s shared by RED ZONE (as of last Summer):

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Chiefs Elite Players

To determine who the Chiefs truly elite players are we need to begin with those who made the Pro Bowl this year:

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While Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce head this listing (and Kelce could be placed on the ELITE of the ELITE too), let’s not diminish the performance of DT Chris Jones:

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I would agree with everyone on this list except Orlando Brown Jr.. In addition to this list, I’d place several other players of the Chiefs on the ELITE listing, including:

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Bolton has to go on this ELITE list because he’s broken the Chiefs single-season record for combo tackles by smashing the record:

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• 131 for Derrick Johnson in 2011

• 180 for Nick Bolton in 2022

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The league may not recognize Bolton yet, but they will soon. He’s been stellar in his second season and that’s the very definition of an ELITE player.

L’Jarius Sneed has been more than excellent. He’s now recognized as the Chiefs best CB and he’s also being given the responsibility of covering the opponents best WR, like he did against the Seahawks when he mirrored DK Metcalf. If Sneed is not yet an ELITE player, he’s at least about to break through. From the time he was a rookie and USA Today put Sneed in the Top Ten of their re-draft, I’ve perhaps over-valued him, but that time is no more. He’s ELITE as far as I’m concerned.

While I would normally place Kicker Harrison Butker on this list of ELITE players for the Chiefs… he’s not had a good season, so I’ll include him here, but he’ll need to bounce back a bit first if he’s going to stay here.

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Chiefs Excellent Players

I have to start this list with Trey Smith. Should he have been included on the Pro Bowl list. Perhaps, but he’ll get there soon enough. One of the future problem I see is how will GM Brett Veach be able to re-sign all of his excellent, and above, players? One thing I love about Trey Smith is his Pancakes and he’s been fairly consistent by starting in training camp and continuing to this season:

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Another EXCELLENT player for the Chiefs is rookie CB Trent McDuffie. Here, “a to Sports” does a very good job of breakign down McDuffie’s coverage abilities and what I like about this film is that it’s from late Novemebr when McDuffie had only played in 4 games because he was out earlier in the year:

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Another EXCELLENT Chiefs player has been RB Jerick McKinnon. His TD production has now become incredible. He not only has a nose for the end zone, but he appears to be on the same wave-length as his QB, Patrick Mahomes. While Andy Reid’s running back by committee approach has McKinnon averaging 47% of the offensive snaps this season, Jerick has produced 13 TDs total and nine (9) TDs in the last six (6) games. That’s much more than above average.

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Chiefs Above Average Players

I said earlier that Orlando Brown Jr. was not an ELITE player and I stand by that. Yes, some charts grade him as improving as the year has progressed, but his overall season has left something to be desired.

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While I no longer trust the ratings system of PFF, we used to have Price Carter writing for us here at ArrowheadOne and I do trust him. If OB Jr. is around the 17th best LT in the NFL, I can see that, and I find no reason to disagree with Price. What does that mean as far as rating OB Jr.? It means he’s somewhere around average… or above average, hopefully. While I don’t expect GM Brett Veach to see things eye to eye with me, I am hoping he doesn’t try to give away the farm to Brown like he did last offseason. From the K.C. Star:

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“… the Chiefs offered Brown $91 million over five years ($18.2 million annually, an amount that would’ve ranked sixth among NFL left tackles and eighth among all tackles). A sixth year at the back end of the contract would’ve ostensibly been worth $40 million-plus… but was never meant to be paid; instead, it would’ve served as an artificial way for Brown to say he’d signed the largest contract for a tackle in terms of average annual value.”

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To me, that’s giving away the farm –> for an average, or above, LT. Do I expect OB Jr. back in 2023? For the most part, yes. Especially if the Chiefs get to the Super Bowl, and he plays well.

Actually, the first Chiefs player I’d place on the ABOVE AVERAGE list is DL rookie George Karlaftis. His 5.5 sacks in the last 7 games means he’s on the right track and helps out ever so much at putting pressure on opposing QBs. BTW, Karlaftis’ snap count is at 64% this season.

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Another Player I’d say is ABOVE AVERAGE is RB rookie Isiah Pacheco. His snap count for the year is only 31% and if he had begun the season as the starting RB, he’d likely be rated higher, especially since this is his first year and he has produced 960 yards from scrimmage (rushing + receiving). More snaps and he’d have broken that 1,000 yard barrier for sure:

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In games prior to November 13, Pacheco had more than ten (10) carries twice. Since then, he’s averaged nearly 13 carries per game. Next year, getting a full season as the starter — which is what I expect — it will be wonderful to see what he can achieve. I see his upside being to reach the “EXCELLENT” level of performance.

Another ABOVE AVERAGE player has been Willie Gay. Gay appears to have accepted his role in the offense and sees himself as a supporting cast member to Nick Bolton’s leading role. However, his snap count has really increased over he past three season going form: 25% (2020) to 57% (2021) to 69% (2022). Bolton’s snaps have gone from 60% in 2021 (his rookie year) to 98% in 2020. It’s hard for me to see Gay getting any more snaps than he already does, but his contributions have been very, very good… which keeps him in the ABOVE AVERAGE category. Obviously, Bolton has a high football IQ that Gay does not have. In any case, Gay is an ELITE level athlete with ABOVE AVERAGE skills.

JuJu Smith-Schuster has been solidly on the ABOVE AVERAGE list but he’s also capable of more. I’d like to see Brett Veach re-sign him to a longer term deal (more than one year) and now he’s consistently saying he’d like to stay in K.C. so… what’s not to like?

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Chiefs Average Players

The rest of the roster is AVERAGE with perhaps one exception. Yes, our Punt returners need to be admonished for their blundering fumbles in certain games, but I trust the Chiefs Special Teams Coach, Dave Toub, and don’t think he needs to be replaced. At all. GM Brett Veach has built a solid roster, one of the best in the NFL. Plus, he and his staff have done so consistently. Some prefer John Dorsey but there’s a good reason he’s not still in K.C. and Brett Veach has drafted, signed, and traded for some very special talents. Most recently, he traded for WR/KR Kadarius Toney who has the ability to move up this chart of players and performers in the coming months and years. I also think LB Leo Chenal will be moving up the ladder in coming years. He might, maybe, could be, the replacement for Willie Gay if he decides to move on and go get the big payday from another team in another year from now.

Frank Clark has been average, but we’ve expected a lot more from him. He’s had his above average moments, and could be very good in the playoffs, but he’s on my “wait-n-see” list.

Brett also traded away CB Rashad Fenton at the right time. Fenton was at a point where he’d be used little the rest of this season and if he was used, he be taking the place of a rookie who needed snaps and the experience that comes with those snaps. Plus, Fenton was traded for a conditional 2023 – 7th-round pick and we know what Veach and crew can turn those 7th round picks into now don’t we. A solid move that many just don’t recognize.

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Chiefs Players Who Are Needing

RT Andrew Wylie is someone I’ve not been happy with this season, and beyond. Yes, he’s been “okay” at times, but in many games he leaves the Chiefs prized possession, Patrick Mahomes, at risk on his non-blind side. Many opponents have figured out this weakness in the Chiefs OL and have begun to line up their best Defensive Linemen against Wylie in hopes of getting to Patrick Mahomes.

While Kansas City, as a whole, has allowed the third fewest sacks in the 2022 season with 26, Andrew Wylie has allowed 9 of those. In other words, nearly 35% of the sacks the Chiefs allow this season, have come through, or around, Andrew Wylie. If there was one reason why the Chiefs offense does not succeed in these coming playoffs, I’d have to guess that the reason would be, Andrew Wylie. BTW, Wylie is also tied for third in Sacks Allowed by a Tackles in the NFL in 2022. Not the best stats to be known for. 3rd year player Lucas Niang could be the answer, but we’re likely not to find out if he’ll be a solid replacement until the offseason officially begins, and I’m hoping that’s not until after the Super Bowl.

Who did I leave out?

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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne

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