Chiefs: Repairing the 2021 Offensive Line – Most Kansas City Chiefs fans who watched Super Bowl LV will tell you, the Offensive Line was the culprit in that loss. Whether or not you agree with that assessment, you’ll likely agree that the Offensive Line needs refurbishing… or rebuilding… or you choose the adjective. That’s mainly because K.C. will probably be without their Tackles, LT Eric Fisher and RT Mitchell Schwartz, the same two who have started for the Chiefs in each of the past five straight seasons. In fact, Eric Fisher has been with the Chiefs for 8 straight years and up until Week 6 of this past season Mitchell Schwartz had not missed a snap in 7 ½ years. With Fisher out for sure because of an Achilles injury, and Schwartz day-to-day since his back injury, it’s very possible that K.C. will have two new Tackles in 2021.
I’ve speculated that Lucas Niang will be taking over for Eric Fisher this year… And never looking back. If you recall Fisher’s rookie season, Branden Albert was Reid’s Left Tackle and Fisher started on the right side. Niang would essentially be a starting rookie. It’s hard to imagine any rookie playing Left Tackle in an Andy Reid offense so we’ll need to take a look at the other possibilities if Niang is not that guy.
Except for Andy Reid’s first year in K.C., the Chiefs have not been big players in Free Agency. While I doubt that they’ll be big time movers this year as well, I can see Veach making a move to sign a FA Left Tackle, someone who can step right in and offer an experienced hand for that position. Let’s take a look at who might be available (for now) along the Offensive Line. Here’s what profootballnetwork provides as the top ten OL in this Free Agency. Salary information offered by Sportrac.com
Let’s take a look at each of the real K.C. candidates. Those players highlighted in yellow appear to me to be those who Veach might want to consider most. Brandon Scherff and Joe Thuney look like they’ll strictly be out of the Chiefs cap range. I know, you might say the same for Trent Williams, but he’s been an All Pro, made the Pro Bowl 8 times… and… and… and… never won a Super Bowl. Something the Chiefs can tempt him with. Plus, at 33, he may be willing to accept a reduced one-year deal with the idea he’ll be contending for a ring, having never had one before. Time to get on Patrick’s Magic Bus!
You may be asking yourself “How in the world could the Chiefs even afford any of the players on this list?” Here’s my six easy steps for getting the cap down below the limit:
Remember, it was only last year (last offseason) that everyone was asking, “How in the world will Brett Veach get all the Chiefs re-signed from their Super Bowl team?” What’s amazing is, he did it. So, who am I to say he can’t get the cap number down far enough to sign at least one good Free Agent?
Now, having said that, I’m relatively sure that the Chiefs don’t want to sign more than one stranger to come in and start along the OL. Consequently, if Veach can find one of these players and get them in on a lesser one-year deal, that appears to be a real possibility.
The next player on this list, which I’ve highlighted, is OC Alex Mack. If Veach can’t get a veteran LT for his Head Coach, then he may focus on upgrading the weakest link on the OL… the Center position. As of right now, Austin Reiter is a Free Agent. My evaluation of him is… he’s not only the weakest link along the OL, but on the entire team. Replacing him with a guy like Alex Mack would be a tremendous lift. One reflection about the Super Bowl is… if Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz had been at full strength, the Chiefs would likely have still lost SB LV. Why, because of the Bucs DTs Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh, who pushed the pocket back into Patrick Mahomes face repeatedly, causing Mahomes to do a Houdini act just to get his passes off. So, improve the Center position, and you’ve immediately, greatly improved the other IOL positions.
While I’m comfortable with starting a first year LT, i.e., Lucas Niang, Andy Reid will likely want to go with an experienced vet and that’s the primary reason why Reid and Veach may be willing to consider someone like Cameron Fleming. While I’d rank Fleming as an average LT, he may be a better option than Lucas Niang, at least to begin the season. At 28 years old, the 6-foot-5, 320 lbs. Fleming has played for the Patriots, Cowboys and Giants and been on two Super Bowl winning teams. He is probably the player that fits the Reid mold for an experienced veteran as much as any player on this list. Also, his $3.44M 2020 salary is likely already close to being within the cap range Veach wants to stay under.
Projecting the draft after a move like this becomes much harder for other GMs drafting opposite Brett Veach. Something Veach covets as he prefers not to be predictable. Last year, who would have thought he’d take a 1st round RB? The year before, in 2019, Veach orchestrated a trade for DE Frank Clark just two days before the draft, otherwise his hand may have been forced with the Chiefs moving on from both Dee Ford and Justin Houston that same offseason… even though he’d already signed DE Alex Okafor the month before. Veach turned around and drafted speedy WR, Mecole Hardman, and few were predicting that move. I wasn’t.
What does it all mean? It means that Veach would prefer not being painted into an OL corner — or any corner — come draft day. So, the idea that he’ll do all he can to lower the cap enough to sign a FA veteran OL seems increasingly likely.
Some have expressed the desire to return Mike Remmers and have him start at Left Tackle, but his Super Bowl performance has me gagging at the thought. While I don’t know what will happen with the Offensive Line, it’s ever presently clear that the Chiefs have options and based upon the recent offseason record of Brett Veach, it’s hard to see him NOT signing an experienced OL. After all, he signed Mike Remmers a year ago and he also brought in Stefen Wisniewski the year before (and then again last year).
If you don’t think it’s possible… think again.
While the following Tweet doesn’t speak to the OL situation in K.C., it does address just how agressive Brett Veach is each offseason in bringing in top talent for a discount.
Of course, I’d rather see Veach sign a top OL talent but… I’d also be thrilled if Patrick Peterson came to K.C. in 2021 to win a ring. Make it happen Tyrann!
Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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