Laddie Morse
The Kansas City Chiefs are heading into the OTAs and Training Camp with more talent than they’ve had maybe ever. In the meantime, analysts like Lyle Graversen are penning pieces called, “The Kansas City Chiefs are currently gambling on wide receiver position” and that doesn’t even consider the Chiefs weakest position group.
Lyle has hit it right on the money. The WR position is devoid of a true #1 — at the moment — and so we hear a lot about the Chiefs registering in the long distance race called: “The D-Hop Marathon.” While it’s hard to know if Hopkins values money or rings more, we can be sure of one thing… a Chiefs weakness in this area is also a huge plus for Hopkins. IOW, if he signs with the Bills he’d have to know that he’d often be playing second fiddle to Pro Bowl WR Stefon Diggs. In K.C. he’d have no such impediment.
Why? In his piece, Graversen spells it out:
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“… it’s possible that Kadarius Toney can’t stay healthy, that neither Skyy Moore or Rashee Rice look ready to be full-time players this season, and that the Justyn Ross lottery ticket doesn’t hit. In that scenario the Chiefs probably don’t have enough pass catching weapons to repeat as champs and we go into next offseason focused on adding wide receiver talent. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a gamble to me.”
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While I thoroughly appreciate Graversen’s point of view, let’s not forget that Marquez Valdes-Scantling — MVS — stepped up big time in the Chiefs AFC Championship game in “Arrowhead” vs the Bengals when other WRs went down with an injury. Now, am I saying MVS could be the Chiefs #1WR this year? No. However, I am saying that who ever the Chiefs line up at WR and Patrick Mahomes is throwing them he ball, is/are, likely to become household names by year’s end.
On to the Chiefs best to worst position groups.
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Note: While Harrison Butker has made an All-Rookie team (2017) and also led the league in scoring (2019)… and Tommy Townsend is just coming off of a Pro Bowl Year (first team All-Pro in 2022)… I’ll not be ranking the Special Teams group today.
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Quarterbacks
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Anytime you have the best QB of all time on your team, quarterbacks must be ranked #1.
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Tight Ends
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Any time you have the best TE in the history of the NFL on your team, then Tight Ends must be ranked #1… unless you also have the best ever QB on your team… then they’e ranked #2.
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Offensive Line
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The Chiefs have invested more heavily in their offensive line this offseason than ever before, especially in the Patrick Mahomes era. In fact, the injury to Mahomes last year was likely the impetus for making these moves this offseason. While this ranking is based on the starting five, it also includes the backups. The Chiefs are deeper along the line than they’ve ever been, and the loss in Super Bowl LV is in part, a good reason for that.
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Linebackers
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With the addition of Drue Tranquill and Leo Chenal getting a second season in the system, while Willie Gay is in a contract year (and let’s not forget what Terez Paylor once said: the contract year is undefeated), and Nick Bolton is entering his third season as the man in the middle… the Linebacker position is one of the best on the Chiefs roster. Add in some excellent backups as well and… viola!
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Safeties
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With Juan Thornhill exiting and second year man, Bryan Cook, stepping up, this Safety group appears to be a strength. LB Nick Bolton has said that Bryan Cook “has taken huge strides forward in the Chiefs offseason program.“
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Cornerbacks
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With Trent MCDuffie starting his second season without and injury, and L’Jarius Sneed in a contract year, plus the late round picks of Jaylen Williams and Josh Watson entering their sophomore years the CB grouping appears to be solid. Solid enough to get a #6 ranking of the best position groups on the Chiefs squad.
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Defensive Line
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With Brett Veach adding in Charles Omenihu and then drafting Felix Anudike-Uzomah this group looks to be a strength this year as well. In fact, this group may be much better than the 2022 group, even if they don’t bring back Frank Clark or Carlos Dunlap. If that does happen with either or both of those players, it likely won’t be until late July when Training camp begins. Here are the projected starters along the DL:
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Here are the projected backups along the DL:
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Wide Receivers
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Without the signing of DeAndre Hopkins, the Chiefs should be fine at wide receiver. With or without a big name WR for Patrick Mahomes to throw to, these WRs will function just fine. The 6th WR on this list will make the team based on what STs coach Dave Toub has to say about the returners for the team in 2023.
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Running Backs
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The Chiefs weakest link… and I don’t count the RB position as a “weak” link… but it is certainly their weakest, is RB. In a piece written by Tommy Garrett for PorFootballNetwork.com he reveals that RB Joe Mixon of the Bengals will likely be released following June 1st, a cut down day for the NFL, where teams can spread out the expense of a player in dead money over two season if cut. While the subtraction of Mixon to the Bengals roster is an obvious loss for them, it could be a big boon for the Chiefs.
With Isiah Pacheco, Jerick McKinnon, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire on the active roster, K.C. could use a RB with full scale abilities like Mixon’s especially when it come to his blocking ability. As of this moment, the best blocker on the roster is likely Deneric Prince who is a projected to be a backup or even Practice Squad player.
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As you can tell, I don’t really think the Chiefs have any weaknesses. While I list their RB group as the weakest… or should I say, the least strong… I think that may be the way the Chiefs leadership ranks those positions in terms of their importance to the team. What do you think of this listing? Close… or no cigar!
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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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