David Bell
These are fun times as GM Brett Veach builds the roster for the 2023 Season. This is one of the most hectic of team periods for Veach and his staff with the Chiefs Scouting crew on the road every waking moment to attend the numerous and varied Pro Days at Colleges and Universities while HC Andy Reid and his coaches are out and about across the nation in scouting efforts as well.
It’s truly a staggering amount of data being compiled and I follow it as it trickles out to the public. I am also paying attention to players who are on XFL Rosters, although I have seen nothing that stands out and impresses me. So let’s move on to other items to examine.
Is It Fair to Be Worried About the Roster At This Point?
GM Brett Veach now has 61 of 90 players filled in for 2023. Experience tells me that is about where things usually end up at this early date/ I can see Jerick McKinnon getting a 2-year deal. I think Joe Cullen would like to bring Carlos Dunlap back for another year. We will wait to see about both players. Thus far the roster has changed significantly.
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The following ex-Chief players remain UFAs:
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Because the Chiefs added Safety Mike Edwards, Deon Bush probably departs… and by signing Drue Tranquill, Darius Harris is probably gone.
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Justin Watson has the trust of PM II so hopefully he returns. Brandon Williams gives the Chiefs a big man up the middle if they decide to bring him back. I don’t know how KC views Williams but if Veach signed the other 3 between now and training camp, it would not surprise me at all. McKinnon has been a key player for the offense and Dunlap brings Vet experience — that I hope benefits a draft pick as an in-practice and during-games-coach. That said, it would be cost-effective to add all three players to the roster.
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Already Signed Players for 2023:
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Signed Free Agents
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The addition of Cowart and Omenihu plus the signing back Phil Hoskins educates me that strengthening the defensive front is a focus for 2023. That they signed back Danny Shelton bolsters that construct. That may make the return of Williams unlikely.
Making assumptions, we will likely see a 2022-type redux with several UDFAs and other free agents to round out most of the roster to get to a 90-man total. Some unsigned veterans will be in that mix. I do not doubt that the Veach brain trust has eyes on who is available, and what players fit the Chiefs needs and persona.
Top Roster Needs: LOT, Edge, WR
Protecting Patric Mahomes is Job One. It appears that signing Jawaan Taylor fits the Chiefs outlook for having Orlando Brown, Jr., depart in free agency. I am going to align with what Brett Veach and Andy Reid have stated about the ROT position. Lucas Niang is penciled in as the starter with Darian Kinnard backing him up in that role. I presume at that point, Kinnard would be the SW/T. However, it would not be a surprise if the Chiefs decided to trade up and select Broderick Jones, or for that matter, take Anton Harrison or Darnell Wright with the 31st pick.
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Moving up to select Jones would be costly — but I do not see the Chiefs adding 10 players in this draft either, so… trades are seemingly inevitable.
What would be a wonderful draft is to select an edge rusher with pick one, and an OT with pick two. When Taylor was signed, I shifted my view back to Veach using pick one to bring in another young pass rusher. OT seems to be pick #2 based on needs, but vying for import is drafting a WR. I know that the Draft Board for the Chiefs will have all three roster positions high on the needs list. At the same time, I expect the Chiefs selection process to be approached by Best Player Available (BPA), regardless of position needs.
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This sure is an entertaining time to follow the Chiefs,
even if we can’t be a fly on the wall in those rooms
where the Chiefs ponder and plan their draft board.
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Due to how teams draft, acquiring a QB protector, or an Edge Rusher, either being the most sought-after positional roles, has got to be a reason to expect Brett Veach to make a selection for one of those positions with pick #31. OTOH, the Chiefs have a need to bring in a WR.
Of course, when a team needs a top QB, that is the most valuable draft pick in any draft. Keeping in mind that it takes time for any wideout to get familiar with an NFL offense means that the pick must be at least a bright and apt student. With Andy Reid’s dense offensive playbook and all of it’s complications, rookies have a tough time breaking into a major role in the first year.
Hence, I think a free-agent WR will be acquired before the draft. For me, it is merely another waiting game to see what will happen. The Draft is about a month off into the future.
Looking At the Top Edge Players
I started out looking at this position group, thinking speed from the edge was a missing ingredient among the defensive players on the roster. The Edge Position in this draft is deep. I know that Joe Cullen likes big DEs. I appreciate speed from the edge and finding the right fit that has both is going to be tough even as players drop into the 25-31 draft pick range. It would be worth trading up to select the right player, but who would be on that list for Veach and Co? Here is my list of choices: I formerly thought BJ Ojulari was the right pick, but Felix Anudike-Uzomah has been my recent player to investigate and he has switched places in my thinking.
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Anyone of the edge players on that list would be a great asset. Nolan Smith is something special, but he is undersized, although he’s totally quick and fast. I see the Top 4 in the list gone before pick 31. Right now, I’m leaning towards White and Felix A-U as fitting the round one #31 draft slot. I’m pretty sure all will be gone before the Chiefs pick in round two.
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There are other players who could be listed here.
QB Protectors
Pete Skoronski (Northwestern) and Paris Johnson, Jr. (OSU) remain at the top of the rankings and are likely to be drafted inside the top 10 or 15. Broderick Jones (Georgia) checks all the boxes for me. Darnell Wright’s (UTenn) combine performance has seen his ranking climb into the top 20 as well. I suppose if I had my druthers, and liked what we saw from Trey Smith, I’d like to say that Wright would be a super choice — but he is a ROT.
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For a true LOT, Anton Harrison (OU) has been my consistent choice. Among those players, any one of them would be great, and that includes Cody Mauch (N. Dakota St). What I would like to see is Brett Veach trading up in order to be able to select Broderick Jones, an athletic OT. He will be a top OT in the NFL and if we can pull that off, we’d have him locked in for 5 seasons… if Brett Veach can make such a trade-up possible.
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Then, Jawaan Taylor could be the ROT or Swing Tackle (SW/T), or Taylor and BJones could switch for a year or two. The offensive line would be extremely capable and with depth. I like that construct a bunch.
Draft Picks LOT, Thuney, Humphrey, Smith manning the OL and may the best man win ROT–Taylor, Niang, Wanogho, or Kinnard. Getting Nick Allegretti under contract backs up the IOL.
Later round possible choices are:
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Although Dawand Jones is an OSU product and most likely a 2nd round pick, I personally view him as a last-resort draft selection. He has slow feet and that means I would prefer Veach not to make that pick, but he is powerful and strong. After this list of players, I have not had a chance to get a look at any videos, but I have looked at every player mentioned because, with two starting OTs gone from the roster, I viewed drafting an OT as the top necessity.
Now? I am not so sure about an OT being the round-one Veach draft pick.
A Peek at Draftable WRs
This is a tough draft for me to choose any WRs. Quentin Johnson (TCU) tops the list and he will be an ‘X’ receiver out of the gate. Zay Flowers (BC), Josh Downs (NC), Jordan Addison (USC), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (OSU) rounds out the list. How many will go in round one? Who would you select? In what round?
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I suppose that Josh Downs or Jordan Addison are players I’d feel completely comfortable with if they were the Chiefs first-round choice.
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My basic take is that protecting Patrick Mahomes is Job One, so I am once again reverting to an OT being the best choice with the first draft pick. This is merely my view of the three top needs and players so, reply back to this article if you have thoughts for other players.
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David Bell — ArrowheadOne
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