K.C. Chiefs: Where are we now?

What is really going on this offseason? How much of what we are seeing is window dressing and how much is an indication of where the team is really heading? While the moves made so far could be an overt indication of where the front office is heading, it could also be some smoke and mirrors heading into the draft. Let’s take a look at what has been going on during the last few weeks.

January 31st, 2018

Kansas City announces QB Alex Smith was traded for CB Kendall Fuller and a third round pick. While not really a surprise, as AS11 had a career year/Patrick Mahomes was drafted last year/KC needed CB help, I thought it was a year early. I really wanted Mahomes to hold the clipboard for another year. I see lots of talent, but I want him to gain a better understanding of the offense so he doesn’t become RG3 2.0. Andy Reid is known to have a big playbook, so I didn’t want to rush his development. However, that ship has sailed and Mahomes is QB1 for all intents and purposes. In the deal we pick up a top CB to shore up our defensive backfield. This work on the DB group definitely creates the viewpoint of KC being less predictable in the draft. This had to have been 1 group that was viewed as a big need (along with LB) for the Chiefs.

February 8th, 2018

KC released CB Darrelle Revis from the team. I don’t think anyone saw this as a move due to being stacked at the position. On the contrary, it could have been a CJ Spiller move or an indication that Revis was actually a lot worse than he appeared during the last couple games of the season. While I didn’t think he was anywhere near his prime, I also didn’t think he was awful. So, his release seemed to indicate some combination of Brett Veach having other plans in the works or Revis being awful where we didn’t see it.

February 13th, 2018

KC announces that the beloved linebacker Derrick Johnson will become a free agent after 13 seasons. While I have great respect for DJ and his contribution over the years, not to mention coming back from injuries like he did, he seemed to be hit or miss at times. While our LB corps wasn’t a strength, it is probably time to make the move to the future. His leadership in developing younger LBs could have been valuable, so then why let him go. This might be a mutual agreement to let DJ pursue another decent pay day or simply not being worth the risk of injury for what he was asking. I don’t think Veach could be trying to convey that we feel good about ILB, so we are unpredictable in the draft.  If anything, it seems like it makes the Chiefs look more desperate for a solid ILB. We do have several players that seemed to shine at points, but not a DJ replacement yet.

February 16th, 2018

Chiefs sign CB David Amerson from the OakVegas Raiders. While I like that we took a top CB from our division rivals, I also like that it strengthens our defensive backfield. All of a sudden, a weakness seems to be a strength. If Marcus Peters realizes he is on the football field to play football and not to raise his hand in political protest, maybe they can be elite.

Is It Smoke & Mirrors

There is a lot of activity in KC. Veach is making moves. On the surface, I like the moves at CB. He is strengthening the defensive backfield via trade/release/signing. For the LBs, I am not as sure. Should we have kept DJ around a little longer to develop others and/or create the impression he was solid and we weren’t needy at LB (ILB is an issue I think and we are really down to Justin Houston at OLB at this point. Dee Ford is a bust and Tamba Hali has given his all)? I hope we have a view of being stronger here than tape would indicate at this point. If other Front Offices think we need LB help, then good for us. We also aren’t the strongest on the line either. Our D line struggled last year. Based on the current moves, we are gelling better than we seemed or we are masking the issue and will surprise in the draft/FA market.

On the other side of the ball, we let go a signal caller that should have mastered the playbook by now. While he never seemed to get to the point of a gunslinger, he did have a career season. He crested 4k yards passing after many critics said he would never throw to that level. AS11 was what he was for us. He could win a game at times, could not lose a game at others, but was never known to go wild when it didn’t matter. I have no idea how much was him sticking to the coaches calls or his fear of an INT, but he never seemed to have the highlight reel stuff. Nonetheless, he was smart and solid at the position. We seemed to finally have an offense around him to play to his strengths. We also had the QBOTF in the wings, ready to learn. So, the question was “Trade AS11 when his market value was high?” or “Keep AS11 and develop Mahomes, hoping AS11 doesn’t devalue?” We know the answer.

The Real Bottom Line

In the end, I think the moves at CB are real. Those are the guys we will move forward with in 2018. The LB move is also real with DJ, but I think we will be less active than our paper needs would indicate. The lack of activity at defensive line leads me to believe we will put a draft/trade focus on this position group in the coming weeks. On the offensive side of the ball, I don’t see us as big players, but if an  opportunity arises we will entertain it. I just hope Mahomes is ready.

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