Mock (9/4)

[Direckshun]

Assumptions:

1. The Chiefs finish 12-4, win the AFC West, and secure a 1st round bye. They host the Steelers again and manage to fend them off for a trip to the AFCCG, where they lose badly to New England. HC Andy Reid and GM Brett Veach stay on.

2. QB Alex Smith is traded for a 2nd rounder in 2018 and a 3rd in 2019.

3. OLB Tamba Hali and ILB Derrick Johnson retire.

4. The Chiefs extend CB Terrance Mitchell 3 years, $18m ($7m guaranteed).

5. The Chiefs sign WR/KR De'Anthony Thomas for 2 years, $5m, OG/C Zach Fulton for 2 years, $5m, NT Bennie Logan for 3 years, $27m ($14m guaranteed), K Cairo Santos for 4 years, $11m ($4m guaranteed).

6. The Chiefs tender NT Rakeem Nunez-Roches, ILB Ramik Wilson.

7. The Chiefs sign FB Anthony Sherman, DE Jarvis Jenkins, ILB Kevin Pierre-Louis to minimal deals.

8. The Chiefs let walk QB Tyler Bray, RB C.J. Spiller, WR Albert Wilson, OL Jordan Devey, NT Roy Miller, ILB Terrance Smith, CB Phillip Gaines, CB Kenneth Acker, P Dustin Colquitt.

9. The Chiefs sign QB Matt Moore (Jaguars) for 1 year, $4m, WR Alshon Jeffery (Eagles) for 5 years, $55m ($24m guaranteed).

10. The Chiefs are picking 29th, and have one compensatory pick (a 5th) for QB Nick Foles. They have three conditionals: a 6th for OT Isaiah Battle, a 7th for DE David King, and a 7th for CB Marcus Cooper.

The draft:

1. OLB Dorance Armstrong, Kansas
The Chiefs combine both of their 2nds to move up into the 1st.

The Chiefs don't have that many roster spots free -- not after shoring up three of their biggest weaknesses in signing Alshon Jeffrey and extending Logan and Mitchell. Trading Alinex Smith, and the retirement of DJ and Hali opened up the team's coffers and it has allowed them to make a splash that could make them Super Bowl competitive.

Armstrong is an outstanding passrusher and would be an early favorite to becomes DPOY if not for him taking a year as a rotational guy. Ford will likely walk in 2019 unless he takes the next step, so Armstrong provides blue-chip insurance.

3. CB Carlton Davis, Auburn

A long corner with great upside.

4. QB Max Browne, Pittsburgh

Heady QB with some physical ability -- the Chiefs will need a #2 in 2019 after a one-year rental of Matt Moore.

5 (Nick Foles). CB Anthony Averett, Alabama

Another long corner from a competing school. The Chiefs let Phillip Gaines and Kenneth Acker walk this offseason, and DJ White just isn't up to the task.

6. TE Durham Smythe, Notre Dame
6 (Isaiah Battle). RB Ito Smith, Southern Mississippi
7 (David King). ILB Kenny Young, UCLA
7 (Marcus Cooper). P Johnny Towndsend, Florida

All kinds of special teams additions here, with some upside for each player.

roster:

QB: Mahomes, Moore, Browne
RB: Hunt, Ware, West, Smith
FB: Sherman

WR: Jeffrey, Hill, Conley, Robinson, Chesson, Thomas
TE: Kelce, Harris, Travis, Smythe

LT: Fisher, Schwartz
LG: Ehinger, Witzmann
C: Morse, Fulton
RG: Duvarney-Tardif, Witzmann
RT: Schwartz, Erving

DE: Jones, Jenkins
NT: Logan, Nunez-Roches
DE: Bailey, Kpassagnon

OLB: Ford, Armstrong
ILB: Ragland, Eligwe
ILB: Wilson, Pierre-Louis, Young
OLB: Houston, Zombo

CB: Peters, Mitchell, Nelson, Davis, Averett
S: Berry, Parker, Sorensen, Murray, McQuay

K: Santos
P: Townsend
LS: Winchester