Ranking Our Needs
 

My armchair assessment.

1. OT

On roster: Lucas Niang, Martinas Rankin, Eric Fisher (injured), Mitchell Schwartz (retiring?)
RFA:
UFA: Mike Remmers
? Prince Tega Wanogho (can't figure out if he's under contract for 2021)

2. DE

On roster: Frank Clark, Mike Danna, Tim Ward
RFA:
UFA: Tanoh Kpassagnon, Alex Okafor, Taco Charlton, Demone Harris
? Austin Edwards

3. WR

On roster: Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman
RFA: Byron Pringle
UFA: Sammy Watkins, Demarcus Robinson, Marcus Kemp, Gehrig Dieter
? Maurice Ffrench, Jody Fortson, Tajae Sharpe

4. LB

On roster: Anthony Hitchens, Willie Gay Jr., Emmanuel Smith, Dorian O'Daniel
RFA: Ben Niemann, Darius Harris
UFA: Damien Wilson
? Omari Cobb

5. IOL

On roster: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Nick Allegretti, Yasir Durant
RFA: Andrew Wylie
UFA: Austin Reiter, Kelechi Osemele, Stefen Wisniewski, Daniel Kilgore, Bryan Witzmann
? Patrick Omameh

6. CB

On roster: L'Jarius Sneed, Rashad Fenton, Bopete Keyes
RFA: Charvarius Ward, Alex Brown
UFA: Bashaud Breeland, Antonio Hamilton, Deandre Baker
?

7. S

On roster: Tyrann Mathieu, Juan Thornhill, Armani Watts
RFA:
UFA: Daniel Sorensen
? Chris Lammons

8. TE

On roster: Travis Kelce
RFA: Nick Keizer, Deon Yelder
UFA: Ricky Seals-Jones
? Evan Baylis

9. DT

On roster: Chris Jones, Tershawn Wharton, Derrick Nnadi, Khalen Saunders
RFA:
UFA: Mike Pennel
?

10. RB

On roster: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Damien Williams, Darwin Thompson
RFA: Darrel Williams
UFA: Le'Veon Bell
? Elijah McGuire

11. QB

On roster: Patrick Mahomes, Chad Henne
RFA:
UFA: Matt Moore
?

1. DE
2. WR
3. C
4. OT
5. OG

That's my top 5.

I don't think the WR position is as bad as you say it is. In a bind, it really only needs one major body.

You can bring Pringle and/or Robinson back for pennies, but you still would like to have that dynamic #2. Find one guy who can be that and you're golden. Pat can win without the dynamic #2 anyway.

OT and DE is just a mess, OT especially. Even bringing back Remmers doesn't solve the issue. You're going to need multiple bodies there.

I'm also looking at it in terms of volume vs. value.

We need a top flight WR, somebody who can come in and be a #2 right away and those guys can be had where we're picking. We also need a #2 DE and one of those could be there at #32. At best though, we only need one of each, we just need good ones.

The OT position is quite a bit more tricky than that. I believe we're going to have to find a starter in FA (or already on the team) with Niang also as a favorite. We need more than one OT at this point.

I don't think you're taking a starting OT at #32 unless the board falls just right. You have a better chance of getting a starting C there, although I still think the sweet spot for C is at #64.

The tackle situation is truly a bad one and taking one in the first just because isn't going to solve it. It will just make the other positions worse.

1. WR
2. C
3. DE
4. OT
5. LB

I think we have to utilize the strength of this team and that is Mahomes and his weapons. Pringle is our only blocking WR with size that isn’t a FA. Tyreek and Hardman aren’t exactly known for blocking.
I think we need to draft a Sammy replacement.

I narrowly put C over DE bc honestly we have a starting DL of Clark, Jones, Wharton and Danna. One of Taco/Okafor/Kpass could come back cheap to provide depth.
At C we have maybe Kilgore and??? I agree that some team is going to overpay for Reiter and will cause use it have nobody.

Tackle might be okay with Remmers ad Niang, Rankin/Wylie as backups and Prince Tega-Wanogho as depth. Need to add someone though.

1. OT
2. C
3. DE
4. WR
5. LB

We already needed a infusion of talent on the line before losing our LT for the foreseeable future. Now, its a dire situation. That said, I agree with others and think that reaching for a lower quality LT over a better edge rusher is a mistake that will hurt us in the end.

We have to go 1 of those spots (DE,LT) in the 1st imo. I think that there's a good chance we can grab the top rated C at 64th so I'm all over that if possible. The hope is that a premiere LT falls to us but that seems unlikely. With our cap problems we're ****ed even more.

Maybe someone wants a QB at the end of the 1st and trades up with us netting us a cpl more picks. If not, grab a DE in the 1st, C in the 2nd and use the 3rd on a tackle while hoping that Mitchell can play 1 more season.

I think Niang would be your hopeful LT.

Gotta find a RT and some interior OL help though.

We won’t have Kilgore or Reiter.

We gotta slide TE up to #6. If Kelce should be out for any extended time, it would be a critical blow to our offense.

I'm not saying he's replaceable, but we have to have someone there who can help Patrick and mitigate the risk of potentially losing Kelce - at the least. At the most, we get a stud who can catch and run routes.

If Britt is healthy, that'd be a good signing.

No draftee WR is going to be a #2 starter in this offense. None ever has, at least not effectively, as a rookie.

OT is definitely a problem that will require a multi-faceted approach, draft and FA signing.

OG depends on how Veach and Reid feel about guys like Durant moving forward.

DE I agree; I think we're one impact rusher away from a dominant defense. I'd think they re-sign Charlton if he's healthy, he'll be inexpensive. Okafor is probably gone.

anyway, I say:
1.OT-we literally don't have a starting quality healthy OT.
2.DE-we're a guy away from dominant, I think.
3.WR-we need to start re-stocking and it will take a year to really integrate
4.C-a mid-rounder and resigning Kilgore (or Britt!) on the cheap can make this tolerable
5.OG-depends on the status of guys like Durant and what the team thinks of their potential.

Andy Reid's stategy to building a team from way back in his Philadelphia days.

Andy Reid told Philadelphia, I want two offensive tackles, a quarterback, two pass rushers, two corners, and I'll figure the rest out.

The fact that both Fisher and Schwartz may have already played their last snaps here would tell you where our focus will be, especially since we have all the other wants on that list.

They're going to focus on OT for sure.

It just might not be in the first round of the draft.

They simply can't go into next season with two rookies at LT and RT.

Critical needs
1. OT
2. DE
Anything after that makes us even more unfair to deal with IMO
3.OG
4.CB/S
5.LB
6.RB
7.WR
8.TE

WR and TE after LB and RB.

:facepalm:

And doesn’t have center on the list.

Spot on...
That will be the strategy and focus. Hopefully the OT and/or DE players on the team’s board will fall accordingly in rounds 1-3. WR will be up there as well.

We have a Tyreek, a Kelce, and a Mahomes, anything more than that is sick. I'm pretty sure we'll have a new WR next year and there will be lots of talent to choose from. I'd just prefer to adding juice to the run game and run D .

Why?

The team revolves around the pass game and the pass D.

LB and RB are overvalued positions in general but even moreso on this team, especially LB. We spend something like 40% of snaps with only 2 LB's on the field in nickel base.

That's not a great way to spend resources.

This team does revolve around the pass but when it's time to run the results are woeful....... As great as our pass offense is you have to protect it with a decent running game. And I like Clyde....I just wish we had another decently talented back to spell him. I like D Will but I think we can do better there. And as far as the LBs.....I'm not exactly John Madden with the football knowledge( I just play a lot) but do we play go with nickel packages for scheme or lack of talent? Out of all the teams in the playoffs this year I think the Browns were the scariest matchup because of how physical their offense was and how light we play on defense

We play like that for scheme. If they wanted to play more 4-3, they would. They just don't. The like having guys like Sorenson out there in hybrid formations.

And it works. We shut down the Browns.

As for the running game, continuing to invest in the offensive line will help that and the passing game at the same time, at least theoretically, so it's a better value than taking a RB.

Where we are now, we don't need to draft a RB at all this year. Next year will be a different story with Damien Williams being a likely goner.

The Chiefs can never have enough Skill Position weapons.

Teams aren't going to beat the Chiefs on the ground, which should be evident now after watching the Mahomes led Chiefs for the past 3 years.

Investing more in the Linebacking corp, especially when they're almost always in a 5-2 front, is a waste of valuable resources.

1A: OT
1B: WR
3: DE
4: C
5: TE
6A: S
6B: CB
8: LB
9: DT
10: OG
11: RB
12: QB/K/P

Is how I see it.

Pretty close to how I see it.

I think with the amount of WR talent hitting the open market this year combined with the COVID cap crunch should leave a couple of them having to settle for below market value. Chiefs should easily be able to sign one of them to be another weapon.

We should start a senior bowl thread, but since we haven’t yet, I’ll throw this in here now:

Landon Dickerson’s stock is probably going to skyrocket.

His measureables today were off the charts - 95th percentile and up on all of them, and his sprint speed at C was the 8th best of all linemen. He also has experience at T, is equally effective in pass and run pro, and has leadership skills galore.

He’s the type of C you would create in a lab. Only knock is his injury history.

Honestly, they need T help, but I would be fine with a plan that addresses T in free agency and frees them up to draft Dickerson in the second.

That would certainly be a good thing and would give them some more flexibility.

They're going to need a FA OT regardless, they need more than one.

But they absolutely need a C if they let Reiter walk and I'm guessing his price tag will necessitate it.

A C in the 2nd would be a good pick.

Why would KC draft another RB? We have CEH, who's going to be our RB1 next season, period. Then we have Damien coming back next season, unless he decides he wants to go elsewhere. And we have Darrel and Darwin. Adding yet another RB to the stable seems completely unnecessary? We're not even a running team . . .

Read what I wrote. ;)

We have Damien Williams back and Darrell is a RFA. We don't need a RB this year.

However, next year we may need one with Damien's contract being up and Thompson being a waste of a roster spot. Doesn't mean we have to draft one, it could always be a UDFA or FA.

Just a gut feeling, but I don't think Damien is going anywhere. At least for a while.

His contract is up after 2021. He could probably get a better job somewhere else. He basically got replaced.

Like I said, just a gut feeling. No evidence to support it. Betting money would have him going elsewhere for a payday. And he could probably get it too, after almost winning the SB LIV MVP according to some talking heads, and having a season of rest, a la Marcus Allen.

But some part of me is whispering "he'll be back in Chiefs Red and Gold in 2022, you just watch and see."

And my gut is weirdly right a lot.

I'm not counting on any of the guys who sat out this year, next year, including LDT. If DW26 is on the team next year.... great, wipe RB off my draft board for a year, but DW31 and DT with CEH does not constitute a RB stable lol....I think this upcoming draft should be aiming for roster flexibility because outside of OL and DE this team doesnt have any glaring needs IMO

Here is mine for the time being. All can change as time gets closer once we release/re-sign certain players. Most likely going to be a quiet off-season in terms of FA signings. Some may seem like a reach but i've watched a lot of CFB this year & a lot of film on these picks I make.

1. DE - Carlos Basham/Dayo Odeyingbo.

Would like someone stronger on the other side to partner Clark. Basham will be a steal if he managed to drop to us.

2. OG/C - Creed Humphrey/Trey Hill/Wyatt Davis/Jackson Carman.

This is an interesting one due to the amount of talent on the O-line this year. IF Mitch doesn't comes back this pick will change for me. Allegreti, Wylie & Reiter have solid but I feel an upgrade is needed if we are to run the ball better. LDT coming back is huge & having a better LG will compliment the O-line.

3. WR - Tamorrion Terry/Nico Collins/Warren Jackson.

If we keep Watkins then this pick will drop to 4th round but still think a potential #2 WR is in this draft for us. All these guys have height & speed(Jackson is the slowest of the 3 but tallest).

4. TE - Jake Ferguson/Matt Bushman.

All season we've struggled with a #2 TE. RSJ hardly given a chance & Keizer hasn't been impressive at all. Could develop into a replacement for Kelce given a few years behind him. Would take either guy but Bushman would be my choice if no one reaches for him. Could take him in the 3rd round if Watkins stays.

5. LB - Jabril Cox/Amen Ogbongbemiga.

Gay, Hitchens & Wilson is solid but we need better back up. Niemann & O'Daniel not good enough for me.

Other positions to look at;

CB - Assuming we release Ward & Hamilton while extending Breeland on a better deal we'll have 5 CB's including Baker. Not a big need but something we could do if the right guys available 5-7th round.

LT - If Mitch retires which is possible & Fisher(who will have to restructure his contract) going to take a while to return we need depth on tackle. Remmers & Niang(looking forward to see play)for RT is good enough for me. So drafting a LT is a possibility

I feel a little better about Reid and Heck's ability to make chicken salad out of late picks and UDFA's when it comes to interior linemen. It's a less rare skill-set than being an OT in the NFL.

There's also Justin Britt, who is returning from an ACL (I think) and missed this season but is still 29 and has played center at a high level. So, you know, that's a nice cheap veteran option there, although we still need to be grooming a center.

I think Alegretti's earned his spot moving forward. So I think we need an IOL or two still, but really probably only ONE that needs to be an immediate starter.

You're going to have to bring back Remmers I think, and still draft an OT with actual NFL level OT ability, and typically that's high. Yeah, I know we just took Niang, but we literally haven't seen him at all, and I don't like just handing jobs to guys, especially at OT. We need to take one, and take one early.

OT
DE
WR
IOL
CB

would be my order of need.

He 100% deserved to get superbowl MVP. 100%. I love Mahomes as much as the next guy but D. Williams was massive for us in that game. All game. Mahomes came on in the 4th and won it for us but Damien was a rock.

1. OT
2. OC
3. DE
4. WR
5. S


The rest will get patched in but those are the big ones to me.

Surely Veach can lure a quality FA tackle for a decent price. Hell, Osemele was a great pick up.

a Tackle ain't a Guard. Just sayin'.

Osemele was a tackle. He's just a guard now. :)

well he's nothing at the moment unless he can come back on completely reconstructed knees.

But what I mean is that it's a very different skillset, and a harder one to find that can handle the outside OT role. The huge, massive mauler guys usually don't work out all that well at Left Tackle; sometimes that can work at RT. But in a Reid system, it seems he likes to have mobile centers and guards too. At least ONE guard who can move.

I was just being an ass. ;)

I don't think Kelechi has really played tackle since college and that was a decade ago.

Here's the thing-
We don't know what we have in Niang. I do know that he's first round caliber talent that fell to the 3rd because of a hip injury. I also know it's probably not likely he would've been able to contribute much this season.

I SUSPECT that his opting out was discussed and approved as a roster move with Veach and the front office. Like as a medical redshirt year. I have no proof of that, it's just a suspicion. Consider it my 'Veach-anon' conspiracy.

and I can't help but think when I watch his tape-Damn he looks just like Willie Roaf. Which is a ridiculous comparison and totally unfair to the kid, as Roaf was the best offensive tackle I ever saw in my life.

And yet, for all of this, I don't want to just hand him a starting spot. And I STILL want to take a legit (i.e. early) offensive tackle in this draft. Maybe a Mayfield, or an Eichenberg, but no later than the 2nd round. And I want to bring Remmers back.

That's all. Just my thoughts.

Niang has apparently being working out and looked to be in good shape in videos posted in December.

I think he comes in and starts somewhere next year (day 1 or eventually).

I agree with everything but the last paragraph. I don't want them locked in on an OT if it's "no later than the 2nd round".

I don't want them locked in on any position, for that matter.

I guarantee that Veach has pockets of players he likes and that he's targeting in certain rounds along with contingency plans.

I would be shocked if offensive tackle isn't in his plans at all. I'd be really surprised if it's not in the forefront of his mind.

There's a difference between REACHING and having targets in anticipation of how the board may fall.

What if that offensive tackle is in the 3rd round? Do you not take him since you said "no later than the 2nd"?

That's what I'm getting at. Just stick to the board and take the guys that are there. If that's a tackle in the 1st great but if not, no biggie. Stick to the board.

True to a certain extent but teams still draft for need. Not necessarily is it this year's need, but almost certainly it'll be next year's (a huge MO of Veach btw).

I think you look at it like this: In round 1, what player will most help my team this year, and thereafter, what players best help my team next year. Whatever guy fits the bill that is highest on your board you take. It may not be the highest guy on your board, but he's probably in the top few.

I don't think I could have said with a straight face last year that Clyde was a better prospect than Tee Higgins was and I'm kinda doubting that was the case on the Chiefs board either. That said, Clyde was a guy that Mahomes wanted and a guy that could help the Chiefs maintain a stable, if not dynamic, rushing attack given the injury history of Williams going in all while having all the receivers in the world necessary to succeed this year. Personally, I would have taken Higgins knowing my future need at WR and considering RB to require less valuable resources. However, the Chiefs' decision to take a RB probably was the reason for their success this year with Williams opting out and so here we are.

I know team's draft for need all the time.

Doesn't mean I have to agree with it. ;)

Touche' haha.

I get where you're at with it though.

That said, there is always a need aspect. For instance, there are a few players I'd get pretty hung up on in certain scenarios, such as Jaelan Phillips and Jalen Mayfield both sitting there. And, that could very well end up the case. Both fit a relatively immediate need. Both are good players. Both positions are hard to truly fill with a starter outside of round 1 (not that it doesn't happen). I think, in that scenario, you go back to your board and see who ended up higher and you take that guy. That doesn't mean there may not be another guy higher on my board. I might have Najee Harris rated higher than either. Am I really going to take him? No, but he's going to sit up there and he's more of a trade back reference than anything. So, sticking to the board is always relative. It should't affect the Chiefs too much, as they'll have needs just about everywhere, but QB and RB in 1 are not among them. A big reason I'm not a follower of the draft the BPA only line of thought.

Yeah, I'm not advocating a pure BPA approach.

Obviously need has to come into play, I just don't believe in sacrificing a lot of value because of need.

I know nobody else really disagrees with that. We just don't necessarily agree with how much value an OT provides in the first this year.

We're likely to have a new starter at center and Niang at RT, if he steps up.

I'm not comfortable with a rookie LT. I think DE is a bigger need and has more value. Add that to the current situation, and I just wouldn't put that much priority on OT.

Reading more now about Phillips concussion history. It sounds like he’s in the same spot Morse was when they let him go...

Where the next one may be the one that ends him. Don’t think the Chiefs can take a risk like that round 1.