Early Mock 9/27/20

[kccrow]

Offseason

Chiefs extend S T. Mathieu for 2 years and LT E. Fisher for 4 years, reducing their 2021 cap hits.
RFA tender 1st Rd CB C. Ward and Orig. Rd WR B. Pringle
ERFA tender TE N. Keizer, DE D. Harris, and CB A. Brown
Re-sign OG K. Osemele to a 3-year deal and FB A. Sherman and DT M. Pennel to 1-year deals.
Release QB C. Henne, Retire RG L. Duvernay-Tardif (call it a hunch, that's all)
Re-sign the scrub squad to reserve/futures deals.
Let walk WR S. Watkins, S D. Sorensen, CB B. Breeland, LB D. Wilson, WR D. Robinson, OC A. Reiter, RT M. Remmers, DE T. Kpassagnon, OC D. Kilgore, CB A. Hamilton, TE R. Seals-Jones, S T. Thompson, DE T. Charlton, TE D. Yelder, OG A. Wylie, WR M. Kemp, RB Dar. Williams, LB B. Niemann

Draft

1. LB Nick Bolton, Missouri (6'0" 230)
The Chiefs linebackers are abysmal and need an injection of speed and talent. Bolton has both and can man any of the 3 spots.

2. OG Royce Newman, Ole Miss (6'5" 305)
The Chiefs need a long-term solution at guard and Newman could be the most athletic O-line specimen in the draft, ala Wirfs, which will speak to Reid and his zone scheme. I also think the breakdowns in protections this year are going to prompt Veach and Reid to address O-line early and often in 2021.

3. OC James Empey, BYU (6'4" 300)
There may not be a better center in the country overall but Empey gets no lover being from a lesser program. He's the best pass blocking center out there and we all know Reid will keep an eye on BYU players.

4. WR Kadarius Toney, Florida (5'11" 195)
There will be needs at WR no matter how you slice it and Toney is a prototypical Reid slash WR that can do alot underneath and turn small plays into big gains. A 2019 injury may keep him from going much higher.

4. CB Nick McCloud, Notre Dame/NC State (6'1" 190)
The CB room will continue to need additions again in 2021 with Breeland becoming a FA and Ward likely coming back on a 1-year tender. McCloud was a team captain at NC State before grad-transferring to ND. He's a long press corner with fluid, clean footwork for a longer corner and is good in off-coverage showing adequate burst to close and crowd the catch radius.

5. FS Brady Breeze, Oregon (6'0" 198)
Losing Dirty Dan will mean replacing him and Breeze brings alot of similar attributes and is just a solid football player. He hits hard for his size, he's pretty quick, and he gets his hands on footballs to create plays.

5. DE Malik Fisher, Villanova (6'4" 255)
At some point, the Chiefs will need to address at least depth at DE and I really like Fisher from Villanova in the FCS. He has a really similar build to Frank Clark, he's stout against the run, and he provides a solid pass rush.

6. LB Jacquez Williams, Wake Forest (6'2" 220)
I think at this juncture you're looking for guys that can play special teams and provide some depth, and the Chiefs will need it at LB. Williams is pretty quick and can man the weak side in the NFL, but he's going to need to gain some mass to take on NFL blockers. That said, he's shown some ability to make plays and be reliable in pass coverage.

7. TE Nick Muse, South Carolina (6'4" 240)
The Chiefs always seem to be lacking in the TE department, so why not take a flier on a guy that has flashed some playmaking ability and attitude in Muse. He could be a nice sleeper pickup.


QB: P. Mahomes, J. Ta'amu
RB: C. Edwards-Helaire, D. Williams, D. Thompson
FB: A. Sherman

WR: T. Hill, M. Hardman, B. Pringle, K. Toney, K. Lipscomb, J. Forston
TE: T. Kelce, N. Keizer, N. Muse

LT: E. Fisher
LG: K. Osemele, M. Rankin
OC: J. Empey, N. Allegretti
RG: R. Newman, Y. Durant
RT: M. Schwartz, L. Niang

DE: F. Clark, D. Harris
DT: C. Jones, T. Wharton
DT: D. Nnadi, K. Saunders, M. Pennel
DE: M. Danna, M. Fisher, T. Ward

SLB: W. Gay, D. Harris
ILB: A. Hitchens, J. Williams
WLB: N. Bolton, D. O'Daniel

CB: C. Ward, L. Sneed, R. Fenton, N. McCloud, T. Keyes
S: T. Mathieu, J. Thornhill, B. Breeze, A. Watts, R. Clemons

K: Butker
P: Townsend
LS: Winchester

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by staylor26

I love Bolton for the Chiefs at 32. Gay and Bolton would go a long way to fixing this LB group.

If Bolton is gone, I’d take a long look at Chaz Surrat as well.

Definitely. There are some good, athletic linebackers this year. I'd also Add Baron Browning from Ohio State to the list.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Losing Sammy is going to hurt a lot actually. Hardman isn't physical nor is he much of a blocker.

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

It would complete dumb luck if the Chiefs could actually replace Sammy Watkins' talent with the #32 overall pick.

Watkins is a fantastic blocker who's very physical yet can make the acrobatic and dramatic catch when needed and he's like a running back with the ball in his hands.

I'd rather see Watkins back on a deal similar to 2020's as opposed to chasing down his replacement.

Came here to post these.

Watkins is really good. Like REALLY good. Just not all the time.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

But like I said, unless the Chiefs get incredibly lucky at #32, it's going to be next to impossible to replace Watson's skillset.

You've listed one guy in each of the past 3 entire drafts as examples, which means the odds are greatly stacked against the Chiefs in terms of getting an actual replacement for Watkins.

There aren't many WR's in the NFL with Watkins skillset and ability and I hope the Chiefs extend him for at least the next 2 years, if not three.

I would include Laviska Shenault, Terry McLaurin (DJ’s favorite) and even Brandon Aiyuk who played really well last night.

I think it would be a worthy insurance piece for us bc Sammy is the only bigger blocking receiver with talent and he is always hurt or hurting so the 4th receiver is just as important IMO.

It’s more of a Demarcus Robinson problem. Sure he’s decent at blocking but he is so hot and cold. Seems like he’s barely above a JAG bc he has one or so good games/catches a year.

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I can' see them taking a center and guard in consecutive early rounds.

Orgazationally, At Center it's a possibility due to the Ruiz rumors the past offseason and the 2015 drafting of Mitch Morse in the 2nd round.

[kccrow]

I do think Reid puts a bit more premium on a Center than he does guards. If I go with Dane's suggestion that they don't take two O-Line early, I think I'd keep the Center and move guard to later. And then we hope that some of these projects the Chiefs have been toting around start and produce.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by kccrow

I do think Reid puts a bit more premium on a Center than he does guards. If I go with Dane's suggestion that they don't take two O-Line early, I think I'd keep the Center and move guard to later. And then we hope that some of these projects the Chiefs have been toting around start and produce.

I think that makes sense. I could see a center early and a guard late for sure. I think they’re going to need WR early and definitely need a linebacker before the 5th.

The extra comp picks should make a huge impact in addressing their needs.

[kccrow]

Thoughts on this?

1. LB Nick Bolton, Missouri (6'0" 230)
The Chiefs linebackers are abysmal and need an injection of speed and talent. Bolton has both and can man any of the 3 spots. An addition of Bolton to a learning Willie Gay would pay dividends in the athlete category, and hopefully the performance category.

2. WR Marquez Stevenson, Houston (6'0" 190)
Needs at WR are pressing heading into 2021. The Chiefs have used day 2 picks religiously to fill the position and I don't see that changing. With Watkins and DRob likely out, KC will need to replace that production and should look for a guy that can take over an outside spot sooner than later. Stevenson has speed for days and brings much of the skill set Watkins leaves behind.
Previous: OG Royce Newman, Ole Miss (removed)

3. OC James Empey, BYU (6'4" 300)
There may not be a better center in the country overall but Empey gets no love being from a lesser program. He's the best pass blocking center out there and we all know Reid will keep an eye on BYU players.

4. DE Rashad Weaver, Pittsburgh (6'5" 270)
Weaver looked like a rising star in 2018 with 6.5 sacks and 16 tackles for a loss but his 2019 was over in training camp. He's looked good so far in his return to the field with 3.5 sacks in 3 games, including a game-wrecker performance against Syracuse. He could rise if he continues this trend.
Previous: WR Kadarius Toney, Florida (removed)

4 (Comp). CB Nick McCloud, Notre Dame/NC State (6'1" 190)
The CB room will continue to need additions again in 2021 with Breeland becoming a FA and Ward likely coming back on a 1-year tender. McCloud was a team captain at NC State before grad-transferring to ND. He's a long press corner with fluid, clean footwork for a longer corner and is good in off-coverage showing adequate burst to close and crowd the catch radius.

5. OG/C Derek Kerstetter, Texas (6'5" 310)
Kerstetter is an athletic player that has played primarily at RT but has seen starts at OG and OC during his tenure and is set to be Texas' starting center for 2020. His versatility is a huge plus and, for what it's worth, he was PFF's top Power-5 player in pass blocking in 2019.
Previous: Brady Breeze (down one pick)

5 (Comp). FS Brady Breeze, Oregon (6'0" 198)
Losing Dirty Dan will mean replacing him and Breeze brings alot of similar attributes and is just a solid football player. He hits hard for his size, he's pretty quick, and he gets his hands on footballs to create plays.
Previous: Malik Fisher (removed)

6. LB Jacquez Williams, Wake Forest (6'2" 220)
I think at this juncture you're looking for guys that can play special teams and provide some depth, and the Chiefs will need it at LB. Williams is pretty quick and can man the weak side in the NFL, but he's going to need to gain some mass to take on NFL blockers. That said, he's shown some ability to make plays and be reliable in pass coverage.

7. TE Nick Muse, South Carolina (6'4" 240)
The Chiefs always seem to be lacking in the TE department, so why not take a flier on a guy that has flashed some playmaking ability and attitude in Muse. He could be a nice sleeper pickup.

QB: P. Mahomes, J. Ta'amu
RB: C. Edwards-Helaire, D. Williams, D. Thompson
FB: A. Sherman

WR: T. Hill, M. Hardman, B. Pringle, M. Stevenson, M. Ffrench, J. Forston
TE: T. Kelce, N. Keizer, N. Muse

LT: E. Fisher
LG: K. Osemele, M. Rankin
OC: J. Empey, N. Allegretti
RG: Y. Durant, D. Kerstetter
RT: M. Schwartz, L. Niang

DE: F. Clark, D. Harris
DT: C. Jones, T. Wharton
DT: D. Nnadi, K. Saunders, M. Pennel
DE: R. Weaver, M. Danna, T. Ward

SLB: W. Gay, D. Harris
ILB: A. Hitchens, J. Williams
WLB: N. Bolton, D. O'Daniel

CB: C. Ward, L. Sneed, R. Fenton, N. McCloud, T. Keyes
S: T. Mathieu, J. Thornhill, B. Breeze, A. Watts, R. Clemons

K: Butker
P: Townsend
LS: Winchester

[Tribal Warfare]

Veach drafts great athletes and SPARQ heroes on the defensive side of the ball after the Breeland Speaks bust he's become like Dorsey. With prospects on Offense metrics are arbitrary

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by kccrow

Thoughts on this?

1. LB Nick Bolton, Missouri (6'0" 230)
The Chiefs linebackers are abysmal and need an injection of speed and talent. Bolton has both and can man any of the 3 spots. An addition of Bolton to a learning Willie Gay would pay dividends in the athlete category, and hopefully the performance category.

2. WR Marquez Stevenson, Houston (6'0" 190)
Needs at WR are pressing heading into 2021. The Chiefs have used day 2 picks religiously to fill the position and I don't see that changing. With Watkins and DRob likely out, KC will need to replace that production and should look for a guy that can take over an outside spot sooner than later. Stevenson has speed for days and brings much of the skill set Watkins leaves behind.
Previous: OG Royce Newman, Ole Miss (removed)

3. OC James Empey, BYU (6'4" 300)
There may not be a better center in the country overall but Empey gets no love being from a lesser program. He's the best pass blocking center out there and we all know Reid will keep an eye on BYU players.

4. DE Rashad Weaver, Pittsburgh (6'5" 270)
Weaver looked like a rising star in 2018 with 6.5 sacks and 16 tackles for a loss but his 2019 was over in training camp. He's looked good so far in his return to the field with 3.5 sacks in 3 games, including a game-wrecker performance against Syracuse. He could rise if he continues this trend.
Previous: WR Kadarius Toney, Florida (removed)

4 (Comp). CB Nick McCloud, Notre Dame/NC State (6'1" 190)
The CB room will continue to need additions again in 2021 with Breeland becoming a FA and Ward likely coming back on a 1-year tender. McCloud was a team captain at NC State before grad-transferring to ND. He's a long press corner with fluid, clean footwork for a longer corner and is good in off-coverage showing adequate burst to close and crowd the catch radius.

5. OG/C Derek Kerstetter, Texas (6'5" 310)
Kerstetter is an athletic player that has played primarily at RT but has seen starts at OG and OC during his tenure and is set to be Texas' starting center for 2020. His versatility is a huge plus and, for what it's worth, he was PFF's top Power-5 player in pass blocking in 2019.
Previous: Brady Breeze (down one pick)

5 (Comp). FS Brady Breeze, Oregon (6'0" 198)
Losing Dirty Dan will mean replacing him and Breeze brings alot of similar attributes and is just a solid football player. He hits hard for his size, he's pretty quick, and he gets his hands on footballs to create plays.
Previous: Malik Fisher (removed)

6. LB Jacquez Williams, Wake Forest (6'2" 220)
I think at this juncture you're looking for guys that can play special teams and provide some depth, and the Chiefs will need it at LB. Williams is pretty quick and can man the weak side in the NFL, but he's going to need to gain some mass to take on NFL blockers. That said, he's shown some ability to make plays and be reliable in pass coverage.

7. TE Nick Muse, South Carolina (6'4" 240)
The Chiefs always seem to be lacking in the TE department, so why not take a flier on a guy that has flashed some playmaking ability and attitude in Muse. He could be a nice sleeper pickup.

QB: P. Mahomes, J. Ta'amu
RB: C. Edwards-Helaire, D. Williams, D. Thompson
FB: A. Sherman

WR: T. Hill, M. Hardman, B. Pringle, M. Stevenson, M. Ffrench, J. Forston
TE: T. Kelce, N. Keizer, N. Muse

LT: E. Fisher
LG: K. Osemele, M. Rankin
OC: J. Empey, N. Allegretti
RG: Y. Durant, D. Kerstetter
RT: M. Schwartz, L. Niang

DE: F. Clark, D. Harris
DT: C. Jones, T. Wharton
DT: D. Nnadi, K. Saunders, M. Pennel
DE: R. Weaver, M. Danna, T. Ward

SLB: W. Gay, D. Harris
ILB: A. Hitchens, J. Williams
WLB: N. Bolton, D. O'Daniel

CB: C. Ward, L. Sneed, R. Fenton, N. McCloud, T. Keyes
S: T. Mathieu, J. Thornhill, B. Breeze, A. Watts, R. Clemons

K: Butker
P: Townsend
LS: Winchester

I like it. I don’t know much about Stevenson but think that round will be a good spot to grab a WR.

Bolton and Gay could be a really dynamic duo at LB and give the Chiefs a great deal of versatility. I’m not sure Bolton will year out as a physical freak like Veach likes, but the guy can play.

Rest of it looks good to me.

[UChieffyBugger]

I have a feeling we'll be getting another rb to compliment CEH next season. I think if things don't change then Thompson and Darrel Williams are likely gone along with Washington. I think in the 4th-5th round they might look for a big, physical back who can also catch the ball..so just like last offseason i'll be keeping a close eye on the backs for sure .

[Kellerfox]

Originally Posted by UChieffyBugger

I have a feeling we'll be getting another rb to compliment CEH next season. I think if things don't change then Thompson and Darrel Williams are likely gone along with Washington. I think in the 4th-5th round they might look for a big, physical back who can also catch the ball..so just like last offseason i'll be keeping a close eye on the backs for sure .

In principle, I don’t disagree, however, there are so many other areas where we are going to lack depth and physical bodies entering next year that taking a RB might be a non starter.

CEH, Damien Williams, and Thompson are all under contract for 2021. CEH and D. Williams is an above average 1-2 tandem. A bruiser that fits Andy’s system would be nice, but a luxury.

[Hoover]

When it comes to WR and RB depth, I'm not opposed to looking at some one year deals to provide us some depth.


For example. T.Y Hilton has disappointed in Indy, but his QB has been shit for the past couple years. I'd gladly sign him to a prove it type deal. Same with guys like AJ Green, Marvin Jones, and of course we can keep Sammy around.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by UChieffyBugger

I have a feeling we'll be getting another rb to compliment CEH next season. I think if things don't change then Thompson and Darrel Williams are likely gone along with Washington. I think in the 4th-5th round they might look for a big, physical back who can also catch the ball..so just like last offseason i'll be keeping a close eye on the backs for sure .

Damien Williams will be back next year. He's still under contract.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Hoover

When it comes to WR and RB depth, I'm not opposed to looking at some one year deals to provide us some depth.


For example. T.Y Hilton has disappointed in Indy, but his QB has been shit for the past couple years. I'd gladly sign him to a prove it type deal. Same with guys like AJ Green, Marvin Jones, and of course we can keep Sammy around.

I'm about ready to move on from Sammy. The guy just can't stay healthy. They need to start looking for adequate replacements.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I like it. I don’t know much about Stevenson but think that round will be a good spot to grab a WR.

Bolton and Gay could be a really dynamic duo at LB and give the Chiefs a great deal of versatility. I’m not sure Bolton will year out as a physical freak like Veach likes, but the guy can play.

Rest of it looks good to me.

This might be the best video showcasing his skillset. I really like the kid alot