Mock 2/27/24 - Back to reality

[kccrow]

Extensions
OC Creed Humphrey 5y/67.5m w/8.75m SB Cap hits: 3.5/9.5/12.5/13.5/14.5/15.8 (+1.75) - One of the top 3 centers in the game right now, I think he's worth retaining but he has to clean up his snaps.
SS Justin Reid 3y/42.25m w/14.0m SB + convert 7.0m '24 salary to '25 OB 24.0m GAS. Cap hits: 10.8/13.6/15.6/16.6 (-3.50) - Reid is one of the pilots of the Chiefs defense with Bolton, you have to keep one and I'm choosing Reid.
PK Harrison Butker 5y/32.5m w/6.0m SB + 7.5m OB in '25, + convert 2.48m of '24 salary to SB Cap hits: 3.8/4.6/6.8/7.5/7.5/6.8 (-0.84) - Butkicker is in the final year of his deal and extending him can gain you a little cap.

Releases
WR Marquez Valdez-Scantling (-12.0) - No sense in keeping MVS around for any reason. He's just not reliable enough throughout a season.
DE Charles Omenihu (-7.22) - With Omenihu, it's take a pay cut on an injury year with a lucrative extension, or be cut. I have him cut, you can have him how you want him.

Trades
Chiefs trade WR Kadarius Toney to TEN for a conditional 2025 7th round pick (-2.53) - Toney punched his ticket into Reid's doghouse for sure and I think he's out one way or another.
Chiefs trade CB L'Jarius Sneed off of the Franchise Tag along with 1-32 to the Philadelphia Eagles for 1-22 and 2-50.

Restructures
QB Patrick Mahomes converts 35.9m roster bonus to signing bonus (-27.47)

FA Re-Signings
DT Chris Jones 3y/84.1m w/20.0m SB + 2.0m/y in LTBE incentives to create 3/90.1m contract Cap Hits: 22.8/27.8/30.7/4.8/4.0
LT Donovan Smith 1y/10.0m w/3.0m SB + 2m in UTBE incentives
LS James Winchester 3y/4.6m w/800k SB Cap Hits: 1.5/1.5/1.6
LB Drue Tranquill 2y/9.0m w/3.0m SB Cap Hits: 3.3/5.7
WR Mecole Hardman 3y/15.0m w/5.1m SB Cap Hits: 3.5/5.5/6.0
DE Malik Herring ERFA Tender
DB Nazeeh Johnson ERFA Tender
LB Jack Cochrane ERFA Tender
OG Mike Caliendo ERFA Tender
LB Cole Christiansen ERFA Tender

FA Acquisitions
WR Darnell Mooney (CHI) - 3y/28.5m w/6.75m SB Cap Hits: 5.0/10.0/13.5 - Electric Z/S WR that has put up 1k in this offense
QB Carson Wentz (LAR) - 1y/1.3m - Just a better backup QB than Gabbert
RB Antonio Gibson (WAS) - 2y/5.0m - A nice receiving back with rotational value as a runner
DT Jordan Elliott (CLE) 1y/2.0m - Flashes of strong potential and former Mizzou El Tigre
DE Yetur Gross-Matos (CAR) 1y/2.56m - Flashes solid play, bigger end that could start but might be best in a good rotation

Let Walk
QB Blaine Gabbert, S Mike Edwards, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, DT Tershawn Wharton, LB Willie Gay Jr, RB Jerick McKinnon, TE Blake Bell, WR Richie James, DT Matt Dickerson, TE Jody Fortson, DE Mike Danna

The Draft
1-022: WR Troy Franklin, Oregon (6'3" 180) - Alpha WR
2-050: DT Kris Jenkins, Jr, Michigan (6'3" 299)
2-064: OT Kiran Omegadjie, Yale (6'5" 318)
3-095: TE Theo Johnson, Penn State (6'6" 256)
4-133: CB Andru Phillips, Kentucky (5'11" 190)
5-158: LB Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State (6'2" 245)
5-172: RB Kendall Milton, Georgia (6'1" 220)
7-250: SS Daijahn Anthony, Mississippi (6'0" 195)

The Roster
QB: P. Mahomes, C. Wentz
RB: I. Pacheco, A. Gibson, K. Milton
WR: R. Rice, T. Franklin, D. Mooney, M. Hardman, J. Watson, S. Moore
TE: T. Kelce, N. Gray, T. Johnson
LT: D. Smith, K. Omegadjie
LG: J. Thuney, W. Morris
OC: C. Humphrey, M. Caliendo
RG: T. Smith
RT: J. Taylor, L. Niang
DE: G. Karlaftis, M. Herring
DT: C. Jones, K. Jenkins
NT: I. Buggs, J. Elliott, N. Ferrell
DE: F. Anudike-Uzomah, Y. Gross-Matos, B. Thompson
LB: N. Bolton, D. Tranquill, L. Chenal, N. Watson, C. Jones
CB: T. McDuffie, J. Williams, J. Watson, A. Phillips, N. Jones
DB: J. Reid, B. Cook, C. Conner, N. Johnson, D. Anthony
ST: H. Butker, M. Araiza, J. Winchester

[JPH83]

Originally Posted by kccrow

I disagree largely on any thought that we're fine at NT. I think Buggs could be a player there, and he should be a factor, but we rotate our NTs about 50/50 and, IIRC, they see around 40-45% of snaps each. So, you need 2 guys there. The remaining percentage are pass rushers kicking inside on passing downs.

Buggs though, has 1 year starting in his 5 seasons in the league. Farrell hasn't shown me anything that suggests he's 1b at the position. I think he's a retainable piece you continue to develop, but I think we need a guy who can play some serious snaps.

As for another 3-tech, I desperately wanted to add a 2nd DT in the draft. Maybe I would if I took DJ's take to the bank and traded Sneed.

Now, I can see a path where DJ's take has merit in that you can let it ride on Hardman, Smith, and Tranquill and just tag Sneed and find a partner. If you lose any of those 3 in the process then you're not out so much you can't make it up with another option. The only issue is there aren't many options outside of Smith at LT and if you do lose him that "other option" just might need to be a higher draft pick. I'd like to avoid that scenario. I don't think you let Chris Jones start chasing deals in FA, you have to lock him up ASAP. There are teams flush with cash that will give him more than KC can.

If you don't add Hurst in one of your mocks I'm going to start to take it personally kccrow! There's the cheap "do a bit of it all" guy. Sure it's for a out 300 snaps before he breaks but whatever

[tyton75]

I like it, just feel like Worthy is another Rice and I'd prefer a true X like Adonai Mitchell.. but again.. pretty solid

[Couch-Potato]

So say we trade sneed for a 2nd now, who you taking with the pick?

[ntexascardfan]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

So say we trade sneed for a 2nd now, who you taking with the pick?

I'd sign a WR via free agency, flip Sneed to a team like the Rams for their 52nd overall pick, and package 32 + 52 to try to move up into the late teens to grab someone like Byron Murphy or one of the OTs we like if they fell to in that range.

If we have confidence in our remaining corners without Sneed, then a trade for draft capital really frees us up to hunt BPA or move up for someone we really like.

[spanky 52]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

So say we trade sneed for a 2nd now, who you taking with the pick?

I'd take an IOL as of now we don't have a backup for Thuney, Alligretti isn't coming back and I don't think we can afford both Humphrey and Smith next year.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by spanky 52

I'd take an IOL as of now we don't have a backup for Thuney, Alligretti isn't coming back and I don't think we can afford both Humphrey and Smith next year.

Caliendo can play Center or Guard. I took Amegadjie to be the LTotF and moved Wanya down to LG, Caliendo to OC.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

So say we trade sneed for a 2nd now, who you taking with the pick?

Either DT Ruke Orhorhoro or CB Kalen King. Those are my dudes in the 50 range.

[kccrow]

Little change to this one with added trade of Sneed... just something to play with and chew on for now.

[ChiefsFanatic]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

So say we trade sneed for a 2nd now, who you taking with the pick?

I would bundle the lesser of our two 2nd round picks with something and see if I can move up from 32 to somewhere around 20.

Or, I would pick another wide receiver.