Assumptions:
1. The Chiefs do very well in the 2024 season. HC Andy Reid and GM Brett Veach are retained.
2. During the 2024 season, the Chiefs trade their own 3rd round pick for WR Dionte Johnson (Panthers).
3. TE Travis Kelce retires.
4. The Chiefs re-work QB Patrick Mahomes contract, partially extending him and lowering his cap number from his currently-gargantuan $66.2m cap hit.
5. The Chiefs re-sign: OG Trey Smith 4 years, $85m; DE Charles Omenihu 2 years, $20m
6. The Chiefs re-sign to minimal deals: QB Carson Wentz, RB Kareem Hunt, WR Justin Watson, WR Mecole Hardman, TE Jody Fortson, DT Mike Pennel, P Matt Araiza
7. The Chiefs tender the following RFAs: DE Malik Herring, LB Jack Cochrane, OG/C Mike Caliendo, CB Nazeeh Johnson
8. The Chiefs let walk: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB Samaje Perine, WR Marquise Brown, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, OT Lucas Niang, DT Tershawn Wharton, DT Derrick Nnadi, DT Marlon Tuipulotu, LB Nick Bolton, S Justin Reid, LS James Winchester
9. The Chiefs sign the following free agents: DT Benito Jones (Dolphins), S K'Von Wallace (Seahawks)
10. The Draft:
1. LB Barrett Carter, Clemson
2. S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
3 (Sneed). DT Jaheim Oatis, Alabama
4. RB Jadyn Ott, California
5. DT Rylie Mills, Notre Dame
7 (Smith-Marsette pick swap). DE Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Virginia Tech
7 (Hardman pick swap). QB Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
The roster:
QB: Mahomes, Wentz,
Leonard
RB: Pacheco, Hunt, Steele,
Ott
WR: Rice, Johnson, Worthy, Remigio, Watson, Hardman
TE: Gray, Wylie, Fortson
LT: Suamataia, Morris
LG: Thuney, Nourzad
C: Humphrey, Hansen
RG: Smith, Caliendo
RT: Taylor, Morris
DE: Omenihu, Danna
DT: Jones,
Mills,
Jones
DT: Pennel,
Oatis
DE: Karlaftis, Anudike-Uzomah,
Powell-Ryland
WLB:
Carter, Jones
MLB: Tranquill, Cochrane
SLB: Chenal, Cochrane
CB: McDuffie, Watson, Williams, Johnson, Roland-Wallace
S: Cook, Conner,
Emmanwori, Hicks,
Wallace
K: Butker
P: Araiza
LS: some guy
[Reply]
The is the very, very first time ever, ever, that I have mocked a LB to the Chiefs in the 1st round. I have never done that before.
And I may never do it again. But it's premised on several things.
1st: I actually think the Chiefs have a Super Bowl offense, if Kingsley figures it out. It's not the Chiefs' fault they've been wracked by injury and suspension.
Even losing Kelce, I think this team can put up major points by December, with Rice back from injury and off suspension with Dionte Johnson with Gray and Fortson eating receptions.
The bigger issue is that we're just bleeding players in the back seven over the next two seasons. At linebacker in particular, we've let Gay and Bolton walk in consecutive offseasons, which means the Chiefs need some primo talent at the LB position.
It's possible going forward, I will need to be more aggressive in mocking receiving talent? But in this scenario, they've got the Bengals formula: good WRs in Dionte/Rice/Worthy by December, with decent TEs playing opportunistically.
[Reply]