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Five Things the Chiefs need to address this offseason

KC Warpaint

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KC Warpaint

KC Warpaint 3,235

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Improved quarterback play

 

Alex Smith is fine, and in the likely event he is the Chiefs’ starting quarterback in 2017, they could do (and have done) a lot worse. But his limitations mean everything else has to be perfect, or close to it, for the Chiefs to move from good to great.

 

Smith was set up for the best season of his career in 2016. His offensive line was better, his command of the system as complete as it will ever be, and the best skill position teammates of his career. He was not as bad as some believe, and his receivers dropped too many passes. But Smith threw fewer touchdowns, ran less often and less effectively, broke too many clean pockets, and threw two end-zone interceptions that helped decide losses.

 

The Chiefs are in perfect position to seek an upgrade. They could gain salary cap space by cutting Smith, but more realistically, his presence means a search comes without desperation. The dream scenario would be to invest a first-round pick in Deshaun Watson — a beautiful fit for what Andy Reid likes to do — and let him learn for a year with Smith. Patrick Mahomes is also intriguing.

 

The easiest way to win is to find a quarterback who can cover the shortcomings of teammates. If the Chiefs could find that in the draft, it would come with the added financial benefit of a cost-suppressed rookie contract. Watson appears to be the best candidate for them in years, and he will be available at a moment when the Chiefs can afford to look.

 

Stop the run

 

The Chiefs were terrible against the run, exposed most obviously by Bell’s 170 yards in the playoff game. Some of this was a conscious decision to better defend the pass — both through coverage and pressure — but too much of it was missed tackles, open gaps, and simply being beat.

Derrick Johnson’s injury made things worse, but teams were running effectively against the Chiefs when he was healthy, too. Ramik Wilson had encouraging moments, but the Chiefs are light here. They don’t like to invest major capital into this position, but they may not have a choice.

Defensive coordinator Bob Sutton will need to make some adjustments, too, to be more willing to present so-called “even boxes” to discourage offenses from running.

Offensive line strength

 

The Chiefs upgraded their line with right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, drafted Parker Ehinger — who showed much promise before being injured — and watched Laurent Duvernay-Tardif greatly improve. Mitch Morse looks like a mainstay, Zach Fulton is useful, and Fisher is an athletic and committed piece who fits perfectly with what the Chiefs do.

 

The overall result was an improvement from one of the league’s worst lines in 2015, to a more average unit in 2016.

But they still need to be better, particularly in run blocking. The Chiefs were problematically ineffective running between the tackles, part of why they relied so heavily on gimmicks, which is largely a comment on their overall strength.

 

The good news is this is fixable. Schwartz is 27, and the oldest in the group. The other starters are 25 or younger. You’d expect them to continue to gain strength.

 

This is a subtle but important development. Success with more traditional run plays that rely on strength up front would give the Chiefs more options on every play, and more certainty on the ones that matter most — remember all those failed short-yardage plays against the Titans?

 

A game-busting running back

 

The biggest problem with the Chiefs this year was the offense, and the biggest problem with the offense was a lack of margin for error. Other than a top-shelf quarterback, the best way to build margin for error is with big plays.

The Chiefs ranked 21st in so-called big plays (runs of 10 or more yards, passes of 25 or more) with the fastest man in the sport and a strutting, dancing, ranting mismatch at tight end.

 

Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware each played through injuries last season. When healthy, they present an effective and complementary partnership, but neither is the type of game-busting talent that defensive coordinators have to worry about breaking a 50-yard run.

Unless the Chiefs plan on risking Tyreek Hill with more exposure to linebackers, the backfield lacks that home-run threat. And if this sounds like Jamaal Charles, well, yeah. They need someone like Jamaal Charles — a healthy Jamaal Charles.

 

Nail the draft

 

This is true every year, for every team, but there are some factors that amplify the importance for the Chiefs this year. If they do decide to invest in a quarterback — and Reid typically adds a quarterback each year — this remains by far the best opportunity to draft a difference maker.

 

Beyond that, Chiefs general manager John Dorsey and Reid have been quite effective in the draft. Their first pick in each of their four drafts is a major contributor, and that doesn’t include Kelce, Morse, Hill, and others. The Chiefs do not prioritize free agency, and it’s interesting that they’ve tended to target positions of need more in recent drafts. That means if they’re going to address certain holes — a quarterback of the future, inside linebacker, dynamic running back — this is likely how they’ll do it.

 

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article127830454.html#storylink=cpy

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jetlord

jetlord 10,209

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Most of the first four points would be cured if the Chiefs succeed at #5.  Draft ILB, OG, RB, and OLB, not necessarily in that order but pretty close to it.  QB play could be a function of having Foles named the starter and releasing/trading Smith but that probably won't happen.  Ehinger and a second day pick could really improve the line.  There's a lot of good RBs in the draft to help Ware.  ILB is my top priority.  Even if DJ comes back, he won't be here long and it's mandatory that the Chiefs get stronger up the middle.  Same for Hali.  Bad year for QBs, but if Trubisky or Watson fell, they might be worth a shot.  Otherwise, it's a later round crap shoot.

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