KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Inside the Chiefs’ draft room Friday night, coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach realized a rarity, in their opinion, was occurring, one they felt was favorable.
The team addressed their top three positional needs — cornerback, defensive end and receiver — before the end of the second round of the NFL Draft. With each of their five picks in the draft’s first three rounds, the Chiefs looked at their rankings of the prospects and acquired a player that filled one of the roster’s needs and they felt could contribute this upcoming season.
“It was one of those weird setups where we were able to stick to the board, stick to the value, players’ talent and upside, yet at the same time address key needs,” Veach said late Friday night. “We were excited about that.”
In total, the Chiefs selected 10 prospects in the draft before adding a few more prospects who will join the team as undrafted free agents. The roster now has 88 players. By selecting seven defenders, Reid and Veach hope the Chiefs’ roster is more balanced compared to last year’s team, with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo leading a more youthful, athletic unit.
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 1, 2022
The first glimpse of the new iteration of this team will occur later this month, when the players will have their first voluntary practices. Until then, here’s an updated projection of the team’s depth chart.
This is one of the few positions that didn’t have a major change — and for good reason. The newest addition is Gordon, a third-year player who spent time with the Chiefs last season before cutdown day. Buechele and Gordon could once again battle for the third-string spot with Henne, the 15-year veteran, serving as Mahomes’ primary backup.
As for Mahomes, he already has thrown passes to most of his new receivers. This offseason program will be a fun one for Mahomes since he, along with Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, will see how much the Chiefs can alter their offense to become more unpredictable and to create advantageous matchups across the field. This fact is also worth repeating from our previous look at the Chiefs’ depth chart: Mahomes, arguably the league’s most talented passer, is entering the prime of his career before his 27th birthday.
Running back (5)
At this point, one question remains with this position: Will the Chiefs re-sign Jerick McKinnon, a nine-year veteran, to increase the competition during training camp? If not, the Chiefs likely will keep four players for the initial 53-man roster, meaning that the battle for the final spot will likely be between Pacheco and Knox.
The Chiefs selected Pacheco in the seventh round with the 251st pick. Listed at 5-foot-10 and 216 pounds, Pacheco was the 280th-ranked prospect overall and the 25th-ranked running back according to Dane Brugler, The Athletic’s draft guru. He could be an intriguing rookie in the Chiefs’ offense. At the NFL scouting combine, Pacheco ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds. Pacheco will have to show development with his receiving skills, but he could be an option on special teams as a returner.
Pulled up to the Combine with shades on 🌟 @isiah_pachecoRB pic.twitter.com/LQEZMBbXcf
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 1, 2022
Edwards-Helaire is entering his third season, a pivotal year in which he hopes to fully reach his potential as a dual-threat weapon who can remain durable. Of course, the Chiefs should use Edwards-Helaire more as a receiver, too. The best short-yardage options are Jones and Gore, who was impressive last season with limited snaps.
Fullback (1)
Projected starter: Michael Burton
If the Chiefs’ offense leans on power concepts more this season, Burton’s role should increase in terms of his importance. Last season, he was an excellent runner in short-yardage situations, finishing with eight attempts for 26 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs could slightly increase Burton’s role as a receiver, especially on screen passes that incorporate even more misdirection than usual. He will also continue to add solid value on special teams.
Wide receiver (15)
Throughout Mahomes’ four years as a starter, this position has been dominated by Tyreek Hill, the league’s fastest player. Without him on the roster, the Chiefs knew they were never going to replace his production with just one player. This group, though, has the potential to serve as the best No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 options Mahomes has ever had. Quality through quantity. That’s the path the Chiefs have chosen.
The addition of Moore is a fascinating one. The team believes he can excel as a secondary slot receiver, behind Smith-Schuster, and be a possible deep threat on the perimeter in one-on-one matchups. Meanwhile, Hardman is looking to make the most of the final year of his rookie contract. A successful season for him is recording more than 1,000 receiving yards, which would reflect him harnessing his potential and taking advantage of the increased touches. One fun part of the offseason is reflecting on who will win the No. 5 spot between Gordon and Fountain. The odds are in favor of Fountain, who is five years younger.
The moment Skyy Moore found out he’d get to catch passes from @PatrickMahomes 🥳 pic.twitter.com/ttGG4aF0hG
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 1, 2022
Tight end (9)
For the remainder of the year — especially since the Chiefs didn’t trade up in the first round to select one of the top receiver prospects in the draft — we must consider Kelce to be the team’s No. 1 receiver. Kelce is expected to rack up another 1,000-plus receiving yards, which would extend his NFL-record streak to seven seasons. By not selecting a tight end in the draft, the Chiefs appear comfortable with Bell and Gray being the traditional tight ends among the group, players who are competent at blocking and being secondary pass-catchers.
Yet again, the most intriguing player at the position ahead of camp is Fortson, who is working his way back from a torn left Achilles’ tendon he sustained in October. Fortson spent last month training alongside Mahomes and some of the other skill-position players. If he makes a full recovery, Fortson remains one of the Chiefs’ tallest targets in the red zone.
Offensive line (13)
Sometimes it’s fun to look back at what I wrote at this time a year ago, with the first post-draft depth chart projection being the first time I examine a rookie’s path to the roster. And here’s what I said about Trey Smith: “Smith, who the Chiefs selected in the sixth round, could be the fastest riser on the team’s depth chart when you consider his impressive talent and production in college at Tennessee.”
Well, I can say the same thing about Darian Kinnard, the right tackle from Kentucky that the Chiefs selected in the fifth round with the 145th pick. Kinnard is expected to be in a battle with Wylie, a five-year veteran, for the starting right tackle role. Wylie is the favorite, considering he played well last season and has been in the Chiefs’ system for the past four years, but Kinnard is added insurance with Lucas Niang recovering from surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon in his left knee, an injury he sustained in early January. Niang, a third-round pick in 2020, could start camp on the physically unable to perform list.
Ready to eat 🍽 pic.twitter.com/O5JwGeFKkE
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 1, 2022
Brown remains on the franchise tag, a one-year salary of $16.6 million. He also remains the most prominent player eligible for a lucrative extension. The deadline for such a deal is July 15. The next two questions with Brown are this: Will he hire an agent, and will he participate in the Chiefs’ voluntary offseason practices?
Defensive line (15)
Before the draft, the defensive end position was the team’s biggest need. The team addressed it with the selection of Karlaftis with the 30th pick. Spagnuolo is expected to give Karlaftis every opportunity to succeed and make an impact on the Chiefs’ pass rush. With Jones producing pressure from the interior, Karlaftis has the talent to win one-on-one opportunities with his above-average strength. The Chiefs will be thrilled if Karlaftis collects close to 10 sacks.
The next chapter begins… thank you Kansas City Chiefs! pic.twitter.com/oHwrvnvAyn
— George Karlaftis III (@TheGK3) April 29, 2022
That said, defensive end still might be the biggest need on the roster. After Karlaftis and Clark, the Chiefs’ depth at the position is lacking. Danna is a serviceable rotation player, but Kaindoh played just three games last season as a rookie. Veteran Melvin Ingram could rejoin the team on a one-year deal after having an impact in the second half of last season. One could even argue that the Chiefs should add Ingram and Mario Addison, a 13-year veteran who played with the Bills the previous two seasons.
The strength of the group is in the interior, as Nnadi, Stallworth, Wharton and Saunders are talented defenders who have enough athleticism to provide occasional pass-rush pressure. The Chiefs showed their belief in the group by not selecting a defensive tackle in the draft.
Linebacker (7)
With this position, this is an optimistic projection. The Chiefs believe Chenal has the athleticism, tackling ability and intelligence to make an impact as a rookie, perhaps as a starter sooner rather than later. Chenal is projected to be a strongside and middle linebacker within the Chiefs’ scheme. He is expected to compete against Jermaine Carter, a five-year veteran, for the starting strongside linebacker role. Chenal could be the primary backup behind Bolton, the new starting middle linebacker after veteran Anthony Hitchens was released in early March. Gay is expected to be the weakside linebacker.
Ben Niemann, a four-year veteran, could return to the team on a one-year deal if Veach and Spagnuolo want to add more competition in camp at the backup level. Calhoun and Harris also add value on special teams.
Secondary (16)
Spagnuolo started his NFL career as a secondary assistant and he should love the film sessions and playbook installation with this group. McDuffie has the talent to be a starter, but his best role might be as the nickel cornerback. The Chiefs want to give Sneed the chance to blossom on the perimeter, and Fenton’s production last season on the outside was impressive.
On first look, the Chiefs are set to keep four safeties on the initial 53-man roster: Reid, Thornhill, Cook and Bush. The odds of the Chiefs keeping nine defensive backs is low, but the competition in camp for the fourth and likely final cornerback spot is going to be intense. Williams has the length, ball skills and strength to win the battle, which is why the Chiefs selected him with the 135th pick.
“Man, I can’t tell you how happy I am” 😁 – @Jwilliofficial pic.twitter.com/9qYnjWfs4T
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 1, 2022
Specialists (3)
Projected starters: Harrison Butker (K), Tommy Townsend (P), James Winchester (LS)
As expected, no changes or additions to the specialists room. Butker is one of the league’s best kickers. Plenty of punting prospects were available in the draft Saturday, but Townsend showed improvement last season as a sophomore and should continue his progress in this third year. Winchester, one of the longest-tenured Chiefs, is one of the league’s most steady long snappers. Dave Toub, the Chiefs’ special teams guru, can spend a sizable amount of his time in camp building the best coverage and return teams to ensure the unit remains high on the DVOA rating.
(Photo of Leo Chenal: Courtesy of University of Wisconsin Athletics)
At the Gilroy Ostrich Farm, South Valley families can make friends with a wide variety of barnyard animals and reptiles. A benefit gala dinner March 21 will raise money to improve the educational farm’s facilities to enhance visitors’ experience.