Mock (6/26)

[Direckshun]

Assumptions:

1. Prior to the 2023 season, the Chiefs extend DT Chris Jones, and sign DE Carlos Dunlap (Chiefs) to an additional year.

2. The Chiefs go on to have a good, quality season and will be drafting somewhere between 30 and 32. HC Andy Reid and GM Brett Veach are retained for the coming season.

3. Big moves: the Chiefs extend QB Patrick Mahomes 2 years for ungodly amounts of money in like 2033 and 2034 to give him the highest per-year in the NFL (while also providing cap space...); they also elect to extend OG Tre Smith for 3 years, $25m, and CB L'Jarius Sneed for 4 years, $72m.

4. At the 2023 in-season trade deadline, the Chiefs trade their 2024 1st and 4th to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for WR Mike Evans and the Buccaneers' 4th rounder in return. The Chiefs sign Evans to a 3 year, $47m deal.

5. The Chiefs trade RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire for a 6th round pick; WR Marquez Valdez-Scantling for a 2025 5th round pick.

6. The Chiefs extend LB Drue Tranquill 2 years, $13m; P Tommy Townsend 5 years, $20m.

7. The Chiefs bring back the following players on minimal deals: QB Blaine Gabbert, TE Blake Bell, OG Nick Allegretti, LB Jack Cochrane, DT Tershawn Wharton, CB Nazeeh Johnson, S Mike Edwards, LS James Winchester

8. The Chiefs let walk: QB Shane Buechele, RB Jerick McKinnon, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, WR Richie James, TE Jody Fortson, OT Donovan Smith, OT Prince Tega Wanogho, DT Derrick Nnadi, DT Chris Williams, DT Phil Hoskins, DE Carlos Dunlap, DE Mike Danna, LB Willie Gay Jr., S Deon Bush

9. The Chiefs sign the following free agents: DT Sheldon Rankins (Texans) for 2 years, $20m; DT Javon Kinlaw (49ers) for 1 year, $2.5m.

10. The Chiefs's conditional 7th rounder they traded to the Texans for CB Lonnie Johnson, Jr. in 2022 doesn't activate.

11. The Draft:

2. (The Chiefs trade their 4th acquired from the Buccaneers and their 5th acquired from the Cowboys to move up several spots.) OT Reuben Fatheree II, Texas A&M
3. DE Princely Umanmielen, Florida
5 (compensatory). RB Frank Gore Jr., Southern Mississippi
5 (compensatory). RB David Neal, Kansas
6. QB D.J. Uiagalelei, Oregon State
7. LB Amari Gainer, North Carolina State

The roster:

QB: Mahomes, Gabbert, Uiagalelei
RB: Pacheco, Prince, Gore, Neal

WR: Evans, Toney, Moore, Rice, Watson, Ross, Remigio
TE: Kelce, Gray, Bell

LT: Morris v. Fatheree
LG: Thuney, Allegretti
C: Humphrey, Allegretti
RG: Smith, Kinnard
RT: Taylor, Niang

DE: Omenihu, Anudike-Uzomah
DT: Jones, Wharton, Kinlaw
DT: Rankins, Coburn
DE: Karlaftis, Umanmielen, Thompson

WLB: Tranquill, Gainer
MLB: Bolton, Chenal
SLB: Chenal, Cochrane

CB: Sneed, McDuffie, Watson, Williams, Jones, Johnson
S: Reid, Cook, Edwards, Conner

K: Butker
P: Townsend
LS: Winchester

[Direckshun]

I went into this mock with two assumptions that I had to work around. First, that Hopkins wasn't coming to KC, leaving a position group with some talent deep but not talented at the top. The Chiefs clearly wanted a jump-ball stud as they chased Hopkins, and Mike Evans will be begging to leave that team by October. Veach finally goes and gets his guy.

The other assumption was that Jawaan Taylor simply isn't working out as a left tackle prospect. And if that's the case, it's very hard for me to see what the Chiefs are going to do. Surely they didn't bring on Wanya Morris to start at left tackle, but if Taylor isn't capable of manning the position, they're going to have to go up and get a guy who they think can.

In this mock, that's Reuben Fatheree. He and Morris compete at left tackle, while we live with the Chiefs' inability to go up and get Anton Harrison this past year.

The Chiefs also have some DL needs along the interior, which I solved through free agency. They also need more legs in the stable, with CEH and McKinnon no longer around.

I think this is an offense that is still lethal, with a young, mean RB stable, and a DL that can get after the pass without being run on effectively.

The biggest question mark is going to be the LT position. If Taylor can't man the position, I don't know what the Chiefs can do.

[Chris Meck]

Oh, **** no. No. No way. No. NO ****ing WAY.

[Buehler445]

Yeah, not an Evans fan. Especially for his money. Evan can be a beast, but he'll be on the wrong end of 30 during the season and he's had injuries. Moreover, he can be neutralized. We did it.

Give me more MVS at MVS salary fewer stars at star salaries. Please.

[Couch-Potato]

Holy shit! Feels like Frank Gore just left the league to me.

[mnchiefsguy]

Sorry, but this is just bad. Gotta agree with Meck....**** No!

[JPH83]

I'm not a fan of drafting 2 RBs, I'm just never going to want that. If I was going to give a hot, negative take though it would be sub-par run blocking from our OTs this year COULD lead to a poor run game, and lead to people clamouring for RBs in the draft as opposed to actually fixing the OL. I'd rather double dip on the OL and take a RB late

[AdolfOliverBush]

A 1st for Evans? Jesus Christ no.

[LoneWolf]

A first round pick for Mike Evans? If Brett Veach does that, he's nuttier than Direckshun's mother's asshole after a peanut buster parfait binge.

[Bowser]

You both traded CEH for a 6th and let him walk

And no to a first for Evans, especially with everyone leaving in this scenario. A third and a fourth? I'd listen to that.

[TambaBerry]

Devin Neal btw put some respect on KU players