Hitchens 100% plays like a guy who has been told not to get to the line quick.

This play is fine here when its prime DJ in Hitchens spot blowing through gap and stopping that play in the backfield. DJ did it for 10 years here. Replace that with an overpaid 45 million FA bust ILBer that does NOT do that and everyone looks bad.

I'm sure our Hall of Fame defensive line coach is all over this.

It still doesn't change that our defensive line is losing the battle. We depended on DJ and Berry far too much for far too long.

Okay ...

Let's start with the outcome and work backward. We want a top 10 defense (or let's say we do). In order to get one of those we need at least 2 or 3 star players who can change a game simply on the basis of raw talent. Gotta have those guys.

Next, we need a DC who knows what he's doing and can get our star players to buy in. We'll just walk over to the Effective DC Tree in the Coaching Talent Forest and pluck down one of those dudes. Done.

Then, we need to fill in all the holes on defense. Those supporting characters have to be able to execute the scheme. We just need about 25 or 30 of them when we start camp. Let's rely on the draft, undrafted guys, and other teams' practice squads for them. (Remember, we're low as hell on the waiver wire selection list.)

Meanwhile, we have to figure out what to do with all the unpaid contracts and dead money we're holding on the Berry and Houston deals. So we have to sign FAs who are willing to accept signing bonuses, short-term deals, and no guarantees.

Get all that done in 1 year? I'm dubious.

FAX THE DUBIOUS

Fax I’ll take a D in the 18 to 25 range with Patrick that’s good enough

We are going to have to draft some studs on defense that can step in year 1.

Every year that goes by Mahomes is closer to getting to his Billion dollar contract that is going to destroy our cap making it incredibly difficult to deal with FAs.

While I'd like to say you're right, and perhaps you are, do you remember the collective (I'm not saying EVERYONE agreed but a shit ton of people did) rally cry all off-season? "It's not like it could get much worse," and, to my amazement, it in fact did get worse. Substantially. **** man, even with last year's D we may have won the Superbowl...

^

Please don't get me wrong. I would LOVE to have a defense again.

At this point, anything better than appallingly disappointing would be an improvement. I understand that, too. Currently, we don't have the horses. Nor do we have the leadership or the brain trust to get us much better than what we are.

All I'm trying to say is that it sounds great in theory, but given where we are, it's not going to be easy. Or quick.

And the Mahomes clock is ticking.

FAX

The defense can't get any worse.

Yup. Even if we find God's gift to defense to come be our coordinator he'll need time to climb us out of the crater we've found ourselves in.

That said, we have 4-5 picks in the top 100. We do actually, amazingly enough, have some cap space. I don't recall the numbers but good ole SR posted it several times this year and I was impressed. I think some, not all, but some players will take slight discounts to play for us given how close we were this year and the obviously bright future of Pat.

If we can get anyone, ANYONE, to replace Buttons, hit on a couple draft picks, and pick up a couple guys on D we'll be in excellent shape. By excellent I mean at least (pray to God) better than this year. Remember, we did go after Earl Thomas. He is still a FA. Landon Collins is also going to be available (I think), Ramsey as well. There'll be some talent out there and hopefully the lure of a championship caliber offense with "just a few missing pieces" needed on D will help bring some in.

Like who exactly? :hmmm:

It's true, a new DC isn't going to fix this. There does have to be a new DC but it will take much more. The Chiefs can't tweak this team into a champion, and they sure can't screw up the best thing to come to the franchise, ever. The Chiefs cannot have a locker room of back biting, second-guessing, or worse sabotage. There has to be bold change and the change has to be bold in ways that protect Reid, and possibly even the GM too. They have to create an environment that will allow for new leaders to emerge defensively. They have to part ways with obvious dead weight, but they have to cut ties with injury prone players and they have to acknowledge draft mistakes too. Don't make the bold changes one at a time and don't wait until training camp to do it. We have to take the financial hit now.

They have to go...

Sutton
Bailey
Kpass
Zombo
Neiman
Ragland
Houston
Berry
Nelson
Scandrick
Murray
Watts
Sorenson

Safeties have to be fast high draft picks and our #1 pick this year

We have to turn over linebackers frequently like Pittsburgh does and they have to be physical guys. We have to cease over paying these guys on long term deals. Clever scheming is more effective than superman types teams take out of games.

Simply cannot have bad tacklers on the team

Ford gets Franchise Tag for 1 year only.

Others who must go
Harris - commits too many penalties and is so risky in the passing game he's a bigger problem than he's an asset.
West
Conley
Morse - Concussion concern and is frankly overrated

They're getting a new DC. Who knows, they might change their base defense. They've got 3 picks in the first two rounds.

Things can change QUICKLY in this league.

Will it be easy? No. Is it possible? Absolutely.

They were 3 inches away from going to the Super Bowl with this defense - this defense that isn't just bad, it's HISTORICALLY bad.