You NEVER approach the draft with that mindset. Ever.

Regardless of need.

His knowledge of how to play tackle is leagues beyond everybody in this draft, including Sewell.

His feet are pretty good, but his hands are outstanding. He knows how to get to his spot and stymie hand-fighters. He anticipates counter moves and even if he loses on the first step, which can happen quite often against the smaller, faster rushers, he compensates with his mastery of technique.

The big problem with Eichenberg is manageable: he's not athletic enough to really dominate people on screens, but we've gotten away from screens anyway.

Cosmi needs to learn the position a bit more, but once he's coached up, he should be outstanding, with a higher ceiling. The problem with him is he has no sand in the pants and he's going to be absolutely victimized by bigger passrushers his rookie year. He's 6'7" and is pretty much an automatic loss against bullrushes. His footwork is outstanding, though, easily one of the best outside of Sewell and Slater.

Oh, are we inventing rules for football?

Let me fall back on this old chestnut:

You Don't Trot Out The Best Quarterback Of All Time With Subpar Protection On His Blindside

Whatever man. We aren't hamstrung, our hands aren't tied.

They don't HAVE to do anything. It may not be bright to ignore LT but they could literally take any position in the 1st round and still be fine. They're A LOT smarter than you or I.

Well you are correct -- it would "not be bright to ignore LT."

I'd rephrase that, though, to Catastrophically Stupid.

Let's not overthink this, alright? The Chiefs cannot protect Mahomes blind side right now, which you have to if you want to win the Super Bowl, because JPP and Shaq Barrett are going to do it to Mahomes again if you don't.

The Chiefs are extremely lucky this year. A Pro Bowl caliber tackle is likely to fall to at least the mid 20s this year because there's a glut of freak athletes at the position and he's not very athletic, for all his talent.

Get the guy you need to win the Super Bowl.

Brought to you by the creator of the thread “Talk me out of trading up for Kwity Paye.”

They have plenty of options. They can win the Super Bowl without drafting a LT in the first round.

Teams that enter the draft with a must-have mindset never come out ahead. Ever.

The draft is always a balance of value and need. Always.

I don't think Direk is wrong here though. The Chiefs are gonna have to be aggressive in regards to the LT spot. That doesnt' mean blowing out the draft to trade up or anything, but they need to address it pretty hastily.

Operation Eichenberg is a blend of value and need though.

In a normal year Eichenberg is a top 25 pick but this year he’s gonna get pushed down the board. Sewell, Slater, Darrisaw, Vera-Tucker and Jenkins are near locks to be taken before us.

Cosmi and/or Eichenberg should be there around our pick. That’s incredible value

He's absolutely wrong that the Chiefs hands are tied. They simply aren't.

They do need to address the LT position and I have no doubt they will. That doesn't necessarily mean it will be in the 1st round of the draft. It doesn't HAVE to be in the 1st round. It doesn't HAVE to be anything.

Of course.

My quibble is with the idea that they HAVE to pick a LT. They don't. They don't ever HAVE to pick anything.

Luckily, OT is a great position this year so taking a LT won't be a problem. It still isn't the only move they can make.

Their hands are tied that they're gonna have to take a LT early in this draft, especially if they don't sign Okung (big bag of meh from me there).

Depending how the board falls, they may decide to wait to round 2 or something and go developmental, but that would mean you're playing someone already on teh roster at LT, or signing a vet stop gap.

The best option is taking someone in round 1 who can step right in and play.

This is simply not true.

This is true.

They don't currently have a LT man, or really, anyone on the roster who you'd feel comfortable playing it.

They're pretty tied to taking one early in this draft.

They could sign Okung today.

They're not tied to anything. You may not like the idea but that doesn't mean they view it that way at all.