Mock (1/24)
 

Assumptions:

1. The Chiefs franchise: OT Orlando Brown Jr.

2. The Chiefs cut: DE Frank Clark

3. The Chiefs trade RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire for a 2024 conditional pick.

4. The Chiefs extend: RB Jerick McKinnon 2 years, $5m; WR JuJu Smith-Schuster 3 years, $38m; WR Mecole Hardman 1 year, $4.5m; DT Chris Jones 3 years, $92m; S L'Jarius Sneed 4 years, $60m.

5. The Chiefs tender: QB Shane Buechele, TE Jody Fortson, OT Prince Tega Wanogho, DT Tershawn Wharton, P Tommy Townsend

6. The Chiefs re-sign to minimal deals: RB Melvin Gordon, FB Michael Burton, WR Justin Watson, OT/G Andrew Wylie, S Deon Bush

7. The Chiefs let walk: QB Chad Henne, RB Ronald Jones, TE Blake Bell, OG/C Nick Allegretti, DT Derrick Nnadi, DT Khalen Saunders, DT Brandon Williams, DE Carlos Dunlap, S Juan Thornhill

8. The Chiefs sign QB Andy Dalton (Saints), DT Fletcher Cox (Eagles), DE Dante Fowler Jr (Cowboys), S Anthony Harris (Broncos)

9. The Chiefs are currently predicted to get two 6th round compensatory picks for DT Jarran Reed and WR Byron Pringle, and a 7th round compensatory pick for CB Mike Hughes.

10. The CB Rashad Fenton conditional pick from Atlanta does not activate. The 6th rounder the Chiefs included in their trade for WR Kadarius Toney was the 6th they acquired in the WR Tyreek Hill trade.

NFL Draft picks:

1. OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee
2. DE Byron Young, Tennessee
3. RB Devon Achane, Texas A&M
4 (Hill). S Ji'Ayir Brown, Penn State
4. DT Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin
5. CB Jatarvius Martin, Illinois
6. DE Ochaun Mathis, Nebraska
6 (Reed). C Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas
6 (Pringle). LB Mohamoud Diabate, Utah
7. DT DJ Dale, Alabama
7. (Hughes). QB Tyson Bagent, Shepherd

QB: Mahomes, Dalton, Buechele, Bagent
RB: Pacheco, McKinnon, Achane, Gordon
FB: Burton

WR: Smith-Schuster, Valdez-Scantling, Hardman, Moore, Watson, Ross
TE: Kelce, Gray, Fortson

LT: Brown, Niang vs. Wanogho
LG: Thuney, Wylie
C: Humphrey, Stromberg
RG: Smith, Wylie
RT: Wright, Niang vs. Wanogho

DE: Fowler, Young, Mathis
DT: Jones, Wharton
DT: Cox, Benton, Dale
DE: Karlaftis, Danna, Kaindoh

WLB: Gay, Diabate
MLB: Bolton, Harris
SLB: Chenal, Cochrane

CB: Sneed, McDuffie, Watson, Williams, Martin, Johnson
S: Reid, Cook, Bush, Brown, Harris

K: Butker
P: Townsend
LS: Winchester

So mainly I asked myself "what would keep a healthy Mahomes Chiefs from winning a Super Bowl this year?"

The obvious question, aside from the Eagles and Bengals just being phenomenal, is the Chiefs needing more answers in the trenches.

I used my biggest draft picks on boosting the tackle situation and defensive line. I got a couple B-level vets to boost the play of the DL. I ensured the backup QB situation was acceptable. And we know Andy Reid wants more speed on offense, so I tried to boost that by bringing back Hardman (who I think is going to want a one-year deal to stay healthy and boost his stock) and Devon Achane (to give the backfield a long-desired homerun threat).

I extended Jones and Sneed, cut Clark, and drafted a Day One run stuffer in Keeanu Benton.

The rest of the roster is pretty much where I like it to be. I like the weapons the team has on offense, I like the back seven of the defense. I like the near-entirety of the OL and its depth.

Dude…you gotta stop with these low contract numbers.

What do you envision?

I would pass on the 3rd round running back and draft a wideout like Rice or AT Perry (if available)

Jones is getting 100 Mil IMO. I also think they bring back Saunders.

I dont' think they'll go with a guy like Fletcher Cox due to his age. They were big on going young and fast on defense.

Now, maybe he's just cheap enough that it would work, but he's still good and is only what, 31? So he's probably looking for one more pay day.

Not a fan in the least of keeping OBJ, but let’s say this happens. What’s the plan, is Wright someone who can potentially switch to LT in year 2, or are we just going to have to go into another offseason in 2024 yet again trying to figure out what to do with OBJ and the left tackle position?

Wright may have left tackle juice, but he's likely a career RT.

In that case I don’t see what the point is in franchising him another year. He is what he is, I’d prefer they move on but if they’re going to extend him do it now, punting the decision to next year does nothing.

I'd ****ing throw up if this is what happened.

Wright in the 1st? I don't even know that he's a day 2 pick, but I'm leaning probably a 3rd. And no, he doesn't have left tackle juice. I think he can play RT in the league but he isn't doing it for KC. He's atrocious getting out in space and blocking in zone. He's going to play in a power offense. He'd probably fit Pittsburgh well. **** that pick.

I don't mind Byron Young in the 2nd but I think there will be much better options. He's a 3rd round type for me. I don't really like his size either but it's close.

Achane in the 3rd is an odd pick to me. What is your plan with him exactly? Just a gadget? He's too small to convert to WR I think. He's listed at 5'9" but looks 5'7" so we'll have to see there. He's not going to run between the tackles in the NFL.

Dude, Benton is every bit as good as Travis Jones was last year and I'd argue he's better at physically pushing the lineman off their spot. Jones went to UConn and was drafted at 76. Benton played for Wisconsin. Do you think he's going to go in round 4? That's a ****ing pipe-smoking WTF IMO. I can't fathom he goes later than Jones did and I'd peg him at the bottom of 2. I love the pick, it's just way too late. He's probably my favorite NT prospect after Ika.

I do really like Ji'Ayir Brown. He's probably in that end of 3 to 4 range. I don't think he's falling to the end of 4 but maybe. I like that pick just think it's late.

I don't see any major faults with the rest. I kind of like most of them.

I'll be disappointed with 11 picks and our only starter is a right tackle

Mecole isn’t taking a 1 year, less than $5M deal. He tears something and he’s done.

My guess is he’s looking for a 3/$21

I like your thinking on position priority, aside from Achane where I'd probably take a WR. Favourite picks are probably Benton and Brown, though i agree with kccrow on the likelihood of Benton there. If Sydney Brown was available for the Ji'Ayir pick I might go there, but your Brown seems more likely

I really don't mind the Young pick, and I think the Mathis pick is decent value. Not mad keen on Wright or Achane

I like your thinking on position priority, aside from Achane where I'd probably take a WR. Favourite picks are probably Benton and Brown, though i agree with kccrow on the likelihood of Benton there. If Sydney Brown was available for the Ji'Ayir pick I might go there, but your Brown seems more likely

I really don't mind the Young pick, and I think the Mathis pick is decent value. Not mad keen on Wright or Achane