Kansas City Chiefs: Offseason Wants, Needs & Preview

[Finished 14-2 Overall]

The 2021 Chiefs embark on a journey to do something not many teams are capable of, advance to the Super Bowl back-to-back-to-back. Last season, this team seemed to struggle when it came to shifting into high gear, yet still finished 14-2 in the regular season. The only time this team lost with Patrick Mahomes as their starting quarterback was in Week 5 against their division rival, the Las Vegas Raiders. When the Chiefs lost in Week 17, the team was resting near-all of their starters. Crystal ball or not, no one could've predicted the Chiefs would lose in the manner they did to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl after their Week 12 meeting. It was ultimately an obliterated offensive line that spelled doom and gloom for Kansas City.

Offensive Needs

Clearly, the Chiefs do not need a starting quarterback. However, signing a cheap veteran who can back-up Mahomes in the case of injury is a need. A veteran player who knows the offense and can captain the ship if Mahomes would miss a game or two would be the ideal scenario.

The running back room will be stuffed as RB Damien Williams will return in 2021 after opting out due to COVID in 2020. RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire was a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft but failed to live up to his hype for most of the season. Part of this could be attributed to COVID procedures in training camp and lack of a pre-season. RB Darrell Williams had some big outings when given the opportunity, but Edwards-Helaire really failed to capitalize on red zone opportunities. With Damien expected to be back in the mix this season, figuring out this backfield will be imperative for fantasy football players in 2021.

TE Travis Kelce was, no doubt, the fantasy MVP last season. It's quite possible he had the greatest fantasy season any tight end has ever had. As his relationship with Mahomes continues to develop on the field, expect similar results this coming season.

At wide receiver, Tyreek Hill had a career year, stripping the boom or bust label he had earlier in his career. WR Sammy Watkins failed to stay on the field, again. Shocking? Not really. With the consistent injuries and lack of consistent time on the field, Watkins remains an obvious cut candidate coming into 2021. WR Mecole Hardman was a popular breakout candidate but given his average depth position, he failed to reach his full ceiling. Hardman had an awful Super Bowl performance with drops, incorrect routes, and a kick return fumble. It can be argued that he was one of the many reasons the Chiefs lost. By failing to surpass WR Byron Pringle and WR Demarcus Robinson (free agent) in 2020, Hardman taught us a lesson. While we may love his fantasy upside, he is a young player who is still learning the position. The Chiefs could explore the possibility of selecting a WR in the upcoming draft, and should they do that, we must absolutely take note of who that player might be.

The obvious off-season need for the Chiefs is an offensive line revamp. This unit could use a new set of starting tackles and a new starting center. While Mahomes certainly made some magical throws behind a below-average line, if his mobility is capped like it was in the Super Bowl, it could spell disaster for Andy Reid & Co. This franchise will have to get creative when it comes to spending dollars. Even though the Chiefs are carrying over $5M in salary-cap space from 2020, the current range of outcomes for next season means the Chiefs are going to be at least $18M over the cap entering the offseason. With the offensive line revamp, the Chiefs could elect to cut OT Eric Fisher. They could also look at releasing DE Frank Clark. These two cuts alone would alleviate over $25M. However, it's important to remember that these are two of the Chiefs' best players, albeit they are in the later stages of their careers. The Chiefs could also ask to restructure contracts for certain high-paid personnel, especially knowing how close this team is to potentially winning another Super Bowl.

Defensive Needs

While the Chiefs were one of the best teams at applying pressure and generating sacks, they've been horrendous at stopping the run over the past few seasons. The depth of the defensive end group is non-existent in 2021. DEs Alex Okafor, Taco Charlton, and Tanoh Kpassagnon are all free agents. The Chiefs need to bolster that group. The Chiefs corners are not great, but have made timely stops, and have been able to make due thanks to a dominant pass rush (and playing with the lead).

Too Long Didn't Read Version

Even despite this team's shortcomings, as long as Mahomes is calling the shots, this team is well equipped to make another run at the championship come 2021. With the salary cap number lower this upcoming season than last, making smart moves in free agency and the draft will be key for the Chiefs' continued success. A few tweaks and health are the only things this team really needs in year 3 with Mahomes under center. This should be an offense we focus on in our 2021 drafts pending free agents and draft pick acquisitions.