I'll start this by saying I'm not as good at ALL the small details as kccrow and a few others. But here's a run at a whole-picture plan.
I'm approaching the 21 offseason with 3 main goals: 1) Shore up OL; 2) Improve DE pass rush; 3) add weapons to pass game
Anything beyond those 3 goals is just icing on top.
Current roster service
Restructure $10M of Patrick Mahomes’ roster bonus
Restructure $15M of Chris Jones’ base salary
Extend Tyreek Hill (becomes 4-year, $80M that lowers his 21 cap number by $5M)
Extend Tyrann Mathieu (becomes 4-year, $59.5M deal that lowers his 21 cap number by $10M)
Extend Eric Fisher (becomes 3 year, $43.5M deal that lowers his 21 cap number by $6M)
Mitchell Schwartz retires/is cut
Retain: Anthony Sherman on vet minimum deal
Re-sign Mike Remmers, 2 years, $7.25M
Re-sign Taco Charlton, 1 year, $2M (incentives to $10M)
Retain Charvarious Ward on tender
Free agent losses:
Sammy Watkins
Daniel Sorenson
Bashad Breeland
Damien Wilson
Demarcus Robinson
Austin Reiter
Tanoh Kpassagnon
Daniel Kilgore
Stefan Wisniewski
Antonio Hamilton
Mike Pennel
Le’Veon Bell
Deon Yelder
Ricky Seals-Jones
Gehrig Dieter
Andrew Wylie
Darrel Williams
Ben Niemann
Alex Brown
Nick Keizer
Byron Pringle
This leaves the Chiefs with $17.5M, give or take, in cap room for 21 (projected $185M cap). If it stays flat at $195M, I can drop one of the extensions/restructures OR maybe play a little bigger in FA
Sign
Carl Lawson, DE, 3/$32M ($6M cap number in 21)
Jason Kelce, C, 1/$4M with incentives to $10M
Other vets on minimal deals (John Ross? Mostly roster filler)
That leaves me with around $8M in cap room with $34.5M in projected 22 cap room (227.5M cap).
Draft
Trade: #31 to Miami for #36 and #81 1.36 – Terrance Marshall, Jr. WR, LSU Reinforce the WR position with a hopeful Day 1 start at WR 2 Trade: #63, #94 to Washington for #51 2.51 – Dillon Radunz, T, North Dakota State Goal here is a T you’re convinced can step in at LT year 1. Radunz, Little, Eichenberg (Eichenberg gives you future flexibility if you need it). 3.81 – Quinn Meinerz, C/OG, Wisconsin-Whitewater I’m hoping he plays LG in year 1, with the goal of him replacing Kelce at C in year 2. 4.136 – Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford I love his fit in KC’s scheme and think his upside is huge. 2022 starter. 4.144 –Tre McKitty, TE, Georgia Love his receiving ability and overall upside 5.176 – Joshuah Bledsoe, S, Missouri Bledsoe can’t play deep safety very well, but he’s good in the slot, matches up well with big receivers, and can hit. 5.180 – Jaelon Darden, WR, North Texas With Hardman taking more of an offensive role, I grab a developmental WR who can contribute as a returner right away 7.256 – K.J. Britt, LB, Auburn I like what he brings and think this could be a contributor
Post-draft feels
Well, I'm pretty happy if it breaks this way. The Chiefs for 21 would have an improved pass rush on D with a lot more upside on the OL. Key thing is if I've done enough at LT to bandage this in the short-term. Eichenberg MAY be a safer option in this scenario, as a guy who's more "ready" Day 1/finished, and also more likely to be versatile enough to slide inside. I'm not sure Radunz is either of those things.
If Fisher comes back at full strength, the OL could really evolve into a true strengt, though. [Reply]
Yeah, looking at it, the only way the Eagles can do anything with Kelce is if it's a June 1 deal (trade or cut). It saves them $5M at that point.
They've got a lot of other things to deal with that are much more impactful.
One thing that might make sense with them as a partner is offering a draft pick for Derek Barnett. He can clear $10M of cap by himself with no hit.
They don't have a ton of leverage there... no idea what it would take. But let's pretend you can get Barnett via trade. Since he's on the last year of his rookie deal, what are we willing to give up (with the idea that an extension would be hard right now)?
Maybe you can work something there where you acquire Barnett, he plays this year on his current deal, and you franchise or extend him next season. [Reply]
I appreciate all of the work but I just can't imagine the Chiefs with 5 new offensive lineman to start the 2021 season.
Even if that were to occur, I think Allegretti should stay as a backup Left Guard and not move him over to Right Guard, which is something this team is forced to do all too often and rarely, if ever, works out well.
Remember Eric Fisher at Right Tackle?
Also, if the Chiefs roster were to go through this many changes, they would be a longshot to make it to the AFC Championship game again, let alone, a Super Bowl, because it takes time to develop chemistry. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud:
I appreciate all of the work but I just can't imagine the Chiefs with 5 new offensive lineman to start the 2021 season.
Even if that were to occur, I think Allegretti should stay as a backup Left Guard and not move him over to Right Guard, which is something this team is forced to do all too often and rarely, if ever, works out well.
Remember Eric Fisher at Right Tackle?
Also, if the Chiefs roster were to go through this many changes, they would be a longshot to make it to the AFC Championship game again, let alone, a Super Bowl, because it takes time to develop chemistry.
Guards typically can play either side. I don't really look at LDT as a "new" guy. Remmers also is in that unit and it's highly possible he's playing one of the T spots to start the year.
End goal would be to be able to line up:
Fisher
Meinerz or Allegretti
Kelce (or maybe Justin Britt if that workout went well)
LDT
Niang or Remmers
The only unit that's getting much of a makeover is OL. You're tinkering with your RDE/LDE starters, leaving LB largely alone, and switching out one starter in the secondary (Breeland) for an existing member of the rotation (Fenton) and updating depth.
I wouldn't expect that team to come out firing on all cylinders and roll to a casual and disinterested 14-2. But it would upgrade in some key spots and be set up to improve as the season wore on and potentially hit the playoffs much stronger on the OL and DL. [Reply]
Originally Posted by KChiefs1:
You're going to get Mahomes killed with this OL.
Meinerz would be a major upgrade over everything that played LG after Osemele went down. That kid is incredibly strong, passionate about football, is nasty (dominating 1st and 2nd day talents at the Senior Bowl) and he's good in pass pro and against the run. I think he could give them a Quentin Nelson-like jolt Day 1.
Kelce would be an upgrade from Reiter; Justin Britt could be as well. LDT is better than Wylie.
If Niang is playing RT, that means he's an upgrade over Remmers, who was adequate at RT this season.
I disagree that line would get Mahomes killed. Especially if only one of Radunz/Niang is playing because Remmers is back and holding down one of the tackles. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
What OL would you prefer to see?
I'm not saying Duncan's plan isn't good...it's just going to be a rough first year for Mahomes behind that line. He'll be running for his life like the Super Bowl for the first 8-10 games. Maybe by the time the playoffs come around it would be alright.
I'd draft 3 OL's in the first three rounds. Gotta protect the half billion dollar QB.
I like Radunz, Jenkins, Leatherwood & Meinerz...I'd take any of those 3 in the first 3 rounds.
I'd sign Alejandro Villanueva for LT along with Remmers for RT. I would love to see Kelce at center but the tackle spot is a bigger need. Break the rookies in slowly. I'm not sure LDT will be ready for football. We will see I guess.
No rookies starting but working their way into the lineup as the season progresses. Remmers was ok at RT...Wylie is ok at RG...Reiter is ok at C. Allegretti with an offseason should be better at LG. Villanueva is a stop gap at LT until Jenkins or Radunz would be ready. [Reply]
Originally Posted by KChiefs1:
I'm not saying Duncan's plan isn't good...it's just going to be a rough first year for Mahomes behind that line. He'll be running for his life like the Super Bowl for the first 8-10 games. Maybe by the time the playoffs come around it would be alright.
I'd draft 3 OL's in the first three rounds. Gotta protect the half billion dollar QB.
I like Radunz, Jenkins, Leatherwood & Meinerz...I'd take any of those 3 in the first 3 rounds.
I'd sign Alejandro Villanueva for LT along with Remmers for RT. I would love to see Kelce at center but the tackle spot is a bigger need. Break the rookies in slowly. I'm not sure LDT will be ready for football. We will see I guess.
No rookies starting but working their way into the lineup as the season progresses. Remmers was ok at RT...Wylie is ok at RG...Reiter is ok at C. Allegretti with an offseason should be better at LG. Villanueva is a stop gap at LT until Jenkins or Radunz would be ready.
I'm sorry.
What?
You're spending all of the high-value draft capital on offensive line. AND ... none of them is starting for you Day 1?
So you're adding, likely, NO starters through the draft.
Not realistic. Crazy.
Beyond the insanity of spending your top 3 picks on OL and NONE of them starting for you Day 1, some other issues.
1) LDT is back, better than Wylie, and will start at RG.
2) Villanueva was not good at LT last year. He's done. If you're going to sign a stop-gap LT, it needs to be someone you could reasonably expect to outplay a Round 1 player. He isn't that anymore.
3) If KC takes OL at 31, it's either going to be: 1) someone who can start at C day 1; 2) someone who can compete with Niang for a starting tackle spot [Reply]
I mean holy shit. This dude wants to take a RT in the first, a LT in the second and a C/G in the third and then not start any of them.
God damn.
And saying that Duncan’s offensive line would get Mahomes killed....and then bringing back the same line from last year except swapping out Fisher for a shitty LT in Villanueva? My mind is blown. [Reply]
Originally Posted by The Franchise:
I mean holy shit. This dude wants to take a RT in the first, a LT in the second and a C/G in the third and then not start any of them.
God damn.
And saying that Duncan’s offensive line would get Mahomes killed....and then bringing back the same line from last year except swapping out Fisher for a shitty LT in Villanueva? My mind is blown.
Remmers was ok at RT...not LT. Wylie is ok at RG...not RT. Reiter is ok at C. Allegretti should be better at LG. LT is going to need immediate help.
I don’t think a rookie can step immediately into a starting LT but maybe they can. I went with a stop gap until the rook is ready. [Reply]