Chiefs Chief and Bills - bullies of the AFC

AFC Roster Reset: Conference hierarchy heading into 2021 NFL Draft

Originally Posted by :
The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off the worst two months since the start of the Patrick Mahomes era. Just remember that these are champagne problems. This is an organization that is a coin toss away from three straight AFC titles led by a quarterback whose first three seasons as a starter rival any QB span in the history of the sport. The Chiefs remain conference favorites until proven otherwise, but they've given hope to the rest of the pack because of an offseason which has gone sideways like their latest Super Bowl appearance.
After three months of hirings and firings, cuts and signings, let's break down the AFC hierarchy heading into the 2021 NFL Draft.

The bullies
Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills.

The Chiefs and Bills are the only two teams I can't imagine missing the playoffs, barring disastrous injury problems. Buffalo elevating this high is a credit to the methodical decisions made by coach Sean McDermott and his hand-picked general manager, Brandon Beane, since their arrival in 2017. By the time McDermott's fundamental defense experienced a so-so year in 2020, the offense was fully formed enough to pick up the slack. I like the value in the Bills re-signing Matt Milano and tackle Daryl Williams. I love the offensive core of players, the coaching staff and most of the defensive core. The Bills could still use help in the defensive front seven via the draft, but their floor should be as a double-digit-win team.

The Chiefs didn't intend to have so much cap space left over for signings like defensive tackle Jarran Reed. They released OTs Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz with the intention to spend big on the offensive line. While they obtained guard Joe Thuney, Trent Williams turned down a big offer. They also weren't able to pull off a reunion with center Rodney Hudson, while JuJu Smith-Schuster passed on a chance to catch passes from Mahomes. Still, in an offense-first league, K.C.'s doing just fine. Needing two tackles entering the draft is a rough spot to be in, but not as rough as being one of the 31 other teams that don't have Mahomes.

https://www.nfl.com/news/afc-roster-...2021-nfl-draft
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Originally Posted by MahomesMagic:
It's KC.

If Mahomes is out there and we have at least 2 or 3 starters left on OL we are going back to the Super Bowl.

Originally Posted by O.city:
The bills are really good

But not at KCs level with mahomes.

I think it's really interesting to see opinions on the team from outside KC, good or bad.

This article says it pretty matter-of-factly - "Needing two tackles entering the draft is a rough spot to be in, but not as rough as being one of the 31 other teams that don't have Mahomes."

Seems pretty accurate to me.
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Originally Posted by htismaqe:
I think it's really interesting to see opinions on the team from outside KC, good or bad.

This article says it pretty matter-of-factly - "Needing two tackles entering the draft is a rough spot to be in, but not as rough as being one of the 31 other teams that don't have Mahomes."

Seems pretty accurate to me.

I mean yeah picking at 31 and needing two tackles (really just a LT) sucks but they have andy and Mahomes

Everyone talks about Mahomes but they have a top 2 coach and one of the best offensive coaches (and really just all around coaches) of all time.

They’ll win 12
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Originally Posted by MahomesMagic:
The media keeps saying we need 2 tackles.

We didn't have Schwartz most of last year so the notion we are down 2 tackles from last year is wrong.

We have downgraded LT, an important spot.

Upgraded 3 others on OL.

Still have more FA and draft.

We are a better team right now than the one that played in the SB. We are a better team than the one that went 14-2 last year. At worst it’s a wash but this narrative is simply tiresome and lazy.
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The narrative that they need TWO T entering the draft is actually pretty annoying, because it's inaccurate.

Mike Remmers was a disaster at LT in the Super Bowl. That is causing pretty much everyone to ignore how effective Remmers was at RT last season.

He played at a high-level as a pass and run blocker at RT. At worst, that's where they are in 2021.

There's also the presence of Niang. Again, the opt-out is obscuring him, but he offers a considerable upgrade in ability/skill from Remmers.

I get that not everyone is as locked in as Chiefs fans are going to be, but the laziness is still annoying.
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Chiefs: If we get even serviceable left tackle play, we'll be fine. Outside of that, sure WR is could be an issue, and would still like to take another positive step on Defense (but overall, that side of the ball should be good enough)....but it goes back to the LT play....if it's decent, then the other warts are significantly reduced

Bills: Very talented team, but (as we stand today) have they really done anything thus far to improve immensely to take the next step. Keep in mind, this wasn't like the 2018 Chiefs that battled the eventual champs in the AFCCG and were an offsides, then coin toss away from the Super Bowl....this is a team that clearly was a level down from the Chiefs. Still lots of offseason left, but they really haven't changed their team much....so unless the Chiefs go down a notch (which is very possible), I still think the Chiefs will be very problematic for them. Of course, they did sign Milano back, so there's that!
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