I know we got a threepeat to complete, but I'm thinking ahead today... let's take this position by position:
QB: I'd bring Wentz back. Perfect backup and IDK where else he can go and find a better job unless (God forbid) he plays this year.
RB: I'd bring Hunt back on a minimum deal. Go into the draft with Pacheco and Hunt, find a speed back in the draft who is capable of taking the job post-2025.
WR: If not for Rice's impending suspension, I'd feel good here. I'd look to bring Hopkins and Hollywood both back on 1-2 year deals. If the group will stay healthy, I think we will find they're really good. Rice and Worthy will be perfect complements to one another as WR 1 and 2. But you need to get by while Rice is out and you need depth for injury. I'd be fine with Hardman and Watson as WR 5 & 6.
TE: Does Kelce retire? If he doesn't, this can be left alone probably unless they think Wiley sucks. If Kelce does retire... I'd think you need to at least slap a solid vet bandaid on and see if Gray can take the TE1 reigns. I think he can simply because he's so steady. Not Kelce, but damn solid.
OT: Biggest need obviously. We will see if Humphries earns a new deal. Scares me with his injury history but if he looks good... we can't let a good LT walk away. Hopefully Kingsley can become a legit swing tackle at minimum with a shot to take over a starting job in 2026. Taylor is here another year, perhaps two more.
IOL: I'd give Thuney a short extension to alleviate his cap hit if he plans to play much longer. Let Wanya, Nourzad, and Hanson compete for the RG job. If someone falls to you in the draft, take it and run. Protecting Pat is always priority #1.
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DL: Need another legit pass rusher with juice. I'd hope that also retaining Omenihu is a priority. I'd prefer that over Trey Smith and maybe even Bolton at this point, especially if it can be a one-year deal that he takes to try and get paid in 2026. Need to bring our big run stuffers back on 1-year deals per usual.
LB: Tranquill hasn't been as good this year, which makes keeping Bolton seem a bit more important. I hope he can be retained at a reasonable cost, and if he can, we can roll with the same trio into 2025.
CB: Have to get another slot corner who can be there in case Trent can't -- which only takes a single injury to the room. Get another young guy or two in the room for in the inevitable departures of some of our 2022 Fab Five guys. Preferrably mid rounds.
S: I think Hicks is ready to take over Reid's role by next year. Not an urgent need at the position, especially if you add another viable slot corner that lets Conner stay at safety.
Specialists: Bring Araiza back on RFA deal, everything should stay the same there.
Rough stab at what a 53-man could look like in '25:
DE - Karlaftis, Danna
DT - Jones, Wharton or an early draft pick
NT - A couple cheap fatties, vets or rookies
DE - Omenihu, FAU, draft pick (first two days)
LB - Bolton, Tranquill, Leo
CB - Trent, Watson, Williams, vet slot corner, draft pick
S - Hicks, Cook, Conner
Feel like I'm probably leaving out a fairly nice FA signing or two but hard to project there until we see what the market will be. [Reply]
QB - Bring back Wentz, sure
RB - Find someone with some juice/explosiveness in the draft (does NOT need to be a high pick)
WR - If Kelce returns, probably draft another one in the first two days. Maybe see if Hopkins or Brown wants to come back on a medium-sized deal. If Kelce retires, ramp up the priority of finding another weapon here.
OL - Bye-Bye Trey Smith. If Humphries gets healthy and plays well during the playoff run, consider re-signing him to a 3-4 year deal. Consider Cam Robinson in FA if he is there, or Garrett Bolles, or even Joe Noteboom. Replace Trey Smith with Suamataia or Morris.
DL - Bring back Omenihu
LB - Bye bye, Nick Bolton. I'd look at bringing back Willie Gay, and flank Tranquil with him and Chenal. Perfect LB corps, IMO.
Secondary - I wouldn't be rushing to re-sign Justin Reid. I think they can shuffle at S between Conner, Cook, and Hicks and be OK. I wouldn't be opposed to finding a true FS type, either through the draft or in FA or by converting a CB.
Draft, I'm focusing on:
Interior DL
OL
CB
WR/TE [Reply]
Here's the issue I find myself picking with even my own little mock here - I'm not sure it has enough roster turnover.
And you'd think maybe that sounds crazy, why would you wanna turn over a roster that is mostly comprised of guys who only know winning Super Bowls or reaching AFCCGs?
But I still believe this team is going to get back to the Super Bowl and win it. That's three in a row. That's 13 playoff games for the 2021 draft class, 10 for 2022.
I just gotta believe if you keep running it back with this group, it breaks down eventually. And I will trade that for one year if it means threepeating. But can you turn the roster over enough with new blood so not to skip a beat even in 2025? [Reply]
Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19:
Here's the issue I find myself picking with even my own little mock here - I'm not sure it has enough roster turnover.
And you'd think maybe that sounds crazy, why would you wanna turn over a roster that is mostly comprised of guys who only know winning Super Bowls or reaching AFCCGs?
But I still believe this team is going to get back to the Super Bowl and win it. That's three in a row. That's 13 playoff games for the 2021 draft class, 10 for 2022.
I just gotta believe if you keep running it back with this group, it breaks down eventually. And I will trade that for one year if it means threepeating. But can you turn the roster over enough with new blood so not to skip a beat even in 2025?
I want Veach to sign as many guys as he can that are valuable. Aside from the obvious…Omenihu, Watson, Pacheco and Chenal if they agree to a fair contract money wise.
They know they need injections youth. That’s why they were fine trading Sneed. It’s also why they aren’t playing Hopkins more than 60% of the snaps to keep their 4th rd pick.
They know they need to start hitting on picks now that the 2021 class is done and the 2022 class is entering a contract year. [Reply]
I feel like we may be in a place that after this season, we'll need to pay a pass rusher and/or a LT. I think that's going to mean a lot of people walk.
We need a plus DE and we can't roll with a big question mark on Mahomes' blind side in '26. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chris Meck:
I feel like we may be in a place that after this season, we'll need to pay a pass rusher and/or a LT. I think that's going to mean a lot of people walk.
We need a plus DE and we can't roll with a big question mark on Mahomes' blind side in '26.
How high does KC go on Omenihu? He’s going to get a payday, and he fits so well as a complement to Karlaftis and Jones, I want to see him retained. Honestly, I’m not sure there’s a DE they could get who impacts things as much as him. [Reply]
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
How high does KC go on Omenihu? He’s going to get a payday, and he fits so well as a complement to Karlaftis and Jones, I want to see him retained. Honestly, I’m not sure there’s a DE they could get who impacts things as much as him.
Yup. They need to try to keep Hollywood too bc Worthy is the only guy beating man coverage right now and Rice will miss time next year.
With how good the TE class coming out is I’d say get another one in the mid rds with Wiley coming off a big knee injury. [Reply]
He might end up winning another Super Bowl for us playing left tackle. He's so valuable. Getting older sure, but if he desires to play a few more years, he should absolutely be prioritized over Smith. [Reply]
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
How high does KC go on Omenihu? He’s going to get a payday, and he fits so well as a complement to Karlaftis and Jones, I want to see him retained. Honestly, I’m not sure there’s a DE they could get who impacts things as much as him.
I don't know, I really don't. I think he's more useful HERE, with Spags and with Jones and Karlaftis, than he would necessarily be in most places.
It'd be nice to have a guy that could win right off the snap, though. Been awhile since we had one of those. [Reply]
Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19:
Sunday was another feather in Thuney's cap.
He might end up winning another Super Bowl for us playing left tackle. He's so valuable. Getting older sure, but if he desires to play a few more years, he should absolutely be prioritized over Smith.
that’s fine, but his cap number needs to come down [Reply]
Lot of people in the know saying Chiefs will/should pay Trey Smith. That’s so fucking hard.
I get that you can balance Trey’s contract with small cap hits while Thuney’s runs out the next year or two. It’s a tough choice. Verderame reporting that Veach pushed hard to get Trey done in camp makes me think they feel the same way. I just don’t know.
What I do know is that Doug or Kafka need to come back. Make them co-offensive coordinator if Nagy stays.
Also if Chris Ballard is fired I’m bringing his ass back. He fits the role Dorsey has in Detroit. And he’s drafted Braden Smith and Bernhard Raimann who are solid tackles.
This franchise was at its best when they had a ton of smart differing opinions in the building and I think they need to get back to that. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RunKC:
Lot of people in the know saying Chiefs will/should pay Trey Smith. That’s so fucking hard.
I get that you can balance Trey’s contract with small cap hits while Thuney’s runs out the next year or two. It’s a tough choice. Verderame reporting that Veach pushed hard to get Trey done in camp makes me think they feel the same way. I just don’t know.
What I do know is that Doug or Kafka need to come back. Make them co-offensive coordinator if Nagy stays.
Also if Chris Ballard is fired I’m bringing his ass back. He fits the role Dorsey has in Detroit. And he’s drafted Braden Smith and Bernhard Raimann who are solid tackles.
This franchise was at its best when they had a ton of smart differing opinions in the building and I think they need to get back to that.
What is Joe Blah-meier actually doing? I remember when Andy was majorly tuning this offense for Alex and then Patrick, he brought in spread experts, co-coordinators, etc. I agree the coaching staff needs a major infusion of new ideas. I’ve been impressed with how Embree is developing young wideouts which is a reversal from how I felt last year. [Reply]
Let small minded teams think year-to-year. We’ve got Mahomes. We need to think just getting as many great players as possible. We’re thinking over the next 10 years. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chris Meck:
I feel like we may be in a place that after this season, we'll need to pay a pass rusher and/or a LT. I think that's going to mean a lot of people walk.
We need a plus DE and we can't roll with a big question mark on Mahomes' blind side in '26.
Thinking exactly the same. Feels like there's going to be a fair amount of necessary churn. [Reply]