I think the Chiefs acquire Nuk for a 3rd rounder from the Cardinals in exchange for a 4th rounder. (The Chiefs will package at least a couple of those 4th rounders to move back into the 3rd.)

I think the Chiefs extend Nuk to a 3-year contract, lowering his 2023 cap hit. They also extend Chris Jones for a five year contract at whatever number Jones wants, in exchange for a ton of cap flexibility with him.

The Chiefs like to enter the draft with a playable roster, and the only things getting in the way of that are:

• FB (who they'll either draft late, snag in UDFA, or sign any dude they want off the street).
• safety (same)
• DT
• WR
• RB

I think the Chiefs will add a plug-and-playable guy at DT prior to the draft. I think DT Shelby Harris makes some sense, given that he's better against the run than anyone we had on the roster last year, he offers some limited passrush juice, and there's a lot of overlap between the Chiefs and Seahawks defensive systems.

WR is really the ex-factor. I'd like DJ Chark to still be in the conversation, but it sounds like he's about to be a Panther. I think Veach wants OBJ more than Nuk -- he's chased him for two straight offseasons.

That would ostensibly give the Chiefs a depth chart of OBJ/Toney/MVS/Moore, and I think the Chiefs bring back Justin Watson, because he plays anywhere the Chiefs want him to and, as opposed to Hardman, plays special teams full time.

At RB, I think someone like the Commanders would outbid us for Jerrick McKinnon, and it honestly wouldn't surprise me if they just brought back Melvin Gordon, since they seem to have had a good rapport when he was on the roster and he does a lot of the things McKinnon does. I think someone else like D'Ernest Johnson from the Browns may make sense too in kind of a Ronald Jones role, but the team is still lacking for a true McKinnon type of they go that way.

I think the Chiefs do not trade Gay or Gray, like I've suggested in other posts. I do think they trade CEH, but for a 2024 conditional.

I also think Sneed is extended.

I think the one X-factor is that some team may swipe Tommy Townsend, but right now I don't think that will happen.

That will give the Chiefs the following roster prior to the draft:

QB: Mahomes, Buechele
RB: Pacheco, Gordon
FB: some guy

WR: Beckham, Toney, Valdez-Scantling, Moore, Watson
TE: Kelce, Gray, Fortson

LT: Taylor, Thuney
LG: Thuney, Allegretti
C: Humphrey, Allegretti
RG: Smith, Kinnard
RT: Niang, Wenogho

DE: Omenihu, Herring, Kaindoh
DT: Jones, Wharton
DT: Harris, Shelton
DE: Karlaftis, Danna

WLB: Gay, Tranquill
MLB: Bolton, Tranquill
SLB: Chenal, Cochrane

CB: Sneed, McDuffie, Watson, Williams, Johnson
S: Reid, Edwards, Cook

K: Butker
P: Townsend
LS: Winchester

The Chiefs will enter the draft, target the best offensive tackle they can get in the first round, and then build up the defensive line and add special teams talent as the draft goes on.

Maybe it looks like this:

1. DE Will McDonald
2. OT Blake Freeman
3. DT Kobie Turner
4. RB Deuce Vaughn
4. CB Jakorian Bennett
5. TE Zach Kuntz
6. full back
6. special teams/reserve safety
7. special teams/reserve WR
7. special teams/reserve LB

QB: Mahomes, Buechele
RB: Pacheco, Vaughn, Gordon
FB: pick

WR: Beckham, Toney, Valdez-Scantling, Moore, Watson, pick
TE: Kelce, Gray, Fortson, Kuntz

LT: Taylor, Thuney
LG: Thuney, Allegretti
C: Humphrey, Allegretti
RG: Smith, Kinnard
RT: Niang vs. Freeland, Wenogho

DE: Omenihu, McDonald, Herring, Kaindoh
DT: Jones, Wharton
DT: Harris, Turner, Shelton
DE: Karlaftis, Danna

WLB: Gay, Tranquill, pick
MLB: Bolton, Tranquill
SLB: Chenal, Cochrane

CB: Sneed, McDuffie, Watson, Williams, Bennett, Johnson
S: Reid, Edwards, Cook, pick

K: Butker
P: Townsend
LS: Winchester

The Chiefs scoop up the best reserve QB on the market in the summer, maybe add another RB at some point.

Voila, Super Bowl.
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