Top 51 NFL free agents of 2023: Lamar Jackson, Roquan Smith, Geno Smith headline early rankings


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OBJ is 5th. Are we sure we can do better than him? If we don't sign him, what's to stop a run 1st team like Pitt from throwing a truck full of money his way?

Are we trading him and if so who exactly is better? Cause I certainly don't think the kid from Northwestern or from Maryland is walking in that door and protecting Mahomes....
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I've seen this thought a lot here so I'm not bagging on you. I think I've brought it up before but I'd counter with "what makes you think OBj is protecting Mahomes?"

I ask that because OBj, regardless of what the knuckleheads across the ocean think, has been pretty well terrible at keeping pressure off Mahomes sans a few bouts with subpar pass-rushers. Sure, Wylie sucking a slightly bigger bag of dicks compounds the issue, but OBj just isn't a great pass protector. If he were, then a good amount of us wouldn't be screaming against re-signing him.

OBj's value is inflated because he is a good run blocker. This team throws the football. So, is it impossible to think that a rookie can come in and fair as well as OBj in pass protection? Yes, and you have the added bonus of that rookie growing over time.

This tackle class is shaping up to be loaded with quality pass protectors. Peter Skoronski is more or less a carbon copy of Rashawn Slater but actually may be a better pass blocker.

Paris Johnson was a 5-star recruit for a reason and a projected top-15 pick.

Jaelyn Duncan is outstanding in terms of his athleticism and ability to block on an island.

Anton Harrison is extremely athletic and great as a pass blocker, he just doesn't have that mean streak and he isn't much of a run blocker. I don't care about that shit, just protect the half-billion-dollar man. He looks like he can do that in spades.

Broderick Jones could declare and he's a good all-around player.

Matthew Bergeron isn't getting too much press yet either but he faced most of the better pass rushers in the draft this year and came away with 12 pressures allowed and no sacks. Those rushers include Foskey, Verse, Abdullah, Diaby, and Murphy, all of whom could go in the 1st or early 2nd.

In the end, some good rookies of late have come into the league as good pass protectors and flourished. I much prefer to spend in other areas than on OBj. Hell, give me Jawaan Taylor at RT and use the savings on squaring up other loose ends.
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As an add-on... I do have this overwhelming feeling that the Chiefs are just going to take it on the chin and sign OBj to a long-term deal and then go after the best RT they can get their hands on in the draft. They know OBj isn't the best-case scenario, everyone does. He's actually much closer to the opposite end of the spectrum in my eyes. That said, you have a guy that knows the system and is going to sign if he sees the dollars he wants.

I mean, I just don't like seeing Patrick run for his life so much. They gotta fix something. I can live with OBj if that right side is lock-down.
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I think this is exactly what will happen. Wylie wasn’t brought here to be a tackle. He’s a G. And he reminds people in interviews of that fact (per Nate Taylor).

Love Wylie as a backup RG. Even a starting RG. But not tackle
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I mean...Skoronski is very good it seems but he also seems built like a guard with his T-rex arms and average build. I'm sure we all remember Gallery for the Raiders-not that I'm comparing to the 2, just pointing out tackles with guard bodies drafted early. Paris has much more size to him but has more experience at guard. In both cases we'll need to move way up. Like, trade Chris Jones value to get that high as our first this year (hopefully last pick) and our 1st next year isn't getting us into the top 10. That's especially the case for Skoronski.

So more than likely we're looking at Steen (OK but Bama linemen have spotty history) and Duncan-who seems pretty good and might be my favorite out of the bunch. Still don't think anyone is coming in here and protecting Mahomes off the bat.

As for OBJ, my hope is that we win a chip and he takes a 5/100 deal. If not, he's still very young and can grow better himself. Also, I'll add and I don't think I'm alone in this thought as I see it all the time in the GDT's is that running the ball more wouldn't be a bad thing. That's much less exposure for Mahomes and offers another element to our attack. Everyone plays us with 4 or in some cases 3 down linemen. You attack that by ramming the ball down their throats.

I guess it comes down to what you think you can get for OBJ and if you think that combined with what you have now will get you another 20 spots or so. Also, if that total amount is worth it. All in all though, none of these guys are Joe Thomas and we'll be giving up a ton to move up.
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It's not just Steen or Duncan, tough. Bergeron, Jones (if he declares as expected), and Harrison are all guys who would "play up" as fits in the Chiefs' scheme who might not be a first round tackle for other teams. Zion Nelson of Florida is another player like that.
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I'll do more research towards the latter picks you suggested.

I'd prefer to have OBJ re-sign, EB hired and hopefully Andy allow Nagy to call more plays-hopefully he'd run the ball more. I would hope that spending 100M+ on a dude would make them more inclined to use him. OBJ/Thuney seem to always produce numbers when we run to their side. Wish we did it more often.
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Bergeron, Jones, and Harrison are all guys who I think you see land in the top 40 picks eventually. They're more "take them at 31 or trade down to the top of the 2nd" types when it all comes to it.

Jones might be the first T taken if he comes out.
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What about Mekhi Becton? I know he’s been injured a ton but if we could trade for him and plug him at RT and maybe he could possibly be a long term answer at LT?
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not in this offense, he’s no better suited for LT than OBJ is
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I’d put Becton at RT. If he lives up to his talent which sounds like his weight has been a problem, then he might be a fit long term at LT if not, leave him at RT. Whoever we go after, we might need to tag obj for one more year and get a potential long term replacement to play RT for a year?
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Yeah, he's outstanding. He's only given up TWO sacks on THREE pass-rushes by Hutchinson. Gotta get a guy like that when you can.
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Yep ditto really think this is the likely scenario. You've got to think OBJ's performance this year has soured things a little but Veach was willing to offer him big money, he obviously rates him.
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So good, you've gotta post it twice?

Statistically, Nijman is a mid-level LT that can be had for much less than OBJ wants. This is why he's my pick to replace him. (they've had him at RT most of this season, with Jenkins at LT while Bahktiari is out. Last season Nijman was at LT while both Bahktiari and Jenkins were out, and played well.)

We can deal with a 'decent LT', we just can't overpay for him.
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I wish Orlando was a little more athletic and all.

But this makes no sense. Instead of paying Orlando 22 a year or whatever. You guys want to trade a second round pick for a LT who’s never started a whole season. And then have pay him 15-18?

After the first quarter of the season OBJ has been dominant. Our best bet is keeping him
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