I know that's a dirty phrase to utter, but it's important to keep things in perspective here.
We *barely* lost the game, and unfortunately there were some critical rookie mistakes, horrendous misses from an off-the-street kicker. We also had Gay & McDuffie out. A very weak personal foul call was a fatal blow. It sucks, but sometimes it be that way.
Looking ahead
Taking a big-picture view, we have one of the strongest rosters in the league, one of the youngest rosters in the league, with the best QB in the league, and multiple key starters locked up for at least the next 2 years. We also have a top-2 coach in the league, with a top-5 GM in the league armed with a talent evaluation staff that is top-notch. Our medical and training staff is among the best in the league as well.
We will have more than par picks next year. We have no reason to believe that our young defensive players will not continue to ascend, similar to Gay/Bolton. We should have cash to spend next year as well, should we choose to.
While we should absolutely be competing for a Super Bowl every year that we have Mahomes, and we likely will this year, it's crazy to think that we are this good and well set up for the future on a year where we are overhauling our entire receiving corps and have a fresh-out-the-womb defense.
We are going to rip butts wide open for the next 3-5 years if we see this thing through, and likely get a few rings because of it. Games like yesterday are part of the growth, as grumpy as that makes us on a week-to-week level.
Update - 2/15/23
Brett Veach lifts up the Lombardi Trophy, as he says, "This is what a rebuilding year looks like in Kansas City."
Originally Posted by Bearcat:
I've already seen two ESPN notification this morning along the lines of "Are the Chiefs in trouble?!" and then "Did the Colts provide the blueprint to beat the Chiefs?"
It's hilarious the media and people go down these rabbit holes every single year and others have to say the same old Captain Obvious things about how none of it matters at this point.
Just hang out and wait for the Chiefs/Bills playoff game in January.
The 24/7 sports media cycle killed rationalism in the media. [Reply]
Originally Posted by OKchiefs:
KC has no left tackle for next year. They maybe have a right tackle if Niang or Kinnard show anything.
The WR room next year is Moore, MVS, and Ross.
The DEs next year (assuming Clark is cut, which he should be) are Karlaftis, Kaindoh, and Herring.
DT needs more bodies.
Runningback room is a mess.
Cornerbacks look strong, linebackers could be great, safety is fine if we sign Thornhill. Interior OL is top notch and Mahomes is a top NFL QB with the right tools.
This is far from the strongest roster in the NFL. This roster is pop warner compared to Buffalo. Buffalo has a highly paid QB but has still managed to surround him with talent and a well built team. Brandon Beane is lapping Brett Veach at team building.
Agreed that this is a rebuild, but we’re look at a 2-3 year rebuild if most of the draft picks are hits.
Kelce will be 34 next year.
I think the DT room next year is Jones and bupkis, is it not? I think we still have Wharton but he's less of a DT and more of a situational interior rusher (parsing worse a bit there, I know).
Nnadi and Saunders are both FAs.
We do have some cap space next year so we can retain some of the guys we may otherwise lose, but yeah - the roster as it stands next season is awfully thin. And even after Clark is cut, we'll be around $30 million in cap space w/ about 5-6 starters still to sign (and another 20 or so guys to add to the roster even after accounting for draft picks).
Gonna probably need Jones to restructure to fill the holes we have to fill elsewhere. But yeah, we'll need another strong draft, preferably one that shades offense. Getting the offensive equivalent of McDuffie/Karlaftis would sure help a ton. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ChiTown:
OK, but this isn't a rebuild - it's a reload. Also, that's a tremendous leap with your SB take. Congrats.
Rebuild / Reload - to me, it's the same thing. We completely overhauled our secondary and WR groups.
Almost every person from those groups last year were replaced, save Sneed, Thornhill and Hardman.
My point wasn't to excuse the stupid loss, but to instead frame it from the lens that the roster is in a year of dramatic change and, as such, this shit will happen. [Reply]
Hardest thing about evaluating the roster is the churn and the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the performances. There's enough guys, including rookies, that have shown enough flashes to make you think there's real strength. When guys show ability but inconsistency it does make you think some of it is the coaching.
The big issue this year is obviously OL followed by WR, and what that has combined to create. Really frustrating as i never rated Brown that highly but he looked decent last year and it felt like 4-5ths of that line was fixed. Now it looks like 2 OTs are needed. Guess it's the nature of roster building that there's a degree of whack-a-mole - sort the OL - secondary needs fixing, fix the secondary - DL needs fixing, invest in the DL - WRs shit the bed, invest in WRs - OL regresses. And so on and so on.
I feel pretty confident we're set in the secondary even next year with people up for FA, feel good about our LBs, not bad about our IOL and TEs. Everything else could probably be improved but I'd really love a few multi-year solutions at OT and WR. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ChiTown:
OK, but this isn't a rebuild - it's a reload. Also, that's a tremendous leap with your SB take. Congrats.
Well then if Chiefs are not going to win SB every year in Mahomes prime there's no reason they can't rebuild for one year. That's the point I was trying to make and I fail to see why you are so scared of that word. [Reply]
I said months ago it feels like a transition year top younger players and new wr's. Still feels like it. 2023 we can go all out. We have money and picks to fix some things. WR, LT and RT. Buy a pass rusher. [Reply]
Originally Posted by threebag:
This team should never have to pull a desperate play like a fake field goal. We have too much talent on our offensive side of the ball.
Except we really don't anymore. We have an elite QB and TE, very good IOL, JAG RB's and WR's and terrible Tackles.
KC is in need of more play makers on offense. Can't remember the last time Veach drafted one. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Red Dawg:
I said months ago it feels like a transition year top younger players and new wr's. Still feels like it. 2023 we can go all out. We have money and picks to fix some things. WR, LT and RT. Buy a pass rusher.
Again, as it stands now, we're in the middle of the NFL in cap space for next season. With fewer players under contract within that figure than every single team in the NFL (only 30 guys signed for next season).
To whatever extent we have 'money to fix some things' - so does everyone else.
We aren't going to just spend our way out of this. Especially when we're starting to run out of fat on this cap matrix. After Clark, the only places to move the needle are Jones, Kelce and MVS. The rest are largely non-factors if kept/cut. Or you could restructure Mahomes after not doing so last year, but again - that makes me awfully nervous. The more you do that, the harder things get going forward.
It's not gonna be an easy offseason. We BADLY need these young guys to develop. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Bearcat:
I've already seen two ESPN notification this morning along the lines of "Are the Chiefs in trouble?!" and then "Did the Colts provide the blueprint to beat the Chiefs?"
It's hilarious the media and people go down these rabbit holes every single year and others have to say the same old Captain Obvious things about how none of it matters at this point.
Just hang out and wait for the Chiefs/Bills playoff game in January.
Along these lines, was watching clips of Mahomes top 27 passes or some such. As Mahomes was chased out of the pocket, the announcer would say, "Mahomes is in trouble!!!" and he would throw some remarkable pass for huge gain or TD. Later in the clip the announcers would say, "Is Mahomes in trouble?" before he threw the TD. They started to realize the Mahomes on the run was not a bad situation after all. [Reply]