Now that the Super Bowl has been played and free agency is rapidly approaching, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be looking at the top three needs for each team. Today we will look at the Kansas City Chiefs.
2014 Season Review
After a 7-3 start, Kansas City stumbled down the stretch and finished the season with a 9-7 record. Outside linebacker Justin Houston was a force to be reckoned with, leading the league with 22 sacks and four forced fumbles. A stout defense couldn’t make up for a passing offense which left much to be desired, finishing 29th in yardage and 25th overall. The Chiefs missed the playoffs for the sixth time in the past eight years. With very little cap room, Kansas City is going to have some tough decisions to make this offseason.
Kansas City Chiefs 2015 Offseason: Top 3 Needs
Re-Sign Free Agents
Justin Houston was the second best defensive player in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus, but unfortunately he won’t get the contract he deserves – at least not this year. Houston’s 22 sack season almost broke the NFL record, but was overshadowed by J.J. Watt’s incredible year. In last year’s offseason negotiations an extension fell apart, pushing the talks until this year. Kansas City would like to sign the pass rusher to a long-term deal, but once again talks have stalled. The Chiefs don’t have very much cap room, even with the releases of Donnie Avery and A.J. Jenkins. However, they could designate Dwayne Bowe a post-June 1 cut and save $11 million on the cap.
Restructuring Alex Smith’s contract might also be an option, as the Kansas City field general is going to count for over $15 million against the cap this year.
Re-signing Rodney Hudson is a must. Hudson anchored the offensive line for the Chiefs, and losing him would hurt an already porous and inexperienced unit. Hudson was the only offensive lineman to get a positive grade according to Pro Football Focus.
Wide Receiver
The Kansas City Chiefs were the only NFL team this year to go the whole season without throwing a touchdown to a wide receiver. Things need to change.
Since his stellar 2010 campaign where he scored 15 touchdowns, Dwayne Bowe hasn’t scored more than five touchdowns in a season, and obviously had zero this year. For a team’s number one receiver, this is unacceptable.
That’s why Kansas City would be foolish to not get a wide receiver in the draft this year, especially with the solid class coming out. The Chiefs have taken an interest in Oklahoma’s Dorial Green-Beckham and Michigan’s Devin Funchess at the combine. Both are big body receivers with big school experience.
Green-Beckham, who stands six-foot-five and weighs in at 237 pounds, is a physical specimen. DGB has outstanding physical traits, is an effortless runner and receiver, and has incredible body control. Physically, he looks the part, but it is his character that is the question. He was kicked off the team at Missouri in early 2014, and his work ethic has been brought up as a problem in the past. He has also not played a down of football since the end of 2013 with Missouri, as he had to sit out the transfer year at Oklahoma. If Green-Beckham has turned the corner character-wise, he has all the tools to succeed for a Chiefs team thirsting for a talent out wide.
Funchess, who is also a fantastic athlete with a big vertical, is 6’4″ and weighs in at 232 pounds. He can go up and grab the ball at the high point, but lacks top-end speed and has had problems dropping the ball. Funchess played his first two years at Michigan as a tight end and could be either a straight up wide receiver, or a wideout-tight end hybrid type.
Kansas City could take a look at any number of potential #1 receivers in the first round, with Jaelen Strong, Kevin White, DeVante Parker, Sammie Coates, DGB, and Funchess all sitting about 6’2″ and over 200 pounds. In the later rounds, guys like Devante Davis or Breshad Perriman should be available.
Offensive Line
Kansas City allowed 49 sacks last season, which really hurt them in the passing game. It forced the offense to rely on a lot of screens and routes of out the backfield because there often just wasn’t enough time for developed passing plays.
The offensive line will especially be a need for the Chiefs if they can’t bring back Rodney Hudson.
According to Arrowheadpride.com, the Chiefs have been interviewing a plethora of offensive linemen, including Brandon Scherff, La’el Collins, Cedric Ogbuehi, and Ereck Flowers – mostly offensive tackles. This isn’t surprising considering Eric Fisher hasn’t been the rock solid left tackle that he was expected to be out of the draft, and right tackle Ryan Harris is likely on his way out.
What this does indicate is that the Chiefs are looking at making another first-round investment in the offensive line, and that they believe in the depth of this receiver class. John Dorsey and Andy Reid think they can find wideout talent in the later rounds, and they might be right.
Andy Reid has turned around the Chiefs since arriving in Kansas City, and this might be his biggest offseason yet.
You can find your favorite team’s offseason needs and draft prospect profiles at The War Room: Last Word’s 2015 NFL Draft Headquarters.
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