January 26, 2014; Honolulu, HI, USA; Team Rice offensive guard Ben Grubbs of the New Orleans Saints (66) blocks Team Sanders defensive tackle Dontari Poe of the Kansas City Chiefs (92) during the second quarter of the 2014 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The Kansas City Chiefs are getting a wide array of projections heading into 2015. Some experts believe they could go to the Super Bowl. Others think Kansas City is lucky to go 7-9 and perhaps is the worst team in the AFC West, following a solid offseason for the Oakland Raiders.
The Chiefs seemed to have done well for themselves throughout free agency and the NFL Draft, only losing center Rodney Hudson and releasing receiver Dwayne Bowe. To upgrade, general manager John Dorsey signed Jeremy Maclin to a $55 million deal and traded for Pro Bowl left guard Ben Grubbs. In the draft, Dorsey selected a pair of corners in the first three rounds in Marcus Peters and Steven Nelson, along with center Mitch Morse and receiver Chris Conley.
With the offseason dust now settled and the training camp roster all but set, what are your expectations for this group? (The only caveat is we are assuming relatively good health).
Personally, I’m always pessimistic. The Chiefs have absolutely ruined my emotional capabilities in my time rooting for them (since 1993 when I was five years old). It is hard not to expect the worst when you lived through the 1995 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, followed by the Elvis Grbac debacle in 1997 to the Denver Broncos, and then the infamous 38-10 game versus Indianapolis in 2013.
Yet, I can’t see this team missing the playoffs. Look at both sides of the ball. The Chiefs only major question mark is the offensive line, and that stands to be improved. At left tackle, Eric Fisher will either be the same or better entering his third year. At left guard, Grubbs will be John Hannah compared to Mike McGlynn, while either Zach Fulton in his second year, or Paul Fanaika, or Jeff Allen will be better than Fulton as a rookie at right guard. At right tackle, Donald Stephenson will be much better than Ryan Harris.
All of the above is fact. It would be tough to find any Chiefs fan, or NFL fan for that matter, who would argue with any of those statements. The only place to expect a downgrade is at center, and depending how Eric Kush or Morse plays, it remains to be seen how much of one there will be.
Other than the line, you are swapping out Bowe for Maclin and giving Albert Wilson and De’Anthony Thomas another year in the system. You are also getting a full year of Jason Avant and the rest of the veterans in the third year of Andy Reid’s scheme. Stands to reason those men will be better because they don’t have to think as much.
Next: What about the defense?