What a disappointing end to a thrilling season. I shall not bore you with all the seasonal details rewritten in a different way as I’m sure you’re all well aware of the roller coaster ride it has been for the Kansas City Chiefs. However, while it currently feels like the whole year was a letdown, that is not in fact the case. If, at the start of the year, you would have offered me a playoff win, I would have taken it.
That was the benchmark for this Chiefs team, that was the stick by which a successful season would be measured, and Andy Reid’s men succeeded. And yet, this bitter taste still sits in my mouth. Such a taste is the very reason why sport can be so cruel. Winning is the name of the game, and when you don’t win, it hurts. So, what do the Chiefs have to do to match teams like the New England Patriots that beat them on Saturday?
Well, there are a lot of things. Re-signing many free agents is one of those things. Eric Berry, Jaye Howard and Derrick Johnson are some of the names at the top of that list, while Sean Smith and Tamba Hali should also look to be retained by John Dorsey and the Chiefs. The draft, like every year, will be vital in the Chiefs’ aspirations of having a successful offseason, while also free agency will be an opportunity to add to the roster.
It’s fair to say that the offense is of bigger priority than the defense, when it comes to additions anyway. Re-signing players is a big issue for Dorsey, and that largely lies on the defensive side of the ball. However, in terms of what needs adding to this unit, much of the issues are on the other side of the ball.
There are plenty of positions that need addressing over the next few months also. The secondary could well be decimated if key players aren’t re-signed, a second receiver could certainly be argued for, while a quarterback for the future should also be targeted in the draft.
There is one position, however, that I feel is particularly important, and that is the offensive line, and in particular the right side of that line.
Next: Looking forward...