Ranking the Kansas City Chiefs position groups

Offensive Tackle

With the right tackle position becoming equally as important as the left tackle position, especially in the AFC West with players like Von Miller and Khalil Mack typically lining up on the offense’s right side, the premier offseason addition of Mitchell Schwartz was well worth the money. Schwartz is considered one of the best tackles, right or left, in the entire NFL and should provide a much needed consistent presence to the offensive line.

Paired with Eric Fisher at left tackle, who made some significant strides as a player last year, I’m not worried at all about the starters at both positions. However, with Jah Reid likely moving to guard full time, this team lacks a clear swing tackle who can fill in for either Schwartz or Fisher if needed.

Wide Receiver

Last offseason’s addition of Jeremy Maclin to the offense was essential to say the least, as he

provided a true No. 1 receiver who fits perfectly in the West-Coast system. The addition this offseason of Rod Streater was of my favorite moves as he has shown when healthy to be a very good complementary receiver. His mere presence alone should push the likes of Albert Wilson and Chris Conley even further to take the next step in becoming better, more consistent receivers. Assuming De’Anthony Thomas is still in the mix, he could provide a whole new dynamic that other guys just don’t have.

Overall, I feel pretty good about this group going forward but we saw in the playoff game at New England that the receiving corps needs Maclin to function. Hopefully the addition of Streater, development of Wilson and/or Conley, and possibly a draft addition could make this group less reliant on the #1 guy.

Tight End

Travis Kelce is the definition of a matchup nightmare for defenses with his combination of size, speed, and wiggle. He helps the offense go even when he’s not racking up catches with the amount of attention that he draws from the defense, allowing others to get 1-on-1 matchups. We all know what he can do, though, it’s the guys behind him that still have something to prove.

Both Demetrius Harris and James O’Shaughnessy showed potential as pass catchers but still have work to do, primarily as blockers, to show they are capable of stepping into a full time role if ever needed. Andy Reid loves to use multiple tight end sets, and hopefully Harris and O’Shaughnessy can become better all-around tight ends for Reid to really take advantage of the athleticism at the position.

Next: Tier 3