Why the quarterback is so vital to the Chiefs 2017 draft

A first-round quarterback is essential not only to the future of the Chiefs at that position but the rest of the roster as well.

While the Chiefs quarterback position is being discussed and dissected like never before, the draft and combine brings the opportunity to interview and scout prospects in a central location. The Chiefs have sat down with all the top quarterback prospects thus far at the combine and are doing extensive work on the quarterback. Past the point the Chiefs simply have not invested in the quarterback position in a long time (More on that later) but there are important reasons why the Chiefs don’t need to get a quarterback early, they have to.

Currently, per Spotrac, the Chiefs cap situation in 2018 appears to be ugly. Kansas City is second in the NFL in money committed towards the 2018 salary cap, and based on their projections, before the Eric Berry and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif extensions are factored in, have roughly $13 million in cap space. Again, this is not for this off season, but for the next offseason.

This is also before the draft classes are factored in, before the Berry and LDT extensions are factored in, and even before a possible contract option for Dee Ford is factored in. (First round selections have fifth-year options on their contracts that are required to be picked up by the drafting team during the offseason between the third and fourth season.) In other words, the Chiefs have very little to work with, once again.