The latest 2019 NFL mock draft has the Chiefs taking an edge rusher to supplement the free agent losses of Dee Ford and Allen Bailey.
While franchises like the Arizona Cardinals and Oakland Raiders are clearly looking to next year and likely pondering the mock drafts of the world several months before they’re even popular with the casual fan, the Kansas City Chiefs and the rest of Chiefs Kingdom are focused on the present—as they should be given their real hopes for Super Bowl glory.
Still for the sake of curiosity, we took at look at the latest 2019 NFL mock draft from George Stockburger at NFL Mocks, our sister fan site at FanSided. The best part of the entire mock draft has nothing to do with a prospect or the future but rather that George has the Chief picking last overall in the first round, which, you know, just happens to insinuate the Chiefs will win the Super Bowl in Patrick Mahomes’ first year as a starter.
Anyway, the Chiefs are at No. 32 overall in this draft, and Stockburger has Brett Veach, the team’s general manager, grabbing another edge rusher to help make up for some potential losses to free agency within the front seven. He writes:
"Kansas City will need either a defensive end or linebacker with both Allen Bailey and Dee Ford set to be free agents. That’s where Anfernee Jennings of the Crimson Tide comes in. I’m not in love with Jennings as a prospect, but he fits the bill of what Kansas City will need, and that’s an aggressive edge rusher to replace either Bailey or Ford."
Stockburger has some interesting points here. Two months ago, the idea of letting Allen Bailey and Dee Ford walk in free agency seemed obvious—even preferred. Bailey came into this year with a cap hit of $8 million and Ford hurts even more to the tune of $8.7 million. The Chiefs seemed ready to move on from both this year or next, especially in Ford’s case, given his injury history and inconsistency as a pass rusher.
Now both Ford and Bailey are tied at No. 10 overall in the NFL with 4 sacks apiece, leading the Chiefs through the first five games. Will the Chiefs extend interest in either one or both? Could the franchise tag be in play? That seems silly given just one good partial season but can a team let an effective pass rusher leave? It likely depends on how ready Tanoh Kpassagnon and Breeland Speaks seem to be for the Chiefs long-term.
Jennings is a 6’3, 260 lb. prospect from the University of Alabama, where it’s quite clear he will have been coached well under Nick Saban. If he’s available in the draft it means he will have declared early given he’s only a junior at this point. He’s already set a season high in sacks with 2.5 for the Crimson Tide this year after a sophomore season marked by 6 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles and his first career sack.