What the Kansas City Chiefs DON’T need this offseason
By Chris Taylor
In 2018, the Kansas City Chiefs performed better than anyone expected. Going into the 2019 season, these are a few of the things they don’t need.
The Kansas City Chiefs came within a possession of making the Super Bowl this past season. With few expecting the Chiefs to make a difference, they overcame a historically bad defense and a first-year quarterback, to come closer than they’ve been since the early ’70s to play in the big game.
The 2018 Chiefs were questionably the best team in the AFC. Despite a defense ranked among the worst in every statistic other than sacks, quarterback Patrick Mahomes kept the Chiefs alive with a performance barely matched in NFL history.
Now comes the time of year when analysts and experts pick apart the team, the draft picks, and free agents. For the most part, they flood you with what your team should do, or could do. Here, we will take a different approach, looking at what the Chiefs don’t need to do this offseason to take that next step in 2019 and play that one, elusive last game.
More from Arrowhead Addict
- Former Chiefs cornerback in legal trouble in Las Vegas
- Chiefs Kingdom: Get ready to break contract news
- Chiefs news: Travis Kelce wants to host fan ‘chug-off’ in Germany
- Podcast: Breaking down the Chiefs biggest roster battles
- KC Chiefs send Dave Merritt to NFL coaching accelerator
The Chiefs already made the biggest decision of the offseason in replacing former defensive coordinator Bob Sutton with former Eagles defensive assistant and Giants defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo.
The Chiefs fans had been screaming for Suttons’ job the last few seasons. They finally got their wish.
There isn’t a lot of pressure on Spagnuolo. In reality, if he can put together a 25th ranked total defense, the Chiefs should be fine if the offense can continue its impressive run.
Let’s get to it. These are the things Kansas City does not need to do. We start with the not-so-obvious needs.
Add another receiver
The Chiefs will still have a nice group of receivers in 2019. Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins are back. Chris Conley is probably all but gone. Demarcus Robinson and Gehrig Dieter should have no problem jointly filling Conley’s shoes.
Robinson was a constant figure in the offense this past season. Over the past two seasons, Robinson has 43 catches for 500 yards and four touchdowns. Dieter only had one catch during the 2018 regular season but came up with some quality catches in the postseason, as well as superb play on special teams. His friendship with Mahomes will be something to keep an eye on.
Byron Pringle also showed some signs of being a decent receiver last offseason before an injury ended his season before it began.
Five guys were just named in the paragraphs above. Not once did anyone say the Chiefs didn’t have enough receivers to throw the ball to in 2018. There is no reason to assume that will change.
Granted, the likelihood of general manager Brett Veach bringing in some retread veterans is high, but the need for those guys is extremely low. Ten years from now the majority of folks will have forgotten that Kelvin Benjamin ever played for Kansas City. Keep in mind that Travis Kelce has been quite the target to throw to as well.
A change at fullback
Whether that means replacing Anthony Sherman or going away from the position altogether, the Chiefs need to keep things just the way they are.
If the Pro Bowl has ever been good for anything, this past event showed just how much a weapon Sherman can be. If it wasn’t for Mahomes, he would have been the Pro Bowl MVP. That’s a huge deal being a fullback.
Sherman showed hints of his talents at different times throughout the season, leaving some to wonder if the Chiefs have failed to utilize him correctly. Sherman, if used correctly, can be a difference maker as defenses will have to keep a close eye on him as well.
High profile offensive names
This doesn’t mean offensive names that you would likely hear if this was a political opinion piece. No, this means high profile players looking for a new home in 2019.
Sure, there is an attraction to Kansas City now. With the chance to play on the same side as a quarterback like Mahomes, who wouldn’t want a piece of that?
The Chiefs need to find pieces that will help this team win, and those pieces don’t play offense. 2018 proved to everyone that just because your team can score 50 points in a game, doesn’t mean the opposing team won’t score more.
No matter how intriguing the thought is, Kansas City does not need the likes of Antonio Brown or Le’Veon Bell. Off the field issues aside, the amount of infrastructure the Chiefs would lose to sign either would dampen the chances to strengthen the defense.
Of course, there are many more highly talented free agents out there than those two, but us fans seem to like the biggest names on the market more so than the biggest needs.
In closing
The Chiefs do not need to overhaul this team. They simply need to upgrade some positions. They sit pretty with their draft picks, with a first rounder and two second round picks with just a pick between them.
Next. Top five offseason needs. dark
There will be some head-scratching moves, and some unpopular moves as well. The Chiefs will be fine, and with a new defensive mind controlling their underwhelming defense, that might just be enough. 2019 should be just as fun as 2018, if not more so. A Super Bowl visit awaits, very soon.