With the NFL Draft behind us, which Kansas City Chiefs’ position groups project to be the weakest and which players from those positions might surprise us?
Last week, I analyzed the Kansas City Chiefs current roster to determine what position groups project to be the strongest going into the 2019 season. These included the defensive line, safeties, offensive line, and running backs. These are simply projections, but I’d bet each of these position groups will have a strong season in 2019.
In contrast, there are a handful of position groups that project to be relatively thin going into 2019. The Chiefs went through a massive rebuild this offseason, one nearly comparable to the rebuild when Andy Reid and John Dorsey first came to town. The organization fired long-time defensive coordinator Bob Sutton and completely gutted a defense that, while they led the league in sacks, they also ranked 31st overall in total defense.
It was an atrocious year, in stark comparison to the magnificent year the offense had.
The rebuild was undertaken and is, now, nearly complete. The Chiefs intentionally moved on from several long time players including Justin Houston and Eric Berry, and lost other Chiefs in free agency including Chris Conley and Steven Nelson. They also traded Dee Ford. On top of this turnover, there has been some recent unfortunate news involving Tyreek Hill that has the potential to impact the team, at least in the short term. It could be some time before that situation ultimately has a resolution, leaving the Chiefs’ organization and fans alike in the dark.
Taking all of this into account, what are the position groups that project to be the most vulnerable heading into 2019? Further, who are some players at these position groups that might surprise us?