In light of Kansas City’s offseason roster moves, what returning Chiefs players are clear winners from this spring’s transactions?
Just days after winning the franchise’s first Super Bowl in 50 years, Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid immediately turned their focus to 2021 and a title defense.
In the three months since that time, the pair have engineered dozens of roster decisions from signing their own free agents, to letting players walk, to signing new free agents and sorting through an NFL Draft weekend. Throughout that, some players who are still on the roster were undoubtedly losers as a result, demoted or given the clear sign that the team seeks improvement over them.
But its not all doom and gloom for the holdover Chiefs. Some players on the Kansas City squad have definitely come out as clear winners from the offseason transactions which have taken place thus far. Which Chiefs are in better standing as a result of the decisions made since the championship?
Chris Jones
All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones may initially seem like an odd inclusion on this list. He has no shot at losing his starting job anchoring the Chiefs’ defensive line, and the one thing he wanted out of this offseason was a long term extension (at his asking price), and he has yet to receive it.
Despite that reality, Jones is still a winner from the offseason based on one simple fact: leverage. The Chiefs did not draft anyone who could potentially replace him either in the lineup, nor did they pursue a trade or sign a free agent who could do the same. That means the team is forced into the position of either paying the Pro Bowler what he wants, overpaying a premium defensive tackle on next year’s free agent market, or plugging in a young player at the position who will not be remotely comparable to filling Jones’ shoes.
This is a great place for Jones to sit. He can look at the Chiefs roster and know that they need (and likely want) him to continue to be a part of the dynasty they’re trying to build. He can be patient as he waits for them to cave to his demands—or to at least get closer to them).
Jones wins as a result of the 2020 offseason.
Rashad Fenton
2019 sixth round pick Rashad Fenton is a winner in this 2020 offseason as well. The Chiefs seemed hesitant early in the season to put Fenton on the field much and even signed veteran Mo Claiborne in August to add depth to the cornerback room. However, by season’s end, Fenton was a solid contributor for the Chiefs who played excellent defense in the playoffs and Super Bowl for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit.
Despite his play, we believed the Chiefs may still target cornerbacks early in the 2020 draft but they did not. In fact, Kansas City waited until the fourth round to take a cornerback. Coupled with news of Baushad Breeland‘s looming suspension, this means that Fenton is not only likely to get significant playing time in 2020, but he could actually be a starter when the season kicks off.
It is always possible that a rookie beats him out, but that seems unlikely without a true offseason and given the relative draft status of the new people coming in. Even if BoPete Keyes or L’Jarius Sneed beat him out, you’d have to assume Fenton would be, at worst, the third corner while Breeland was out, putting him in line for a functional starting role and significant contribution.
Fenton overplayed his draft position in 2019, and its clear based on the offseason that he’s made Spagnuolo a believer in his abilities moving forward.
Mecole Hardman
Entering the 2020 offseason, many believed that the Chiefs would be losing Demarcus Robinson to free agency and that the salary cap would force the team to part ways with Sammy Watkins. Fast-forward three months and Watkins gave the Chiefs a team-friendly restructure to stay in Kansas City for (at least) one more season. Robinson did not find a home on the open market and also returned to Kansas City on a very team-friendly deal.
The end result was a team that did not feel the need to add a wide receiver in the draft. Second year speedster Mecole Hardman wins big as a result. In fact, there are two reasons why Hardman wins big as a result of the 2020 offseason.
First, what was clear in 2019 was that Hardman is incredibly talented and has speed to burn on the football field. What was also clear was that it is going to take him some time to pick up Andy Reid’s complicated playbook—Hardman is hardly the first—and to mature as a NFL-caliber route runner who can consistently get separation from cornerbacks. The return of Watkins and Robinson gives him another year to do just that, and in the longer run, it should pay huge dividends for Hardman.
Hardman will likely start the season as the fourth wide receiver, but after investing a second round pick in him last year, by season’s end, the team will want him to be taking reps from Robinson as they prepare for the aforementioned to likely walk in free agency in 2021.
Second, he’s a near lock to be the second starting wide receiver for Kansas City because of those exits. In this offense, that means a huge target percentage, which equals massive opportunities to contribute and raise your overall profile as a professional. Getting that shot in 2021 instead of 2022 means that he’ll have two full years to increase his stock before hitting free agency for the first time.
Not drafting a wide receiver in 2020 should make Mecole Hardman a lot of money in 2023 and for that, he’s a big winner.
Patrick Mahomes
The biggest winner of the entire 2020 offseason, though, is Patrick Mahomes—and rightfully so. Mahomes fought through injury and carried this team to the promised land for the first time in 50 seasons. Kansas City will, and should, do everything they can to make him happy and successful for the next 15 years. This offseason, Mahomes has won for two primary reasons.
First, retention. The fact that the Chiefs retained seven of the nine offseason linemen who suited up for the Super Bowl, two of three tight ends, every running back (LeSean McCoy did not suit up) and every wide receiver is important. This is especially true in this offseason where the ability to work out together is so limited. The Chiefs overall roster retention has been well-documented and discussed ad nauseam, but the impact this has on Mahomes has been undervalued. Mahomes will return in to battle with roughly the same squad that scored 21 points in six minutes to win Super Bowl LIV. He wins—again.
Second, the Chiefs drafted the best utility weapon in the class in running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Not only did the Chiefs personnel staff and head coach Andy Reid fall in love with the former LSU Tiger’s tape, but Patrick Mahomes did as well. Damien Williams is a solid running back who has done well for the Chiefs and (arguably) should have been the Super Bowl MVP. However, CEH is a game changing, home-run hitting, Swiss army knife who can do it all. The Chiefs had the luxury of picking their best available player with the last pick in the first round, and they upgraded a position of strength for the best offense in football.