The “Great Wall of Chiefs Kingdom.” The “Big Beauties.” The “Red and Gold People Eaters.” Superlatives abound for a line whose starters could average an intimidating 6’6″ and 317 pounds. The 2021 Kansas City Chiefs have far more size, athleticism, and competition along the offensive line than they’ve had in Andy Reid’s entire tenure.
What does this really mean though? All things being equal, what are the first, second and third level impacts of improving a team’s protection from middle of the pack to top of the league?
Relatively speaking, I’d argue the Chiefs have an all around better receiving corps today than the Green Bay Packers did last season. While Patrick Mahomes had an incredible season all his own, Aaron Rodgers had one of the greatest seasons a quarterback has ever had.
What was the most significant difference? Mahomes was pressured and hit constantly while Rodgers was not. The Packers boasted one of the best—if not the best—offensive lines in the NFL and the results were tremendous.
Expect the KC Chiefs offense to make a major step forward after the draft.
The Chiefs unit headed into this season, on paper, is the best offensive line Mahomes has had in his three years as the Chiefs starter. Every single position was upgraded and then some, even adding talented depth pieces like Trey Smith late in the NFL Draft. The full list of “starters” is still debatable, but there’s no reality where this offensive line is not elite next season.
What’s even more impressive is the continuity the Chiefs will have. Each of these starters is locked up for the foreseeable future, with only one guard position not guaranteed. If Trey Smith, who many think was the steal of the draft, can maintain his health, it’s likely the Chiefs have all five starters locked up through 2024. That’s quite the runway for this offense.
There are those who were or are discouraged that the Chiefs didn’t draft a top-tier wide receiver, seemingly failing to replace the production of the now departed Sammy Watkins. While I still think there’s a chance they bring in a veteran, with a number of productive ones still available in free agency, rest assured the team does not need to do so.
I think it’s easy to forget what the Chiefs receiving corps actually looked like last year. For eight of the team’s games, regular season and playoffs, Sammy Watkins was a scratch due to injuries. Even in games in which he played, he struggled to make a consistent impact. No disrespect to Watkins, but his best game was the first last season in which he had seven catches for 82 yards. From then on, he averaged less than three catches and a shade over 30 yards per game.
In the final four games, he saw only three targets per game, with one target in the Super Bowl going for 13 yards. All told, he was fifth in targets on the season and only surpassed rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire by one target.
My point in all this is that the Kansas City Chiefs boasted one of the NFL’s best offenses in 2020 without a clear-cut major contributor at the second wide receiver position. With a completely rebuilt offensive line and the addition of promising players like Antonio Callaway, a bona fide “jump ball” receiver in Cornell Powell, and a likely bounce back year from Mecole Hardman, this offense has taken a major step forward.