KC Chiefs: Most intriguing positional battles for 2022

With so many new offseason additions in Kansas City, let’s take a look at the biggest positional battles for the upcoming 2022 season.

My, how the tides can turn over a weekend huh?

It seems like just prior to the draft, almost everyone in the sports coverage game was calling the Kansas City Chiefs washed and saying the rest of the AFC West had caught up to them. Then, on the weekend where lives are changed, fates are decided, dynasties are born, and the clock is always ticking, it seems everyone is back on the Chiefs Kingdom wagon.

Who could blame them though? If you told me we would be coming into the 2022 season with the draft the Chiefs had, I would have probably laughed in your face and asked what you were smoking. However, with a little “Veach magic”, the Chiefs walked out of this draft (and signed/traded for some guys right after) with a laundry list of potential difference makers. Couple that with the key additions the team made in free agency, and there is so much to be excited about for the upcoming season.

With that being said, I think it’s time for us to make a “way too early but so what” look at some positional battles we will get to see unfold before our very eyes.

1. What’s Going to Happen Up Front?

Look, we all know that the offensive line was a major focal point of last year and the Chiefs completely retooled their guys upfront by bringing in Orlando Brown, Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, and Trey Smith. I bet you noticed the outlier though. That is only four offensive linemen, and it takes five to tango in the trenches. Cue the potential battle at hand for the Right Tackle slot.

The 2022 draft saw the Chiefs select Kentucky product Darian Kinnard in Round 5 with the 145th pick. I know there has been some speculation about whether or not they will move him to the interior line, but I am not so sold on that narrative. First, Kinnard is a player who was ranked on a lot of peoples’ big boards so much higher than where he was picked. I also feel that his draft stock took a hit because teams and experts alike seemed torn on ranking him as either a guard or tackle for the NFL. Just to put things into a bit more perspective, he was almost consistently ranked as a higher guard than Cole Strange, whom the Patriots selected in the first round.

I truly feel if he were in a different draft class, one that was not so loaded at other positions of need, he would have been off the board a whole heck of a lot sooner. I mean, just check out some of his highlights:

The Chiefs arguably have the best offensive line in the NFL right now, and in my opinion, are one right tackle away from being discussed in the upper echelon realm of “greatest offensive lines ever.”  You know, like back in the day when the Chiefs had the likes of Willie Roaf, Will Shields, and Brian Waters. With something like that in mind, I find it very hard to believe that the Chiefs would select this player and not give him a shot to secure the Right Tackle position. Especially given his 93.3 career PFF grade, which was the highest among all SEC tackles. Sure, he has things to work on but what rookie offensive lineman doesn’t transition to the next level?

Not to mention the fact that the two main right tackles last season, Lucas Niang and Andrew Wylie, did not put enough on film to be labeled “the guy.” Sure, Wylie had some promising moments and played his ass off the first go-around against Maxx Crosby. Niang on the other hand is still somewhat in the “intriguing prospect” phase but does not seem to be able to stay healthy for a full season.

Similarly, the window of opportunity in this league is shockingly small and gets smaller with each passing season. I suspect the front office selected the highest-graded offensive lineman and brought this demi-god lookalike mauler into light some competitive fire. I mean, the Chiefs captured lightning in a bottle last season by selecting Trey Smith in the sixth round and now have the chance to do it again with the selection of Kinnard. It’s going to be really interesting to see who anchors down the right side of this line come September.