Chiefs search in NFL draft for more help protecting Mahomes
58. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (16-3)
LAST SEASON: The Chiefs rolled to second straight AFC championship but were unable to defend Super Bowl title. Tampa Bay wreaked havoc on their injured offensive line and shut down a potent Kansas City offense in a 31-9 win in February. That loss to Tom Brady and Co. showed glaring deficiencies on offensive and defensive lines and in the secondary.
FREE AGENCY: Lost WR Sammy Watkins, RB Damien Williams, OLs Eric Fisher, Mitchell Schwartz, Austin Reiter and Kelechi Osemele, DEs Tanoh Kpassagnon and Alex Okafor, TE Deon Yelder, LB Damien Wilson, DT Mike Pennel, CBs Bashaud Breeland, Antonio Hamilton and Alex Brown. Re-signed FS Daniel Sorensen, RBs Darrel Williams and Elijah McGuire, WR Demarcus Robinson, TE Nick Keizer, DE Taco Charlton, OLs Andrew Wylie and Mike Remmers. Signed OLs Austin Blythe, Joe Thuney and Kyle Long, DT Jarran Reed, FB Michael Burton, TE Blake Bell.
THEY NEED: OT, WR, CB, MLB, TE.
THEY DON’T NEED: QB, RB, DT, FS.
POSSIBLE FIRST PICK: OT Jalen Mayfield, Michigan; OT Spencer Brown, Northern Iowa; LB Baron Browning, Ohio State; DE Ronnie Perkins, Oklahoma; LB Pete Werner, Ohio State.
OUTLOOK: The Chiefs filled their most glaring need on Friday when they traded the No. 31 pick along with third- and fourth-rounders and a 2022 fifth-round pick to the Ravens for Pro Bowl OT Orlando Brown, a second-rounder this year and a sixth-round pick next year. That doesn't necessarily mean they're done patching up the offensive line, but it does mean they can target some of their other major needs — wide receiver, cornerback and middle linebacker — with two picks in the second round. They aren't due to draft again after that until the fourth.
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