TAKING STOCK: 2022 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

BY ADAM GREENE

They had just come out on top in one of the greatest Divisional Round playoff games in NFL history in what was probably the greatest Divisional Round in NFL history. The Kansas City Chiefs knocked off the Buffalo Bills in an epic overtime battle, 42-36 and had another trip to the Super Bowl in their sites.

Only one quarterback in NFL history had ever defeated Patrick Mahomes at Arrowhead Stadium in the playoffs and that guy, Tom Brady, no longer played in the AFC. But, it turns out the next version of that guy might as the Chiefs fell 27-24 to Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship, denying the team its third straight appearance in the Super Bowl.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

2021-22 Record: 12-5, first place AFC West

Playoffs: Lost 27-24 to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship

NOW WHAT?

Here’s the problem. When you come up just short of the Super Bowl, you want to do everything you can to get better. The Chiefs have not done that. After reaching a contract impasse with wide receiver Tyreek Hill, Kansas City shipped him to the Miami Dolphins for a 2022 first rounder and second rounder. They also got fourth and sixth round selections in the 2023 draft.

After a year that saw Kansas City take a couple of months to figure out how to play football to their level, kicking off their best and most explosive skill player seems counterproductive, regardless of the draft haul.

If there is good news in offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s ongoing battle to rightly land an NFL head coaching position, it’s that the Chiefs still have their offensive coordinator. He’s just going to have a little less to work with this season with Hill off the roster.

FREE AGENCY

That’s not to say the Chiefs added no talent at wide receiver. JuJu Smith-Schuster comes over from the Pittsburgh Steelers. A guy that should have been a WR2, must now be the WR1 again. A role he’s not suited for as the next guys up for KC are newly acquired Marquez Valdes-Scantling and lone holdover Mecole Hardman. Smith-Schuster is the only one of the three to record a 1,000 yard season and he did it in 2018 with the Steelers as the WR2 to Antonio Brown’s WR1. With Brown off the team, his best season was 2020 when he caught 97 passes for 831 yards and nine touchdowns.

They lost cornerback Charvarius Ward to the 49ers, Byron Pringel to the Chicago Bears and Mike Hughes to the Detroit Lions. They did add safety Justin Reid from the Houston Texans, middle linebacker Jermaine Carter from the Carolina Panthers and managed to keep Derrick Nnandi at defensive tackle.

Star safety Tyrann Mathieu has hit the bricks, along with edge rusher Melvin Ingram, who made such an impact after the team traded for him at midseason.

DRAFT

In my first mock draft that has since gone down the toilet due to trades, I had the Chiefs taking safety Jaquan Brisker out of Penn State to replace Mathieu, but Justin Reid probably solves that problem. So, with back to back picks in the first round at Nos. 29 and 30, KC should be looking at the best players available. They have holes, but nothing that demands a reach in the first round. An offensive lineman like Kenyon Green out of Texas A&M would be a smart choice, as keeping Mahomes upright can never be a bad thing. They could follow him up with a defensive lineman like Devonte Wyatt out of Georgia.

At No. 50 in the second, maybe a tight end like Trey McBride out of Colorado State to learn from Travis Kelce and add an extra weapon in the red zone and on third downs. At 62, they could take a shot at a wideout like Skyy Moore from Western Michigan. With the 94^th pick, a third rounder, they could go back to the defense with Channing Tindall, linebacker out of Georgia and then wrap up Day Two of the draft with cornerback Alontae Taylor from Tennessee at 103.

AFC WEST

Every team in the AFC West has gotten significantly better this offseason except the Chiefs. While they’re still undoubtedly good and should expect to be a playoff team, I’m not sure this is a squad that can win the division for the seventh consecutive season. From here, in the comfy confines of the offseason at least, it looks like Kansas City has been caught.

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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