Chiefs’ top offseason priority was obvious during Super Bowl 2021
Here’s something nobody anticipated: The Chiefs do not have to switch any coordinators just after a 2nd straight Tremendous Bowl visual appearance.
For the third straight offseason, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy interviewed seemingly almost everywhere but was not hired. He is anticipated to re-indicator with the Chiefs because his contract expired just after the Tremendous Bowl. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo — anticipated to be a person of the top 2nd-possibility candidates — did not achieve the exact job interview traction as friends Todd Bowles (Buccaneers) and Leslie Frazier (Bills). Even particular groups coordinator Dave Toub often is mentioned as a long run head coach.
With extensions for Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Chris Jones taken treatment of in modern months, the Chiefs can focus on refining an presently loaded roster and receiving the income cap (projected to be $9 million over spending budget) in improved condition.
Right here are a few offseason thoughts they need to response:
one. Does the offensive line need a makeover?
The patchwork team taking part in in the Tremendous Bowl included only two starters from the season opener, a person of whom was out of place.
Left tackle Eric Fisher suffered a torn Achilles in the AFC Championship video game and could miss the get started of future season. Proper tackle Mitchell Schwartz also will be coming off a season-ending harm. Equally will be on the completely wrong side of age 30 and in contract a long time.
Proper guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardiff and rookie Lucas Niang did not enjoy a snap all season and could return rusty from COVID-19 opt-outs. 7 days one starters Andrew Wylie, Kelechi Osemele and Austin Reiter are absolutely free brokers. So are backups Mike Remmers and Daniel Kilgore.
That’s a good deal of uncertainty. The surest way to waste an extraordinary quarterback like Mahomes is to adhere him behind a very poor offensive line. That’s what doomed the Chiefs Sunday night time in their 31-9 Tremendous Bowl 2021 loss to the Buccaneers. Mahomes was regularly under strain and scrambling to hold performs alive and receiving sacked a few periods.
There was practically nothing the Chiefs could do to improve before Sunday, but new expertise is required to advertise levels of competition and depth to prevent an additional late-season situation panic.
two. Is the Sammy Watkins experiment over?
The Chiefs wished the six-foot-one Watkins to be the physical receiver complementing speedsters Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman, as perfectly as tight close Travis Kelce. It hasn’t worked.
The oft-hurt Watkins has averaged 39.five receiving yards for every video game with eight complete touchdowns over a few a long time with the Chiefs. He has a person one,000-property season (2015) because he was drafted No. four total in 2014 by the Bills. It was stunning when Watkins returned on a comparatively low-priced a person-12 months, $9 million deal last season, but even that appears like an overpay now.
With a deep receiver current market in absolutely free agency and the draft, the Chiefs need to look for a additional effective choice to stability out the offense.
three. Also reliant on the secondary?
The Chiefs are a center-of-the-pack protection when it arrives to stopping the run (four.five yards for every carry) and making sacks (32).
Jones and Frank Clark are superior go-rushers on the line, but including an additional velocity-rusher off the edge is higher on the desire listing. Spagnuolo’s strategies perform finest with a rotation of rushers.
A run-stuffing linebacker — specifically if Anthony Hitchens will become a income cap casualty — is an additional essential addition. Quite a few of the Chiefs’ defensive stops are brought about by a Tyrann Mathieu-led secondary, which made 16 interceptions. A dangerous bet to continue.
