ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (6-11)
Expectations
The expectations ever since the Chiefs drafted Patrick Mahomes nearly a decade ago are to win the Super Bowl, and that won’t change despite a disastrous 6-11 season last year. Or the fact that the QB is coming off a devastating knee injury.
Sure, the Chiefs struggled last season from the moment they opened with a loss to the Chargers in Brazil, right through the moment Mahomes tore ligaments in his knee in another game against Los Angeles, which eliminated Kansas City from playoff contention. But Mahomes has participated in the entirety of the Chiefs’ offseason program, and the two-time MVP is on track to start Week 1 against Denver, just eight months after the injury occurred.
The question is whether Kansas City did enough in the offseason to help him. The Chiefs upgraded at running back by signing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III from Seattle, but they did little to bolster their wide receiver corps, instead hoping that Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton can take some big steps forward.
The defense also has some question marks, especially in the backfield, where the Chiefs traded star cornerback Trent McDuffie and lost starters Bryan Cook and Jaylen Watson to free agency. They used their first-round pick to draft Mansoor Delane sixth overall, and in all, Kansas City used its first four draft picks on the defensive side of the ball.
New faces
RBs Kenneth Walker III, Emmett Johnson and Emari Demercado; OL Khalil Benson; QBs Justin Fields and Garrett Nussmeier; CBs Mansoor Delane, Jadon Canady and L’Jarius Sneed; FS Alohi Gilman; DT Peter Woods and Khyiris Tonga; and DE R Mason Thomas.
Key losses
CBs Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams; DLs Jerry Tillery and Derrick Nnadi; DEs Charles Omenihu, Mike Dana and Malik Herring; LB Leo Chenal; RBs Isiah Pacheco and Dameon Pierce; WRs Marquise Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster; SS Bryan Cook; and OLs Wanya Morris and Jawaan Taylor.
Strengths
The addition of Walker to the backfield coupled with improved play from a more experienced offensive line should help the Chiefs to move the ball like they did during their Super Bowl runs, and not like they did while scuffling to a 6-11 finish last season.
Meanwhile, Rice, Worthy and Thornton along with rookie breakout candidate Cyrus Allen have loads of potential at wide receiver. The question is whether any of them will take the necessary step from being a mid-tier player to a truly elite weapon.
Weaknesses
The Chiefs have struggled to rush the passer for years, and while they have long relied on defensive tackle Chris Jones to provide some pressure up the middle, he just turned 32 and is on the back side of his career.
Woods and Thomas are intriguing draft picks, but they also are unproven. What would help the pass rush is more excellent play from the secondary, but the Chiefs are replacing their top three cornerbacks and their starting safety from last season.
Camp development
The biggest breakthroughs in training camp came on offense, where Allen quickly built a rapport with Mahomes and began to factor into the passing game, and Benson worked his way from a rookie tryout into the starting lineup at right tackle.
Delane missed a good chunk of camp with a shoulder injury, but he was cleared a few weeks ago and should start Week 1.
Fantasy player to watch
The Chiefs have not had a true bell-cow running back since Jamaal Charles more than a decade ago, but Walker could be poised for a big season. The Chiefs would like to be more balanced on offense, which means Walker could be in line for a 1,000-yard season on the ground. But he also catches the ball well out of the backfield, and that has long been a staple of coach Andy Reid’s offense.
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