Getty Arrowhead Stadium, where Armani Watts played for the last four seasons.
With several elite playmakers on the team, it’s not easy to project who will be the Kansas City Chiefs‘ most valuable player outside of the quarterback position for the 2022 season. But one analyst took a stab at it.
Kevin Patra of NFL.com projected the non-QB MVP for every NFL team for the 2022 NFL season and predicts that Kansas City defensive tackle Chris Jones will be the winner of the award for the reigning AFC West champions.
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“With the offense breaking in new faces, let’s look at the defensive side of the ball,” Patra wrote on July 7. “Jones is the keystone player for the Chiefs’ D. After the failed experiment with the DT on the edge last season, Jones proved how vital he is in wrecking opposing offenses from the interior down the stretch as the K.C. defense coalesced.
“Since 2018, Jones ranks second among all interior linemen with 41.0 sacks and 257 pressures, behind only Aaron Donald. The Chiefs continue to have questions at edge rusher, making Jones’ presence much more vital. The 27-year-old owns the potential to be a game-wrecking difference-maker in a rugged AFC West.”
To add to the accolades already mentioned by Patra, Jones has earned Pro Bowl nods in three consecutive seasons, and last season he was the Chiefs’ highest-graded defensive player, according to PFF (83.4).
The only other non-QB that had a strong case to be named the projected MVP for the 2022 season was tight end Travis Kelce. Players such as linebacker Nick Bolton and safety Justin Reid could also have cases made for them. But Kansas City’s defense would be in a much worse situation if they didn’t have Jones in the trenches as opposed to Kelce on offense. So, Jones is the rightful projected winner of the award.
Analyst Projects 3-Year Chiefs Player to Face Multigame Suspension
On February 16, Kansas City Chiefs special teams ace Chris Lammons was a “wanted suspect” in a Las Vegas battery case involving New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara, according to 8 News Now in Las Vegas.
A day later, Lammons, 26, turned himself in for a “walk through” booking at the Clark County Detention Center, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal on February 17.
Court records obtained by the Review-Journal showed that Lammons was charged with “a felony count of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm, and a gross misdemeanor count of conspiracy to commit battery.”
A hearing for Kamara and Lammons is scheduled for August 1, according to the Clark County Courts website. The police claim to have video evidence along with connections made through social media photos that link Kamara and Lammons to the crime, according to WNTZ Fox 48.
But what does this all mean for Lammons, who re-signed with the Chiefs after mandatory minicamp? One Chiefs analyst has projected the type of suspension Kansas City’s core special teamer could face based on the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Lammons Could Face 6-Game Suspension at Minimum
Charles Goldman of Chiefs Wire expects a suspension of at least six games.
“The NFL’s personal conduct policy expressly dictates that first-time violations that involve felony assault or battery will receive a minimum six-game suspension,” Goldman wrote on June 29. “The league typically waits for the legal process to play out before handing out suspensions, but it’s likely that Lammons faces a suspension as early as this season. If a suspension is handed out ahead of the regular season, Lammons is still permitted to practice with the team at training camp and play during preseason games.”
Goldman also explains why the Chiefs might have decided to re-sign Lammons despite a potential suspension looming.
“When the regular season begins, if Lammons has already been suspended, he’ll be moved to the reserve/suspended list,” Goldman explained. “On that list, Lammons will not count against the team’s 53-man roster limit. After he serves the length of his suspension, he’ll be eligible to return to the active roster. If it’s a six-game suspension or more, the team could possibly be looking for depth at the cornerback position. They’re already dealing with injuries this offseason with each of Rashad Fenton, L’Jarius Sneed, Trent McDuffie and Joshua Williams missing time during OTAs or mandatory minicamp.”