Getty Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes remains on the ground after a hit in the fourth quarter on October 24, 2021.
The NFL trade deadline is officially a week from today on November 2 and certain teams will be looking to make some major upgrades ahead of the season’s final stretch.
Our very own Kansas City Chiefs are expected to be one of those buyers, after a precarious 3-4 start to 2021. There’s no doubt that this roster could be a contender, they’ve been to the Super Bowl the past two campaigns. The magic just has not been there this time around and a challenging schedule has made it tougher to adjust on the fly.
Just yesterday, an analyst noted that the postseason window is closing for KC and he’s not wrong. If the Chiefs want to compete for another Super Bowl, GM Brett Veach must be willing to add some talent on the defensive side. That should take some of the strain off Patrick Mahomes, who’s turning the ball over more than ever this season.
On October 22, one sports publication agreed, naming Kansas City this year’s “most desperate” NFL franchise heading into the trade deadline.
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Bleacher Report Urges KC to Maneuver
The Chiefs topped Bleacher Report’s seven-team list of desperate deadline dealers and according to writer Gary Davenport, the decision was obvious.
“That the Kansas City Chiefs easily top this list is a testament to both how weird the season has been and how quickly things can go sideways,” began Davenport. “There are multiple reasons for those struggles, including injuries and surprisingly reckless ball management by quarterback Patrick Mahomes.”
Pat Mahomes throws his NINTH interception of the season 😳
(via @NFL)
He continued: “But Mahomes’ turnovers are rooted in desperation — the knowledge that he and the offense have to carry the team more than ever. Because the defense has been terrible. Yes, the Chiefs are coming off a solid performance against the reeling Washington Football Team. But against the competent offenses of the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills, the Chiefs have been gashed.”
This is all true. As we know, the defense has been all-time bad at various points and even if it’s improved mildly the past two weeks, it’s still holding the rest of the franchise back.
Davenport concluded: “The Chiefs rank 28th in total defense, 25th in pass defense, 28th in scoring defense and dead last with seven sacks. Kansas City needs help in the secondary. Its need for an edge-rusher is so massive that it defies description. The Chiefs shouldn’t be reluctant to part with draft picks to get a deal done. Because there’s no way they will win the Super Bowl with this defense.”
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Should the Chiefs Be Buyers?
There seems to be a bit of a split opinion in the fanbase on whether or not Veach should trade away picks at the deadline. Some see this as a lost season based on the upcoming schedule, but you could also argue that a supplemented Chiefs roster could take down any opponent in football.
Davenport noted that this franchise “shouldn’t be reluctant to part with draft picks” and there are two ways to look at this theory.
The first is that Kansas City has a championship window with the way their roster is constructed. You could argue that this window is closing and 2021 could be one of the best opportunities to win a second Super Bowl under Andy Reid and this core.
Superstar playmaker Tyreek Hill is approaching a contract extension. Team leader Tyrann Mathieu is a free agent in 2022, as well as key contributors like Orlando Brown, Derrick Nnadi, Charvarius Ward and Darrel Williams. And who knows how many years Reid has left in the tank.
The other argument is that the Chiefs are better off taking a year off from playoff contention, in an attempt to retool and give themselves a weaker schedule in 2022. In this scenario, you’d save the draft picks and use them to get younger next offseason. You might even consider selling at the deadline, but it’s unlikely the front office does.
It’s a difficult choice for Veach and so far, he’s yet to commit one way or the other. The next seven days should give Chiefs fans the answer they’ve been waiting for.