The Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in an unlikely position as the NFL draft nears — needing to replenish after a non-playoff season while Patrick Mahomes faces an uncertain future.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport identified the teams facing the most pressure to nail the upcoming draft, warning that the Chiefs will need to quickly rebuild. He also warned that the uncertainty of Mahomes’ injury and rehab has cast a cloud over the team’s offseason, which in turn creates even more pressure to do well in the draft.
Chiefs Must Rapidly Rebuild Around Patrick Mahomes
Davenport noted that the Chiefs have faced some of the least pressure in recent years, with playoff appearances a given and trips to at least the AFC Championship game a standard.
“But last year, everything unraveled,” Davenport wrote. “The close games the Chiefs won in recent years turned into defeats. Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL. When the dust settled, the Chiefs were 6-11—their worst season since 2012.”
The uncertainty is rising as this week’s NFL draft nears, with questions about Mahomes dominating the offseason and needs popping up across the roster.
“Now the Chiefs head to Pittsburgh under a cloud of uncertainty,” Davenport wrote. “There’s the health of Mahomes. A secondary that was ravaged by personnel losses in free agency and the trade that sent cornerback Trent McDuffie to Los Angeles. And an offense that has struggled to move the ball vertically the past couple of years.”
The Chiefs do have some unusually high assets to work with, including the No. 9 overall pick and another first-rounder (No. 29) that they earned in the Trent McDuffie trade.
“With four picks in the top-75 (and three in the top-40), the Chiefs are well-positioned to make significant additions in the draft,” Davenport wrote. “That’s a good thing—because this is a team that will be expected to make a rapid return to prominence.”
Chiefs Predicted to Add Offensive Firepower
The Chiefs are expected to immediately replenish the offense in this week’s draft, with several mock drafts predicting they will select wide receiver Jordan Tyson with the No. 9 overall pick. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. noted that he could be an important asset for Mahomes.
“We can’t ignore Tyson’s durability concerns, considering he missed a third of his possible college games because of injuries, but we also can’t ignore his fantastic skill set when he is on the field,” Kiper wrote. “He makes tough catches in traffic and had 711 yards last season. I’m already picturing Mahomes buying time in the pocket and firing 50-50 balls to Tyson in the end zone.”
The Ringer’s Todd McShay suggested that Tyson could be a steal for the Chiefs at No. 9, despite the injury concerns that Kiper mentioned. Tyson seems like a perfect fit for Kansas City’s offense, the analyst added.
“A healthy Tyson is arguably the best wide receiver in the class. He’s a 6-foot-2-plus target who consistently separates and is a reliable option (1.6 percent drop rate last season), traits that Mahomes desperately needs at the position.”
Chiefs Face Patrick Mahomes Warning as NFL Draft Approaches