Mock (12/16)

[Direckshun]

Assumptions:

1. The Chiefs go 9-7 and miss the playoffs. All staff is retained.

2. S Eric Berry retires.

3. OLB Justin Houston is franchised.

5. The Chiefs re-sign C Rodney Hudson 4 years, $20m ($6m guaranteed), S Ron Parker 3 years, $6m ($500k guaranteed).

6. The Chiefs cut: QB Chase Daniel, WR Donnie Avery, WR AJ Jenkins, TE Anthony Fasano, OT Donald Stephenson, DE Mike DeVito, OLB Tamba Hali, CB Marcus Cooper

7. OLB Josh Martin is tendered.

8. The following players walk in free agency: RB Joe McKnight, WR Junior Hemingway, WR Frankie Hammond, TE Richard Gordon, OT Ryan Harris, OG Jeff Linkenbach, OG Mike McGlynn, DE Kevin Vickerson, CB Chris Owens, S Kelcie McCray

9. The Chiefs re-sign the following players for minimal deals: WR Jason Avant, TE Demetrius Harris, ILB Josh Mauga, S Kurt Coleman, LS Thomas Gafford

10. The Chiefs sign the following free agents: WR Jermaine Kearse (Seahawks) 3 years, $9m ($2m guaranteed), NT Johnny Jolly (Packers), 2 years, $4m.

11. Compensatory picks: 3rd, 5th, 5th, 7th

On with the show:



1.20. OT La'el Collins, LSU

The Chiefs need to make major investments at their OL position above all else at this point. Their starting rotation of Smith, Gaines, and Fleming are about league average at this point, with tons of learning strides still ahead of them. At WR, a foursome of Bowe, Kearse, Avant and Thomas with Wilson on the wings is plenty strong. The OL, meanwhile, is about to see a major exodus for the 2nd time in two years. McGlynn, Harris, and Linkenbach all walk, and the team cuts a despondent Donald Stephenson on top of that.

The Chiefs are bringing back Jeff Allen, which will be a huge coup for this team. Allen is a league-average guard, which is a massive upgrade over McGlynn, and he can play both tackle positions if he needs to. The Chiefs will almost certainly give Fulton another year at RG, but that RT remains a puzzle the team hasn't solved since Stephenson played well down the stretch of 2013.

Enter the 1st round draft pick. Not only do both Reid and Dorsey love making investments at offensive line, but Collins offers positional flexibility and the mother****ing mauling intensity this team desperately needs anywhere it can get it on this line.

2.52. OLB Markus Golden, Missouri

Missouri has sneakily turned into the best passrushing factory in college football the past half-decade, and it'll continue this year with two players projected to go in the top 2 rounds this year. Golden falls a few picks to the Chiefs in round 2, as the Chiefs make a heavy investment designed to hedge their bets against Dee Ford. The Chiefs need more presence to make up for the cut Tamba Hali.

3.84. CB Ronald Darby, Florida State

If Darby is available in the 3rd, it's a no brainer -- I don't care if you've already taken a CB earlier. He's such a promising talent in the vein of exactly what the Chiefs like with Gaines and Fleming. A tall-ish CB who can play tight and anticipate routes. Darby is a lot smarter than both Gaines and Fleming, and will push to start right away. Fortunately, the Chiefs don't need him to.

3.98. WR Tyler Lockett, Kansas State

There is so much receiving talent in this draft it is ****ing ridiculous. The Chiefs take an excellent playmaker in the Jermaine Kearse mold.

4.120. ILB Ramik Wilson, Georgia

Derrick Johnson and Josh Mauga are both back from last year. They've also brought back Joe Mays, and time will tell on all three of those players. Wilson is a continued investment at a questionable position.

5.160. OT Corey Robinson, South Carolina

I think Robinson is going to fall like a rock in the draft. He is too big for one (6'8", 345 lbs) and will need to get slimmer, and make a ton of technique work. But the natural ability and mauling power is there.

5.174. TE E.J. Bibbs, Iowa State

We all know the Chiefs like Bibbs. Just put him on the roster and get it over with.

5.176. K Kyle Brindza, Notre Dame

Drafted him a few times, I'll probably draft him a few times more. Right now he's my favorite kicker in college football.

6.196. CB Eric Rowe, Utah

7.235. S Justin Cox, Mississippi State

7.254. NT Jeffrey Whitaker, Auburn

[Direckshun]

QB: Smith, Murray, Bray
RB: Charles, Davis, Thomas, Gray
FB: Sherman

WR: Bowe, Kearse, Lockett, Avant, Thomas, Wilson
TE: Kelce, Harris, Bibbs

LT: Fisher, Allen
LG: Allen, Duvarney-Tardif
C: Hudson, Kush
RG: Fulton, Duvarney-Tardif
RT: Collins, Robinson

DE: Walker, Howard
NT: Poe, Jolly, Whitaker
DE: Bailey, Catapano

OLB: Ford, Golden
ILB: Mays, Mauga
ILB: Johnson, Wilson
OLB: Houston, Martin

CB: Smith, Gaines, Darby, Fleming, Rowe
S: Abdullah, Parker, Coleman, Commings, Cox

K: Brindza
P: Colquitt
LS: Gafford

[kccrow]

Not much I'd really bitch about with this... Its almost what I expect to happen. I worry about Collins ability on the outside at the pro-level and currently see him as more of a guard (a really good one potentially). However, you almost have to try him at RT first and see if he can hack it, because if he can he can destroy people.

I'm really starting to like Sambrailo more out of CSU. I gave him some shit earlier in the season, but he's looking alot more to me like a guy that can play both LT and RT at the pro level.

[Direckshun]

I really like Sambrailo, too. Looking like an excellent year for tackles in the first three rounds.

[kccrow]

Two things...

1. I like Darby for the most part. Are you concerned about his ability against bigger receivers (prevalent in the league) and also his ability to tackle in space?

2. EJ Bibbs is a pretty good tight end in a shallow class, I'm not seeing him making outside of the 4th round and could sneak into the 3rd. Do you think he'll fall that far into the 5th (almost 6th) round? Is it a height issue?

[Direckshun]

I like Darby more as a slot guy, really.

Too early to say on Bibbs. I know the league is favoring more athletic Graham types, so it's possible Bibbs is just a less valued TE by most teams.