Draft Needs & Strategy

[RedinTexas]

As I see it, the #1 need in the draft is WR. That isn't to say that we must take a WR with our #1 pick, but that this is the #1 priority. I would put OT as the #2 need and maybe CB as #3. I don't know if we have a DB on the team that is ready to step up and replace Sneed, but I'm sure Spags and Veach have discussed this. Anyone have any thoughts on that?

I bring this up because everyone just seems to assume our draft needs, but we probably have different opinions on how big of a concern each need is. The answers are important because they go a long way toward determining draft strategy and how to handle it when the draft actually plays out.

Finally, our GM has shown talent for picking in the later rounds. Trading up means giving up picks that our GM might be able to turn into draft diamonds. It's like having Mahomes and running a run-oriented offense. You have to play to your strengths, and with Veach our late picks are valuable to us.

[Dunerdr]

I think the number 1 want is WR but the number one need is LT. Hollywood and Rice are leagues better than Morris/Prince Tega or whatever is slated to start there. It's just not as sexy and much harder to hit on in the draft. With Mahomes I'd lock in a LTOF and then give the Steelers 2nd round WR drafting a try honestly. You may never have Jamaar Chase but having Juju, Claypools and Pickens on rookie contracts is valuable.

[RedinTexas]

Originally Posted by Dunerdr

I think the number 1 want is WR but the number one need is LT. Hollywood and Rice are leagues better than Morris/Prince Tega or whatever is slated to start there. It's just not as sexy and much harder to hit on in the draft. With Mahomes I'd lock in a LTOF and then give the Steelers 2nd round WR drafting a try honestly. You may never have Jamaar Chase but having Juju, Claypools and Pickens on rookie contracts is valuable.

So if you want LT with the #1 pick, who do you want? Does it bother you that the OTs with any chance to fall to us at #32, Mims and Guyton, played RT in college, but we're wanting them for LT? What do you do if there is a run on the OTs all the way through Mims and Guyton? Do you reach for someone like Morgan or Suamataia? Do you trade down to a lower pick hoping one will still be available? Or do you adapt to the situation and change your strategy on what position you're going to take first?

[Dunerdr]

Originally Posted by RedinTexas

So if you want LT with the #1 pick, who do you want? Does it bother you that the OTs with any chance to fall to us at #32, Mims and Guyton, played RT in college, but we're wanting them for LT? What do you do if there is a run on the OTs all the way through Mims and Guyton? Do you reach for someone like Morgan or Suamataia? Do you trade down to a lower pick hoping one will still be available? Or do you adapt to the situation and change your strategy on what position you're going to take first?

Like everything it’s about how the draft falls and your big board. Ideally one of them falls into the early 20s. Realistically we won’t have a chance and you take best player available at a position of need. Obviously I don’t mean LT round 1 no matter what. But it needs to be addressed unless they see a lot more in Morris that I have so far (and I’m a bit of a Morris defender).

[kccrow]

This has been discussed quite a bit. It's 1. LT 2. WR for me in terms of "fix it now" needs. Needs for the immediate future are TE, IOL, DT, LB, and RB.

The question is whether or not an LT prospect who is much further along in development than Wanya Morris will present itself.

You also probably aren't adequately fixing both in one offseason.

The issue I see with a lot of projections for the Chiefs is that we're being force-fed RT prospects as LT prospects. And hey, maybe I'm the wrong one. That's certainly a thing.

For me, when you get past Alt, Fashanu, and Fautanu the pickings get slim quickly. I really like Mims, Guyton, Fuaga, Latham, Suamataia, and Fisher... as RTs. I don't know if any of that lot can actually play LT in the NFL. I'd give Suamataia the highest probability.

Then you have the anomaly that is Jordan Morgan. I like everything about him but his arm length is a major concern. It's a concern because controlling speed and keeping hands off of him is going to be really difficult in the NFL on an island.

If a LT in those top 3 fall, I think you make the move. If a WR in the top 4 falls, I think you make that move. I think about them in that order and I think 16 is your cap on moving because higher starts costing too much. I would hate to see Veach use future 1s or 2s to make a move and if he does I think it has to be for a LT and LT only.

Ideally, the secondary goal should be to plug as many holes in the roster as possible before they become holes. Getting ahead of losing Kelce, Smith, Bolton, and most of the DTs are things I'd look hard at trying to do. Some of that could be affected by a trade-up, especially if it's for a LT because you certainly still need to entertain WR.

My 10 cents.

[RedinTexas]

Originally Posted by kccrow

This has been discussed quite a bit. It's 1. LT 2. WR for me in terms of "fix it now" needs. Needs for the immediate future are TE, IOL, DT, LB, and RB.

The question is whether or not an LT prospect who is much further along in development than Wanya Morris will present itself.

You also probably aren't adequately fixing both in one offseason.

The issue I see with a lot of projections for the Chiefs is that we're being force-fed RT prospects as LT prospects. And hey, maybe I'm the wrong one. That's certainly a thing.

For me, when you get past Alt, Fashanu, and Fautanu the pickings get slim quickly. I really like Mims, Guyton, Fuaga, Latham, Suamataia, and Fisher... as RTs. I don't know if any of that lot can actually play LT in the NFL. I'd give Suamataia the highest probability.

Then you have the anomaly that is Jordan Morgan. I like everything about him but his arm length is a major concern. It's a concern because controlling speed and keeping hands off of him is going to be really difficult in the NFL on an island.

If a LT in those top 3 fall, I think you make the move. If a WR in the top 4 falls, I think you make that move. I think about them in that order and I think 16 is your cap on moving because higher starts costing too much. I would hate to see Veach use future 1s or 2s to make a move and if he does I think it has to be for a LT and LT only.

Ideally, the secondary goal should be to plug as many holes in the roster as possible before they become holes. Getting ahead of losing Kelce, Smith, Bolton, and most of the DTs are things I'd look hard at trying to do. Some of that could be affected by a trade-up, especially if it's for a LT because you certainly still need to entertain WR.

My 10 cents.

I agree that I start to balk at the idea of trading future 1s and 2s, but I also look at the fact that we're trying to do something historic this year in our attempt at a 3rd straight Super Bowl win. If that goal is realistic we can justify mortgaging next year's draft on a limited basis, but then we'd be a bit behind the 8-ball next year whether we win the Super Bowl next year or not.

[Dunerdr]

Part of me wants to take a swing on bekton and try out that early round 1 upside and part of me believes it’ll never work. But if it did you erase a future need and ink him for a few years. Then you have the option of trying out these RTs and hope one can eventually work on the left or just replace Taylor on the right.

[Dante84]

I do find it interesting that we haven't signed Smith at LT yet.

Typically Veach doesn't like to go into a draft with a wide open hole at a spot, and that's what we have at LT currently.

You might argue we addressed the WR hole with the Brown signing, but that's only a 1-year deal and obviously the pending Rice suspension is out there.

I would expect us to get Smith signed to a 1 year deal here in the coming days, but we shall see.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by Dante84

I do find it interesting that we haven't signed Smith at LT yet.

Typically Veach doesn't like to go into a draft with a wide open hole at a spot, and that's what we have at LT currently.

You might argue we addressed the WR hole with the Brown signing, but that's only a 1-year deal and obviously the pending Rice suspension is out there.

I would expect us to get Smith signed to a 1 year deal here in the coming days, but we shall see.

We did last year. All we had at OT was Taylor.

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by kccrow

This has been discussed quite a bit. It's 1. LT 2. WR for me in terms of "fix it now" needs. Needs for the immediate future are TE, IOL, DT, LB, and RB.

The question is whether or not an LT prospect who is much further along in development than Wanya Morris will present itself.

You also probably aren't adequately fixing both in one offseason.

The issue I see with a lot of projections for the Chiefs is that we're being force-fed RT prospects as LT prospects. And hey, maybe I'm the wrong one. That's certainly a thing.

For me, when you get past Alt, Fashanu, and Fautanu the pickings get slim quickly. I really like Mims, Guyton, Fuaga, Latham, Suamataia, and Fisher... as RTs. I don't know if any of that lot can actually play LT in the NFL. I'd give Suamataia the highest probability.

Then you have the anomaly that is Jordan Morgan. I like everything about him but his arm length is a major concern. It's a concern because controlling speed and keeping hands off of him is going to be really difficult in the NFL on an island.

If a LT in those top 3 fall, I think you make the move. If a WR in the top 4 falls, I think you make that move. I think about them in that order and I think 16 is your cap on moving because higher starts costing too much. I would hate to see Veach use future 1s or 2s to make a move and if he does I think it has to be for a LT and LT only.

Ideally, the secondary goal should be to plug as many holes in the roster as possible before they become holes. Getting ahead of losing Kelce, Smith, Bolton, and most of the DTs are things I'd look hard at trying to do. Some of that could be affected by a trade-up, especially if it's for a LT because you certainly still need to entertain WR.

My 10 cents.

With regard to LT, I really think Fisher from ND is the potential answer. I know it was only 2 games his freshman year, but he looked decent at LT before his injury and then was a good RT for years. Here is the link to him playing LT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRQldWixs3U

[Dante84]

Originally Posted by The Franchise

We did last year. All we had at OT was Taylor.

Yeah but at that time it was believed Taylor would be our LT, no? And we thought maybe Niang was slotted for RT, so, while not awesome, it wasn't as big a hole as imagined and could be filled in the early/mid rounds.

This year its Morris and no one heading into the draft (so far) at LT.

[Balto]

Rams get:
#32
#64
2025 1st
2025 3rd(Chiefs)

Chiefs get:
#19
#52
Kupp


At #19 Veach can take the best OT on the board. Veach also gets Kupp on a 3 year deal that will only cost us about $20M a year! Then to make the math work and give Kupp a lower 2nd round pick value(See Diggs trade for Marketplace value atm) we swap our late 2nd(#64) with Rams #52.


Gets our tackle, elite WR at a great price with low risk AND an earlier 2nd rounder to grab another WR or OL or even just BPA.

[Dunerdr]

Originally Posted by Balto

Rams get:
#32
#64
2025 1st
2025 3rd(Chiefs)

Chiefs get:
#19
#52
Kupp


At #19 Veach can take the best OT on the board. Veach also gets Kupp on a 3 year deal that will only cost us about $20M a year! Then to make the math work and give Kupp a lower 2nd round pick value(See Diggs trade for Marketplace value atm) we swap our late 2nd(#64) with Rams #52.


Gets our tackle, elite WR at a great price with low risk AND an earlier 2nd rounder to grab another WR or OL or even just BPA.

This is like crack cocaine for you isn’t it?

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by Dunerdr

I think the number 1 want is WR but the number one need is LT. Hollywood and Rice are leagues better than Morris/Prince Tega or whatever is slated to start there. It's just not as sexy and much harder to hit on in the draft. With Mahomes I'd lock in a LTOF and then give the Steelers 2nd round WR drafting a try honestly. You may never have Jamaar Chase but having Juju, Claypools and Pickens on rookie contracts is valuable.

Well, we may well be starting the season with Hollywood and...Skyy Moore and Toney. Rice is almost certainly getting a suspension, and I bet the league uses this to make an example of how tough they are. I'm not sure he plays at all in 2024.

[RedinTexas]

In running the mock drafts one thing that I've noticed is that we tend to get pretty good players falling to us when Bo Nix and/or Michael Penix are taken in the first round. The site that I've been using ranks them at around #31-#32. Minnesota is really looking for a QB and I'm sure they're working hard to trade up, so if they're unsuccessful in that pursuit, they might entertain trading down with us. We'd get the #23 pick and they'd get the #32 pick + other compensation.

Miami might be another that would consider trading down. They only have 6 picks in the draft and they supposedly need IOL, NT, and DL. They're currently at #21.