Chiefs eye defensive linemen, receivers this offseason
Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach watched helplessly as his star quarterback spent most of Super Bowl LV running from ravenous Buccaneers and trying to avoid being pinned to the Tampa Bay turf.
It was only in the offseason when Veach could regain some semblance of control — he splurged on five new offensive linemen ahead of the 2021 campaign, and it worked — the Chiefs finished with the NFL’s fifth-best O-line, per PFF.
Now, after watching Kansas City sack Joe Burrow just once in its AFC Championship game defeat, Veach has unsurprisingly focused his attention in recent weeks towards a revamped defensive line.
"(The) defensive line probably makes the most sense," Veach said. "Through the defensive backfield and what have you. I think the defensive side is one that we’ll probably focus on right off the bat."
The Chiefs’ spring cleaning is also prompted by a number of linemen entering free agency. Tackles Jarran Reed and Derrick Nnadi both wrapped up the final season of their contracts in 2021, and Melvin Ingram, the sixth-best available edge rusher this offseason per PFF, becomes a free agent on March 16.
Minnesota’s Boye Mafe and Purdue’s George Karlaftis are both edge rushers who have been attached to the Chiefs in several mock drafts, demonstrating Kansas City’s desperate need for improved pass rushing in 2022. A number of the NFL’s elite edge rushers and defensive linemen have also been linked with a move to Arrowhead this offseason, including Packers edge Za’Darius Smith.
Kansas City also projects to fill its long-standing hole at WR2 left by the departure of Sammy Watkins after the 2020 season. FOX Sports Betting Analyst Jason McIntyre projects the Chiefs to target Ohio State's Chris Olave, whom McIntyre calls "the premier route runner in college football," with their first-round pick.
Veach also directly highlighted Odell Beckham’s role in leading the Los Angeles Rams to a championship, and high-profile players like Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster and Christian Kirk have expressed interest in playing for in K.C.
Chiefs tight end coach Tom Melvin attended the NFL combine and helped coordinate workouts this week, one of just two Kansas City coaches to attend the event and potentially speaking to the team’s need for a TE. Two K.C. tight ends, Jody Fortson and Blake Bell, are entering free agency this offseason, and the franchise may look in another direction for Travis Kelce’s backup.
Ahead of a pivotal offseason for Kansas City with key positions shrouded in question marks, coach Andy Reid has placed his full confidence in Veach to help the Chiefs reload for another championship charge in 2022
"I know Brett Veach stays on top of his game with that and is aware of all the different things that take place in an offseason, with free agency, with your own team, in the field and the draft. Right now, things don’t seem great because of the loss, but I think the future here is still bright."