Welcome back to the Arrowhead Pride Mailbag! Throughout the offseason, watch for your opportunity to submit your Kansas City Chiefs questions in The Feed, which is found on AP’s home page.
With the team’s mandatory minicamp in the rear-view, we won’t see the Chiefs again until they hit Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph for training camp late in July. Let’s see what’s on readers’ minds.
Reidy4Mahomes asks:
Can the running backs help enough in the passing game to offset not having a true star at pass catcher?
The short answer is that the running backs had better be a boost to the passing game. The Chiefs need an immediate return on their investment in the run game — and that is not only considering a lucrative contract for Kenneth Walker and trading up the draft’s third day for Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson.
The Chiefs also brought in experienced run-game voices to the offensive coaching staff, with returning coordinator Eric Bieniemy and new running backs coach DeMarco Murray. For the investment the Chiefs have made in their athletic interior offensive line trio, we also need to see backs going for large gains on screen plays.
Walker has repeatedly said in interviews since joining the Chiefs that he expects to be used more in the passing game in Kansas City than he was in Seattle.
Most would consider 2022 to be the last great year for Kansas City’s offense. In that season, the team’s top three running backs combined for 793 receiving yards. Even more production in the passing game from running backs is probably needed this season for the offense to truly rebound. As quarterback Patrick Mahomes recovers, we will also need to see the backs stepping up in pass protection immediately.
KCKatt asks:
Are we brutally thin at safety and linebacker?
It is hard to make definitive predictions about the two most tackling-focused positions in non-contact practices, but I think there are encouraging signs for both.
I think the Chiefs adding Alohi Gillman’s coverage skills is flying under the radar as an important signing. Third-year pro Jaden Hicks — despite sporting a yellow practice jersey — appeared to be having a strong offseason per media present for the open looks at practice.
Most importantly for the position, the Chiefs have added multiple slot corner candidates, meaning Chamarri Conner appears set to focus only on playing safety.
Linebacker depth depends on whether second-year pro Jeffrey Bassa sees more of the field on defense. Ultimately, the Chiefs must replace a very important role left by departing Leo Chenal, but the SAM linebacker position rarely yields a high snap count. The Chiefs appear to have shifted second-year man Ethan Downs’ position from defensive end to linebacker. Downs will presumably compete with Cooper McDonald to replace Chenal.
Biggjliv4 asks:
Any positive takeaways regarding second year wide receiver Jalen Royals?
Royals drew a shoutout from team reporter Matt McMullen on the second day of minicamp. Other accounts from observers have noted some big plays while not necessarily seeing Royals having a high target share from Mahomes or backup Justin Fields.
Kansas City’s beat writers appear unanimous that Xavier Worthy was the top receiver in the offseason program. Rookie Cyrus Allen also clearly brings a different skillset to the room and appears advanced for a Day Three draft pick. Royals’ abilities may also not perfectly set what the rehabbing Mahomes is able to do at this point in his recovery. Fields and rookie quarterback Garrett Nussmeier are also just now learning the offense and may not be in a position to deliver highlight-reel moments in practice.
Royals appear to be doing everything you would want for him to improve on an unproductive rookie year. If he develops into an NFL regular, he will need to show tackle-breaking abilities and potential to deliver yards after the catch. OTAs and minicamp probably aren’t the best times to draw conclusions about him.
SBLIV. asks:
Do any of the tight ends look good? I haven’t heard much about them so far. I’m worried if 36 yr. old Travis Kelce gets injured then what? Noah Gray didn’t exactly look very good last year.
You can put me down as officially worried about tight end depth. It is probably no coincidence that almost nothing was mentioned about the position in reports from the offseason workouts. The Chiefs may also be less than thrilled with the room. The team had two street free-agent tryout tight ends at minicamp: Mason Pline and Kenny Yeboah. Yeboah has since signed with the Arizona Cardinals.
The Chiefs have continually passed on chances to build depth behind Kelce, and it has shown on the field.
Tight end may actually be the position most likely to see an addition before camp (and Kansas City does currently have an open spot on the offseason roster after trading tackle Wanya Morris last week). Younger depth players like Jake Briningstool and John Michael Gyllenborg appear to have battled injuries this spring — a development possibly related to the Chiefs bringing in tryouts.
The position does boast two of the better remaining veteran free agents in Jonnu Smith and Will Dissly. In theory, the Chiefs could help pay for an option like Smith or Dissly by moving off of (or reducing) Gray’s non-guaranteed $4.7 million base salary.
The trade market is worth monitoring at tight end as well. 22 tight ends were drafted in April, including nine in the first three rounds. Now that teams have seen the new additions in squad workouts, expect some of those same teams to move on from veterans before camp.
AZDiamond75 asks:
Does any of this really matter until the pads come on?
Seeing Patrick Mahomes doing some work on the field already hits the main goal of this offseason. I tend to be one who doesn’t make strong conclusions until the ramp-up period at camp is over and the pads come on. This is especially true for this year’s Chiefs, since so much of their potential for improvement hinges on the run game and reinforcements at defensive tackle.
Unfortunately, the combination of Kansas City scheduling the offseason program to end early because of the World Cup and the overall late start to this NFL season means it will be a long time until the old crowd like us can say, “Wait until the pads come on!”
Thank you for reading this week’s Arrowhead Pride Mailbag! We will be back at the start of training camp late next month with more of your thoughts. Keep watching The Feed for an opportunity to ask your questions.
