After allowing just 17.9 points per game last season, third-best in the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs have plenty of strengths on the defensive side of the ball, but free agency threatens to strip them of much of their talent with Eric Berry, Tamba Hali, Sean Smith, Derrick Johnson, Jaye Howard, Mike DeVito, Husain Abdullah, and Tyvon Branch on expiring contracts.
The Kansas City Chiefs are a team built on controlling the ball on offense and shutting down opposing passing attacks, as they have one of the best pass defenses in the league. In Justin Houston and Tamba Hali, they have one of the best 3-4 OLB duos in the NFL, Marcus Peters and Sean Smith form a top-notch cornerback tandem, you won’t find a better safety than Eric Berry, and the Chiefs finished 2015 fourth in the NFL in net yards per pass attempt allowed with 22 interceptions (second in the league).
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Though the players at more glamorous positions like outside linebacker, free safety, and cornerback grab the headlines, you can’t forget that Kansas City is blessed with one of the NFL’s best three-man fronts. Dontari Poe, Allen Bailey, Jaye Howard, and Mike DeVito are all solid players in this league, and all of them but Poe are among the league’s most underrated defensive linemen (because Poe gets enough credit).
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Unfortunately for the Chiefs, both DeVito and Howard are set to hit the open market, and Poe will be on an expiring contract after this offseason ends. The Chiefs have to start thinking about the future of their defensive line, and it could become such a big need that it would be worth addressing in the first round of the draft.
Many believe the Chiefs will look to add to an offense that was just 27th in yardage last season by drafting a wide receiver like Corey Coleman or even an offensive lineman like Jack Conklin, but I think a defensive lineman could be just as likely. The Chiefs have more than enough talent on that side of the ball to overcome the potential losses of both Howard and DeVito, especially since you can’t forget that Bailey and Poe will be returning, but we all know just how much disruptive defensive linemen can change a ballgame.
Previously, Sheldon Rankins looked like an incredibly attractive option for the Chiefs at pick No. 27, but he’s rising up draft boards so quickly that it’s more likely for him to hear his name called in the top 20, perhaps as early as No. 12 to the defensively-challenged New Orleans Saints.
In any case, even if Rankins is off the board by the time the Chiefs are on the clock, they should have plenty of other talented options to choose from. It’s hard to replace a big beast like Howard, and losing DeVito on top of him would really put a dent in the Chiefs defensive line, particularly hurting their ability to stop the run.
However, Vernon Butler is someone who could make plenty of sense if Rankins is gone, and Jarran Reed is another option worth exploring, since the Chiefs seem to like beefy run defenders.
After all, each of their four best DLs base their games on stuffing the run, and the best of them, Howard, must be replaced, preferably with a young and cheap talent.
Since Hali’s future with the team is a bit uncertain and since the Chiefs could stand to diversify up front, I’d love to see them land someone who is equally effective at playing the run and pass from the 3-4 defensive end spot.
It’s why I view Rankins as a dream pick for Kansas City, though adding a player with Billings’s tools and motor wouldn’t be a bad option either. Kenny Clark could be an option, but I’d prefer him as a 4-3 DT and view Reed as a better fit for what the Chiefs need.
It’s hard to say that the Chiefs have a pressing need at this stage of the offseason, because they have so many questions to answer due to the magnitude of talent in their unrestricted free agent pool that we have to play the “wait-and-see” game here.
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But if things shake out the way some expect, the Chiefs could end up with a hole up front, and the top player available on their board at No. 27 could very well be a defensive end.