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Kansas City Chiefs: Jamaal Charles knows the biggest need

By Kevin Parvizi

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The Kansas City Chiefs addressed the wide receiver position in a big way this offseason by giving Jeremy Maclin a huge contract in order to coax him away from the Philadelphia Eagles, who really wanted Maclin back after he was the team’s best player on either side of the ball last season. Maclin will join the team as a better No. 1 receiver than Dwayne Bowe, and Alex Smith will also have someone who could easily turn into the NFL’s third-best TE next season.

That said, the Chiefs have almost nothing on the wide receiver depth chart after Maclin, so many people have understandably mocked top receivers to the Chiefs. Whether it’s Breshad Perriman or Devin Funchess, a top receiver could easily be in play for the Chiefs in the first round of the draft, and there should be no shortage of options due to the depth of the position in this year’s draft.

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But even before the Chiefs replaced Bowe with the significantly more talented Maclin, I had offensive line as the team’s biggest need. So when superstar running back Jamaal Charles told the Associated Press that he “definitely” wants the organization to draft an offensive lineman, I nodded my head in emphatic agreement with the strong statement from one of the NFL’s premier playmakers.

While Kelce and Maclin are two excellent pass-catchers and adding someone like Perriman could bring a new dimension to this offense, the Chiefs are ultimately more of a ball-control team with an accurate quarterback at the helm whose strength is hitting short timing routes as opposed to winning downfield or with a high volume of passes. I like Smith and he could post big numbers with a speedy guy like Perriman who can generate big YAC, and he’s also better than most quarterbacks at dealing with pressure due to his accuracy and ability to take care of the football.

But do you know who the Chiefs best player on offense is? Of course you do. Of course it’s Jamaal Charles. And do you really want him to run behind a line that has Donald Stephenson at right tackle and other question marks? Do you really trust Eric Fisher 100%? Fisher made quiet improvements last year, but the Chiefs still desperately need a better tackle than Stephenson anyway.

Losing Hudson will really hurt the Chiefs up the middle, but, on the bright side, the interior should be much better than it was last year with Jeff Allen healthy and Ben Grubbs acquired via trade. Grubbs will almost certainly bounce back after his unforeseeable down year made him part of the problem on the New Orleans Saint disappointing offense last season.

While the Chiefs have two legitimate difference-makers in the passing game in Maclin and Kelce with YAC guy De’Anthony Thomas helping out, the problem is that the Chiefs don’t have a sure-fire standout on the offensive line. Allen and Grubbs should comprise a solid guard duo, but that’s honestly it. There’s still hope for Fisher and Kush has promise, but, again, it’s not a line that is built for success with Charles in the backfield.

The Kansas City Chiefs could use another cornerback and inside linebacker who can be a downhill run-stuffer, but their two biggest positions of need are clearly wide receiver and offensive tackle. The problem is that it’s a lot easier to find a WR who can make an impact as a No. 2 guy after the first round of the draft than it is to find a starting tackle.

Dec 14, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) returns to the huddle after a play during the first half against the Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 31-13. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

What I can tell you is that an all-around workhorse back with Charles’s ability deserves a better line to work with. Although the likes of Dorial Green-Beckham and Kevin Johnson sound enticing enough and wouldn’t be bad picks for the Chiefs in the first round, OL is their biggest need.

If they feel the best CB or best WR on the board is better than the best OT, then I’m OK with them passing on the line help, but it doesn’t change the fact that they need an OT more.

After all, this is a guy who once averaged 6.4 yards per carry in a season and then put up 1,500 yards two years later as an MVP candidate.

Charles’s resume speaks for itself, and you’d think that a team built with a strong defense and a game managing QB would be more inclined to build a line that allows its elite back to help this team play to its strength as more of a ball-control team.

Last season, Charles averaged five yards per carry despite poor play from the likes of Zach Fulton and Mike McGlynn, and while the Chiefs have a much better guard duo in place, it would be wise to try and pluck a tackle first.

Not only would it help Charles out, but it would also help a passing game that now has a legit No. 1 guy in Maclin.

Although the Chiefs shouldn’t reach for a tackle, it would be ideal for them to prioritize the position in the first before nabbing a No. 2-quality receiver and another player at the position later on in the draft. Smith is a league-average QB at worst, but he needs more help, and I think an OT would give him the most help right now.

Next: Chiefs: An OL for each round

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