Kansas City Chiefs mock draft: Adding new starters on defense

The Kansas City Chiefs could look to replace Tyreek Hill in the 2022 NFL Draft, but they have other needs and a ton of draft capital.

The AFC West has officially become the toughest division on paper. However, the kings are still the Kansas City Chiefs. In case you forgot, the Chiefs were a play or two away from making yet another Super Bowl appearance.

And, they are two years removed from a Super Bowl appearance where the offensive line and lack of draft capital was an issue, not anymore. The Chiefs hold 12 picks in the 2022 NFL Draft—six are inside the top 100.

How will the Kansas City Chiefs replace Tyreek Hill? That’s a question plaguing the Chiefs since they traded the three-time All-Pro to the Miami Dolphins. Hill’s trade netted five draft picks: No. 29, No. 50, and No. 151 in the 2022 NFL Draft, along with a fourth and sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Will that draft capital the Chiefs should take a wide receiver at some point? Some may argue that they don’t have to. After all, this is a team game and a quarterback’s league—the Chiefs have the best in the business, Patrick Mahomes.

Free agency saw the Chiefs add pieces that will undoubtedly help them on offense with wideouts Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Juju Smith Schuster and running back Ronald Jones.

Defensively, they opted to let Tyrann Mathieu walk in favor of Justin Reid. Still, the Chiefs have holes they need to fill. Historically, Andy Reid isn’t afraid to lean on rookies, and there are some impact players primed to help the Chiefs.