Really good point here with DE. Im also curious to see if BJ Thompson has put on weight and developed at all. BJ seemed like a freak with long arms and athleticism. If they like him at all, it would be neat to see him in pass rushing situations, especially in the preseason. There aren’t a lot of snaps available for edge rushers. I agree with RunKC, and don’t see us taking an edge early.

We also signed Kriston Fulton as a CB and he’s a bit of a project but a former 1st round pick. Plus we got mcduffie, Watson, Williams and Nazeeh made a bunch of mistakes last year but he has talent. Could we take a CB early, yes but it’s definitely not a need, IMHO.

I agree that the DTs present the most appeal but the top tier might be gone but this is a deep draft. And we normally line up a fattie next to Chris Jones and those can be found later. We are really seeking to replace tershawn whartons production and we don’t need to use a first round pick for that. But if one of the top tier guys falls, I can definitely understand taking one of those guys.

Talented RBs can be found later that fit and compliment our current cast of RBs.

For these reasons, I circle back to offensive line. LT is a position of need and value. I think it’s a good year to take the risk on a LT. The value and need line up well with availability, IMO, with conerly and simmons(if he checks out).

Depends on how the board falls. We could also trade down

What if we trade out of our pick and get Simmons at the top of the second round

This is hilarious. Essentially we have concluded that we had average to poor offensive line play. Average to poor running back play. And now poor pocket awareness by our quarterback.

And almost went undefeated.

Somewhere in this mess of disaster must have been a guy holding the team up.

The writing was on the wall all year on this offense. The Chiefs had no business winning the Broncos game the way they played. Toub literally save Andy. The Chiefs should have lost the Raiders game but a weak coach and weak QB made a horrible blunder.

Jaylon Moore will ultimately decide our season. If he’s marginal like Donovan Smith we can win the SB. But God help us if he’s not.

Mahomes started getting better when Hopkins played his first game. That can’t be a coincidence. The offense looked its best when Hollywood came back. That too cannot be ignored.

The Chiefs have sniffed around Isaiah Bond and Jaylin Lane. 2 guys similar to Hollywood that like Worthy can be explosive and get open. I think a guy like that is gonna be drafted as well as a RB.

You are right that they won’t be better as a day 1 starter but that’s why they could be available. Teams like for 1st round picks to contribute immediately. I’m happy to take a guy like Simmons, if he passes the medicals, and hope that he could compete to start by the playoffs. Simmons is more talented than Moore, easily. And you’re right, Conerly will probably take a year to beat out Moore but if Moore goes down, Conerly can handle the speed rush better than Moore right now. Conerly can move. He uses his hands well. Watch him against Abdul carter at penn state and you can tell he can be a long term LT. You’d have to help conerly with strong edge rushers, no doubt. But he can play and could be a long term solution.

As far as Kingsley, we have a hole at LG and a good G makes about $20M per year. That’s good value for a 3rd round pick. We need Kingsley to be successful at G.we are not out on Kingsley at LT. We are just reading what the chiefs brass appears to be signaling in that we need a LG and Kingsley played well against good competition at LG. So, we could use another offensive tackle for competition, depth and development. The question becomes, when do you take a LT prospect? Why not take a LT in the first and fill these other needs later? This LT class is not deep and the dline is deep. RB is deep. Taking a LT i. The first just fits when you look at the whole picture. We don’t need to reach for one but if they think that conerly or Simmons could be a long term answer and they are available around 25 and we can up 6 or 7 spots with some pick swaps and maybe give up a third with getting some later round picks back, I’d make the move. And we saw last year that LT projects like Mims (selected 18, bengals) and Fautanu (selected 20, Steelers) have demonstrated that project LTs with traits are worth a pick around 20. Mims and Fautana don’t even play that much. Those picks weren’t necessarily a big need for those teams but they took them bc of their value. That’s good positional value for us and we have a need. Having a potential LTOTF is that valuable to me and hopefully to the team. Hell, best case scenario is that both the LTOTF and Moore play well and we can trade Moore for picks next year.

Why take a LT early if he's just another project? You yourself said it's not a deep draft for tackles so why would we want to pick AGAINST the flow of the draft? There's going to be some quality interior d-linemen available. Much better players at their position than Conerly. Simmons just isn't realistic.

There's just no reason to hyperfocus on LT. Let the draft come to you, not the other way around.

Where would you have the chiefs draft an offensive tackle? I’m assuming you see that we need OT depth with Kingsley moving to guard. Or do you disagree and think we have plenty of depth on the oline?

I think the draft is going to come to us. Project LTs with traits might be available in the 20s. We’ve seen similar LT projects get taken in the 20s. It’s not a reach. Why would that be against the flow? Again, Mims was taken 18th last year and Fautana was take 20. Do you like those guys more than Simmons or conerly? I’m not saying to hyper focus on LT. I just think the draft could play out in our favor with a small move up.

I wouldn't target a tackle at all. If one drops and makes sense, take him. But I don't think they NEED another LT, especially not another backup. I personally don't buy that Kingsley is done at tackle.

Do you know what the hit rate is for tackles taken between 18-28? Hardly any of them even end up playing LT. A lot of them move to guard. The bulk of the rest never amount to shit.

If you're not picking too 15, you're taking a CHANCE on a tackle. Nothing more. There are so many places on this team that need upgrades. There will be plenty of guys that can contribute right away if they don't get tunnel vision about LT.

And part of the reason I'm against it is just a numbers game. The only realistic option is Conerly.

I wouldn't draft Simmons. That injury isn't one you just recover from and move on. It ruins careers.

Maybe we are saying the same thing? I just think that a left tackle drops to the mid twenties that’s good value. I’m not sure that any of the prospects at 31 make an immediate contribution, except maybe safety, CB, WR or RB. And those aren’t positions of dire need that we can fill later in the draft The elite DTs are probably gone by 31. The chiefs have positioned themselves to take BPA. But I think that the bpa with a small trade up could be a LT. I don’t think that’s desperate at all. And all picks at our range are a chance. Remember Robert gallery? He ended being a pretty good guard. All these picks are a chance and a bulk of them never make it. Look at FAU. You have to take some chances to eventually get a long term left tackle when you are picking late every year. Do you want the chiefs to rely on free agency for premium positions forever? If not, you’re going to have to take some chances.

Again, taking a tackle in the mid-20's or so is going to, more often than not, get you a guard. Maybe a right tackle. The starting left tackles coming from that range are few and far between. It's not good value at all. And trading extra picks to move up would be even worse.

I just don't see the need for another rotational tackle and I'm damned sure not trading up for one.

They don't have a ton of picks, they need to use them wisely. Chasing a LT just wouldn't be wise to me. For all we know, Kingsley is the long-term answer. Or they could take one in the 2nd round. I just don't see Conerly as some can't miss prospect and let's face it, we are talking about Conerly and only Conerly. Thats just not good odds.

30 year old QB with Birmingham Stallions draft pick as your backup LT...Not a good place to be.

Might go to the ship considering we just did with a 32 year old playing out of position at left tackle.

We just differ on how to build a team. I think you’ve got to take chances and draft players with traits in the first round for premium positions when you’re picking at the back of the 1st every year. Your view is going to have us leaning on free agency for offensive tackles. I don’t want to be in the position where we have to sign guys like jawaan Taylor to expensive contracts. I’d rather take a swing and then have to move a player to guard or RT. They get paid a lot too.

And I don’t think Simmons is off the board yet. More work needs to be done on him. Here’s Simmons working out at his pro day. The chiefs have time to evaluate his knee.

https://youtu.be/_EHG-gpa2Ko

https://youtu.be/wvWkp6KAC7w

That's just the thing - Kingsley has ALL the traits. He just doesn't have the skill and technique, at least not yet.

Conerly has skill and technique but doesn't have all the traits you look for in a surefire stud LT. He just doesn't. He's got a very high floor but he doesn't have nearly as much upside.

And no, my view does not lead to relying on free agency. Never have I said " don't take a tackle". I have said repeatedly that this is a bad year for offensive tackles, we don't have a lot of picks, and we shouldn't be trading up for another dart throw, trading up needs to be a bullseye, especially in the first round.

And you will never sell me on Simmons. There's simply no way to know. He can check out medically and still be a much lesser player than he was before. As I said, his particular injury has a history of being a career-killer. I wouldn't take him under any circumstance because you won't know how limited he is until you get him on the field and by then it's too late.

Stay put. Take Conerly at 31. Or take a tackle prospect in round 2 or 3. Just don't waste valuable draft assets chasing a less than ideal player just because he plays LT

Ultimately you trade up for an immediate need you believe you can fill with a scarce prospect available to you now.

If you can fill that need later, you don't trade up. If it doesn't feel the need now, you don't trade up.

Or if you think it's a truly superlative prospect who's fallen for some point, you consider the long-term picture and trade up. But again, 'truly superlative' is rare. It's McDuffie.

It's not Simmons, IMO. Even a healthy Simmons isn't that guy.

And there's not an immediate need nor is there someone that can fill it now. So you don't trade up for Conerly.

You play the board. If that means taking Conerly because he's at the top of your board at 31 -- fine. Or if that means taking a DL and then Ersery or Charles Grant because THEY'RE at the top of your board at the back of 2 -- also fine.

This isn't a situation where you trade up, IMO.

You play it as it lays.

Absolutely all of this.

That's nice. Veach will be trying to trade up. Especially with #66 as extra ammo.

Derrick Harmon feels like such a fit here to me. If he’s in range I’d place betting odds that Veach gets him.

You're missing the point.

NFL left tackles very, VERY rarely drop to the mid-twenties. Almost never. Those guys that DO almost always end up playing RIGHT tackle or guard.

So what do I want to do about Left Tackle?

Keep taking occasional swings on guys with the right traits and maybe you get lucky. Bahktiaris happen every once in a blue moon. But don't reach for one, certainly don't give up multiple high picks to try to get one that more than likely will end up a guard.

If Conerly falls to 31 and they like him, I will understand the pick. If they take an Ersery or a Grant in the second or third, I'll understand that too.

If they figure they have two developmental tackles as it is and stand pat there to get better elsewhere, I'll understand that.

Derrick Harmon is my preference as well if he falls to 31. He would be a fun rotational piece in year one, and a really fun pairing with Jones moving forward...with upside to replace Jones in a few years.

Great player, but I don't understand the infatuation with him as a fit for KC.

he's a 3-tech. We already have THE 3-tech.

So...he gets Wharton's snaps on passing downs?

To ME, the DT we need fit-wise is a true NOSE. Williams, Collins, someone like that.

But that's just me.

How about Nolen?

That’s the downside with picking DT in the 1st. You’re right. The fit we need at DT can be picked later.

Are offensive linemen separated by position for the franchise tag? I am asking because I was thinking about positional value for the draft. It looks like offensive lineman all get the same treatment? Which is interesting and maybe part of the reason that great LT’s are never available via free agency. A top 5 LT is clearly better or more rare than a top 5 G. So, any team would tag a great LT multiple times before letting them walk away in free agency. If you draft a top LT and had to franchise tag them, it’s really cheap comparatively bc G’s and C’s should be cheaper than LTs. The article below is from February of this year.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...n/78551524007/

Quarterback:
Non-exclusive: $41,325,000
Transition: $35,267,000
Running back:
Non-exclusive: $11,951,000
Transition: $9,765,000
Wide receiver:
Non-exclusive: $25,693,000
Transition: $22,523,000
Tight end:
Non-exclusive: $14,241,000
Transition: $12,069,000
Offensive line:
Non-exclusive: $25,156,000
Transition: $22,745,000
Defensive end:
Non-exclusive: $24,727,000
Transition: $20,769,000
Defensive tackle:
Non-exclusive: $23,468,000
Transition: $18,934,000
Linebacker:
Non-exclusive: $27,050,000
Transition: $22,612,000
Cornerback:
Non-exclusive: $20,357,000
Transition: $17,198,000
Safety:
Non-exclusive: $19,626,000
Transition: $15,598,000
Kicker/punter:
Non-exclusive: $6,459,000
Transition: $5,830,000

A small trade up to get Walter Nolen or Kenneth Grant or even Luther Burden or Barron would make more sense than a small trade up for someone with Simmons’ injury concerns or Conerly’s upside questions.

You trade up for dudes you’re convinced are studs at value positions.

If you trade up for guys that have questions - even at value positions - that’s how you completely burn picks.

Everyone here wants the Chiefs to find a good solution for LT. It just may not be available in this draft.

Re: Simmons, the only way I’m comfortable PERSONALLY spending the capital on him is if he falls into the 2nd/3rd round range.

And if he falls there, it’s a pretty clear sign people think the knee is compromised long-term. So you don’t even want him at that point.

He can play both. He has a ton of versatility…and Jones isn’t getting any younger. He’s going to need to be spelled more and more over the next few years and it would be great if that production isn’t lost.

Give me a Tuten sub 4.4 type all day

We already have plenty of grinders, now we need a jet fighter

I like Tuten. I love Harvey. Lots of ways to go in this draft.

Actually they lost that game for 2 reasons.

1) they figured out Mannings calls, and the Donx never changed their signals from the regular season. Omaha didn’t mean anything, was just a added word to confuse.

2) they found if they followed Peyton’s eyes, they would lead them to the ball every time according to the Hawks players.

And that defense was an all time defense. They were llllllllloaded at almost every position.

We can stay at 32 and get a starting DT there.

Some quick questions. Who is this DT? When do they become a starter? Why are the Chiefs picking at 32? Did they get penalized for something?

I'd like to see the Chiefs trade down 5-6 picks and get a team's low round, third round pick. I guess that would be an adequate trade.

Other teams passing on a player may be a signal of what they think the situation is, but they can be mistaken. Everyone was passing on Trey Smith until the Chiefs took him in the 6th. I'm not saying that means we should take Simmons, but we should have our own expert opinions on his potential rather than relying on what other teams seem to think.

Dealing with blood clots and dealing with a repaired patella tendon are two different things.

I’d have no worries about spending a day 3 or day 2 pick on him (since they have an extra day 2). Just not 31 and definitely not trading up from 31.

But that’s me, a guy outside the scene. Maybe the team ends up doing it. Clearly a team that does is comfortable with the risk and the situation.

So, if a team picking in the top 5-10 of Round 2 comes at us with a trade offer to get to 31 so they can nab a Jaxson Dart type, do we take it?

I wouldn't unless it's a significant overpay. Like another 3rd or future 2nd.

Depends on who is left. If there isn’t a DT, Wr, Cb, or DE left who is a clear 1st/last guy at his position in that tier, I could see dropping back 5-8 spots. 40 would be about my max.

Wouldn’t need to be a crazy overpay in that situation.

I wouldn’t trade out of taking Nolen, period, even for a clear overpay.

These are fair.

And looking at the teams picking in the top 10 of the second, it doesn't look like there's a team that is particularly QB needy minus the Titans, and they don't have another pick until the fourth round, so there goes my theory.

But, as always, the draft never goes as anticipated, and there will be guys falling and guys drafted way too early. 31 is a pretty good spot to be in this year, considering the lack of obvious top heavy talent in this draft.

Well Jones has a couple years left at most. If we could get his replacement ahead of time that would be good and Jones often moves to DE so then we could have Harmon and Jones rushing. Collins and Williams are not first round talents either. So we could get one of those too depending on how the draft falls.


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This is really the argument for not taking a LT. Any DT you take at 31 is not necessarily an impact player because of the fit. You’d be stashing a DT to eventually take CJs spot. The nose type of DTs can be picked later.

The view on Simmons here is different from what I’m reading online and seeing in his workouts like his pro day where Simmons is showing that his rehab is on pace to get back to 100%. I don’t see anyone saying that Simmons is a 2nd rounder. Could yall be right and he’s damaged goods? absolutely. That just doesn’t seem to be being leaked to the press anywhere and he seemed to move well at his pro day.

We have another thread where there is a debate on who you have more confidence in Moore at LT or Kingsley at LG and it seems like most people are pretty nervous at both positions. Who’s the backup for Kingsley & Moore if either struggles? That 49ers offense does a lot to protect their LT with the running game and short passes. I feel like we are undervaluing competition and depth across the oline. We are thin.

A DT like Nolen or Grant would be expected to play a lot, immediately. Grant can 1T and had explosiveness to rush the passer, too. Either could play inside next to Jones when KC is in its pass rush package. Wharton played a ton of snaps last year, and either of those guys could slot into those snaps.

It is more than a stash for Jones. It’s a player that would play a lot and add to the pass rush.

I don’t really believe either of those Stats will be there for KC to choose from at 31, though.

Re: Simmons and perception elsewhere, how many people are diving in as deeply as Crow there? How many are looking at the traditional precedents for torn patellar tendons, and what players are/get back to afterwards?

Cadillac Williams, Jerod Mayo, Ryan Williams, Jimmy Graham, Victor Cruz, Morris Claiborne, JC Jackson…

All star level guys who tore their patellar tendon and were not the same afterwards.

I think folks that are hand-waiving Simmons’ ability to make a full recovery are simply not paying attention to the ugly history there.

NFL teams won’t put their heads in the sand on that.

I think people see what they want to see, and ignore what they don't.

Usually.

It's also true that the longer the reach the more likely the fall. Don't reach. Take the BPA unless that's a HB or guard.

I'm not as high on the HB's as most seem to be but I think the upper middle (B+ to C+ range players) is huge this year. Taking a HB from rounds 2-5 should be much more fruitful than most years. Even the lower round talent is deep at HB.

That’s interesting on the history of patellar tendon. I didn’t know that. Nolen won’t be there. I would be tempted to move up for him if he fell. Grant is interesting and I definitely wouldn’t be upset with that. It’s the depth of this dline class would make me want to take another DT in 2nd or third. I see the need and value at LT as enormous. I don’t trust Moore. I think Kingsley will be ok. But I still see oline as our biggest team weakness considering how differently Mahomes plays with a porous oline. I get the argument for RB but I think we can fill that spot later in the draft as well.

A 1st round pick's fifth year is worth something unto itself.

We signed our LT. That's it

He’s 33 years old… not ancient… surprising…

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dolphins?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dolphins</a> five-time Pro Bowl LT Terron Armstead is retiring, officially ending a star-studded 12-year career.<br><br>Armstead was one of the best left tackles of his generation beginning with his stint with the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Saints?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Saints</a>. Now, he heads into his second career ��️. <a href="https://t.co/Q28fHJE0mA">pic.twitter.com/Q28fHJE0mA</a></p>&mdash; Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1908682380388323337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Since this has become a Simmons thread. Are there guys who have played well after a torn petellae

Our most mocked player among all expert draft boards are left tackles. Even after our signing.

Explain.

I'm not a real Kenneth Grant Fan, because a NT like that can be found in the later rounds. If the Chiefs go DT then I'd want Harmon

Everybody and their dog saw what happened last year. Sports media is good at pointing out the obvious. This happens every year - draftniks build their boards based on what they think teams need. We've all seen the results. It really doesn't matter what they think, they're right about as much as they are wrong because they're guessing.

How many games has he started in again? Bottom line is that it's risky to play someone at LT who's been a career backup.

It's even more risky to trade up for a guy that isn't a blue chip prospect.

So don't.

Trade down and add more chips.

Sure.

They don't have any idea what they're talking about.

You mean we're not going to trade up into the teens and draft a guard?

Didn't you hear we traded Joe Thuney??

The expert Chiefs fans on this board have a better feel for what the team will do than expert draft people, who are looking at every team and not as specialized on one, and who approach things with more shallow analysis.

Yup.

Look, it's POSSIBLE they're in love with Conerly, and make a small move up to get him, like a pick swap thing or something. But it's unlikely they give up anything significant to go get a LT in this draft.

There are zero short term solutions at LT that have a high probability of working out. Everything is a question mark. Moore is a question mark. The guys we currently have on the roster are question marks. ALL of the rookies we could possibly draft are question marks.

The goal every year is to put Mahomes in a favorable enough position to take us over the top. We could still be in that position at LT this year, but it's also possible we might not.

And my whole thing is a little bit like when Vermeil and Carl kept trying to draft 1000 DTs. We're approaching that level of frustration at LT if we trade up for a subpar LT prospect and miss.

I know a few people have said they are fine with BPA outside a QB and Guard.

I’d actually argue that guard could still be our biggest need. Do we sign Smith to a long term deal? Can our young tackles play LG? HUGE question mark for me!

Taking a guard in the 1st should be on the radar.

This is an interesting take to me. I wonder what we plan to do with Trey smith. Personally, I’d consider trading smith if wanya morris could play there. He’s a talented player. Draft capital could be huge with the depth in this draft at positions we need. I’m sure I’ll get hated on for considering trading Trey Smith. I’m just not a big fan of paying guards a lot of money. And Trey would probably be a better fit in a different offense. But I could be wrong and maybe we should keep Trey but if the chiefs traded him or used him to move up in a package deal, I would be excited about the development of our line.

Taking a guard should absolutely be on the radar, but I don't think you need to do that in the first round. Good guards come from all over the draft.

Gimme another Nicky Boy Allegretti in the 7th

No first round guards please, lol

Wasn't Brian Watters an UDRFA for the Cowboys?

Yeah, I'll take a line full of that kind of talent, please and thank you.

I mean, I think it's not great value. But, you know, if the kid is Will Shields that's hard to argue with.

Yup, Brian Watters was a UDRFA for the Cowboys and we scooped him up and he became a regular pro bowler. I don't think people appreciated how good Watters was because he might have been a little overshadowed by Will Shields and Willie Roaf

One of these OTs with the knock on arm length with the ability to play both G and T wouldn't be a bad play. The next Thuney.

That oline was ridiculous, has to be one of the best all time.

right up there with the 90's Cowboys oline IMO

If Walter Nolen slides due to work ethic issues I think you get him. He’s a Jalen Carter type of talent. Proly top 10 player in this draft.

"The Experts" take an offensive lineman for the Chiefs in the first round every single year.

Maybe this year they'll finally get it right...

Nolen is worth a small trade up if he starts to slide. He’s going to be a hard player to deal with for many years to come. Only 21 years old…and was dominate even coming in as a Freshmen.

What if Nolen slides, Scourton is sitting there and Conerly is available?

What would YOU do?

What will the Chiefs likely do?

As I have said before...what makes this fun is all the speculation on what Veach, Andy and the Chiefs will end up doing.

So many varied opinions on here that there is no way that someone won't be frustrated and say that the Chiefs made an incorrect choice.

Field offers to trade down. If you have several guys that you'd love to have, you can trade down a little and get some extra draft capital and still have a guy you'd love to have waiting when it's your turn. As long as there is a willing trade partner in the right spot.

The Chiefs need to trade down. Not at 31 unless someone overpays for it. Thinking at 66, 95 or 133.

Need pick in rd 5 and 6. Outstanding year for it

The Athletic Mock (Nick Baumgardner) has the Chiefs taking Donovan Jackson in the 1st round with Starks, Burden, Nolen, James Pearce and Scourton still on the board.

Why? Presumably because that clown put Jackson in as their pick back in February and just hasn't bothered to go back and update anything. He had Simmons and Conerly go earlier and had already decided that the Chiefs were taking an OL so he just took whoever he had left on the board when their pick came up.

The 'experts' know ****-all.

Yeah - let's just give up the 5th year option and our ability to pick the guy we want the most (hoping the leftovers work out for us) so we can grab an extra pick in the 3rd day.

Gross.

As I've said before, the 5th year option on 1st round picks is not a secret. Every GM in the NFL knows all about it. If the Chiefs entertain offers to trade down, the value of the 5th year option on that pick will be priced into any offer. If it is not, then the offer would probably be declined.

The talent level of the draft declines rapidly in the first round as reflected in the point values of picks in the draft chart. The likelihood of getting a star at the end of the 1st is substantially less than at the beginning. Not every player taken in the 1st has that 5th year option exercised. We didn't exercise it on Edwards-Helaire and there are many other examples across the NFL. The mere existence of the 5th year option for 1st rounders is no reason to refuse to trade down from the 1st round.