The Kansas City Chiefs came into the 2014 NFL after a fantastic 2013 that ended in an early playoff exit at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts. Chief’s fans had high hopes for Andy Reid’s second season as head coach, but unfortunately it didn’t end nearly as well as the previous year.
The Chiefs started out 0-2 after losing to the Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos in Weeks 1 and 2. At one point the Chiefs were 7-3, but they finished 9-7 (down from 11-5 in 2013) and missed the playoffs.
Despite missing the playoffs, the Chiefs are fortunate enough to say that they beat both the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks this season, the two teams who made Super Bowl XLIX.
In Week 4 the Chiefs hosted the Patriots in Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs absolutely crushed the Patriots, sending them home with a 41-14 loss. The defeat was so bad that former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Trent Dilfer was quoted after the game saying “Let’s face it, [the New England Patriots are] not good anymore.” The Chiefs victory over the Seahawks came Week 11 in Kansas City as well. The Chiefs defeated the defending Super Bowl champs 24-20.
The Chiefs definitely have some improving to do, especially being in the extremely competitive AFC West with the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers. The Chiefs didn’t have a very good draft last season, selecting the best available players instead of addressing their team needs. The Chiefs need a lot of help if they want to succeed in 2015, but fortunately they should be able to find some talent in the draft to help them out. Here are the Kansas City Chiefs biggest needs heading into the 2015 NFL Draft:
Offensive Line: The Chiefs have a somewhat decent line, but the majority of their problems came at the two guard positions in 2014. Jeff Allen has a history of being injury prone, and Zach Fulton simply wasn’t that good. If Allen goes down again, the Chiefs will need someone there to start in his place. As for Fulton, the Chiefs were wrong to start a sixth-round rookie in the first place. The Chiefs need to add as much talent as they can at the guard position, but luckily for them guards are not the hottest commodity in the draft. The Chiefs won’t need to spend a first round selection to get a good guard, but they definitely need to address the need by the time the 2015 NFL season rolls around.
Unfortunately, guard isn’t the only spot on the Chiefs line that needs improving. Eric Fisher, the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, has certainly not been the best left tackle for the Chiefs. In a division that sees Von Miller and Demarcus Ware twice a year, the tackle positions are vital. Fisher could simply be moved to right tackle to replace Ryan Harris who will most likely leave in free agency. Look for the Chiefs to try again in finding a left tackle.
Wide Receiver: The Chiefs aren’t necessarily desperate for wide receivers, but they do need a go-to guy for Alex Smith. No Chiefs wide receiver caught a touchdown this season, which is pretty sad. The Chiefs should be able to find a reliable player in this year’s draft, and hopefully another good receiver will help Dwayne Bowe out a little bit. The chiefs don’t need to spend their first round pick on a receiver, but they would be smart to pick up a few talented players.