FanPost

Chiefs Roster Breakdown: Drafting Best Player Available or Position of Need in Round #1?

It is the age old draft question. Do you draft the best player available, or do you draft a player to fills a position of need? For the Chiefs in 2019 the answer might be pretty easy. Why not both?

More than perhaps any other team in recent memory, the Chiefs are a extremely talented team that also happens to have weak points at nearly every position. You know the big ones we have all been talking about, Edge Rusher and DB. But what about about linebacker? Interior offensive line? Running back? Or even wide receiver?

Below is an image of how I currently evaluate the Chiefs roster if they were to start today.

Chiefs Roster Breakdown

I understand many might disagree with this breakdown but I think it is, at the very least, a close approximation of the Chiefs current talent level. Now, what does this have to do with the draft? Well I am glad you asked.

It is my firm belief that the biggest consideration when drafting a player or acquiring a free agent is how much will said player be an improvement over the current player at that position.

Furthermore, I believe that the NFL is leveling out when it comes to positional importance (besides at QB of course) and the goal should always be to construct a roster with overall talent rather than focusing just on getting star players at *important positions*.

In other words, let's say we have an inside linebacker who (on a 1 to 100 level) has a talent level of about a 65. And we have a EDGE rusher who has the talent level of about a 70. If our draft number comes up and we have two prospects. One we consider a level 85 ILB and the other a level 80 Edge. It is my opinion you take the ILB. Even though the ILB position is not considered to be as important as an Edge, the extra boost to the roster would out weigh the benefits of drafting a player at a more privileged position.

Additionally, this philosophy would lead to disregarding other extemporaneous factors, such as: does Patrick Mahomes even need good o-lineman/wrs? Personally I feel like these arguments are flawed anyway. Even if Mahomes can make lemonade out of lemons, talent is talent. A better receiver will be just as important to a game whether the QB is Mahomes or Alex Smith. WRs who consistently get open are, of course, going to be a useful asset. If you can improve significantly at that position you do so -- whether or not Mahomes can make due with lesser talent.

This philosophy also discounts limiting one's focus to one side of the ball. Just because our defense was hot garbage last year doesn't mean we should ignore making moves to improve our roster on offense.

So where does that leave us?

Well according to my roster breakdown, there is only one position that is currently a huge liability for the Chiefs, but there are several positions in which the current starter is below average and therefor is a position of need:

Major liability: LB (I am not even sure if we have a starting SLB on our roster, O'Daniel flashed talent but is still a question mark in my opinion and while I hope Hitchens will improve with the shift to a 4-3, he was easily one of the worst starters for the Chiefs last year).

Position of need: CB, EDGE, WR (we went with 3 WR on about 70% of our offensive snaps last year so this is a position of need even if nothing happens with Hill), SAFETY, Interior OL & RB.

Solid positions: TE (although depth is a huge question mark), Tackle

Don't even sweat: QB

All of this to say:

The Chiefs could go just about anywhere in the first round of the draft and still address a position of need. Even though our Defense needs some serious help, if a talented WR is the top player on the Chiefs board when our number is called -- go grab him. Same if it is a Center or RB. Or if there is a talented LB available, who cares about CB or EDGE, lets go get that guy and immediately make a big improvement on our Defense.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Arrowhead Pride's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Arrowhead Pride writers or editors.