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Sometimes Reid can’t hold back his excitement about the ideas, interrupting quarterback meetings with note cards in hand.
He’ll amble into the small room and take his place in the front, gleefully explaining and diagramming the plays he’s sketched on the cards.
“They’re always plays that work,” Mahomes said, shaking his head and smiling. “Even if you don’t think they’re going to work, they work anyway.”
But Reid doesn’t reveal all his tricks. He gives away just enough to pique Mahomes’ interest.
“‘Hey, I can’t give you too much yet,’” Mahomes remembers Reid telling him. “‘Don’t want you to get too excited.’
“It’s totally random. But he’s just feeling it sometimes. He’ll just walk in and he’ll draw up the play for you.”
The biggest roster hole for every top NFL playoff contender | ESPN
Chances to make the playoffs: 81.9%
Chances to win the AFC West: 66.3%
Biggest hole: Cornerback
It’s tough to find a hole on this roster -- which is probably why FPI ranks Kansas City as the league’s best team overall -- but there are still some key questions to be answered on defense. The Chiefs made a lot of changes there and brought in high-profile studs such as Frank Clark and Tyrann Mathieu.
New coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, however, has presided over some of the absolute worst defenses in the league since his early-career star turn with the 2007 New York Giants, and players often find Spagnuolo’s schemes tricky to master right away. Players like Bashaud Breeland and Charvarius Ward are in line for major roles alongside Kendall Fuller, and they’ll need to get up to speed in a hurry.
Who will be the NFL’s highest-paid player in 2023? | SB Nation
There are several quarterbacks whose status will flip from “amazing bargain” to “cap space vacuum” as they reach the end of their rookie contracts. Mahomes provided something close to $35 million in production for the Chiefs in his first year as a starter while counting just $3.7 million against the salary cap. Kansas City can count on bargain prices for its franchise QB through 2019 and 2020 before a more expensive — but still pretty cheap! — team option pops up in 2021 for something around $22 million.
It seems unlikely the Chiefs would allow Mahomes to play a snap in ‘21 without a new contract. Most high-level young quarterbacks get new contracts before free agency can even appear on the horizon.
Twitter map of the U.S. shows Chiefs, Patriots are co-favorites to win Super Bowl | Kansas City Star
Alaskans like the Chiefs’ chances of winning Super Bowl LIV. Ditto for NFL fans in Tennessee
That’s according to Twitter usage that was examined by NFL specialists at the sports gambling site sportsbetting.ag. They analyzed geotagged Twitter data from across the country over the last month, tracking mentions of the Super Bowl.
They determined who fans in all 50 states believed would lift the Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 2, 2020 in Miami Gardens, Florida. The group looked at more than 150,000 tweets in that time span.
The Chiefs are the pick to win Super Bowl LIV in a dozen states ... and so are the Patriots.
2. The Chiefs’ young players were right in the middle of that production, as wide receiver Mecole Hardman and tailback Darwin Thompson both found the end zone. Bieniemy spoke about those performances and his impressions of Kansas City’s younger players as a whole.
“I think our young guys did a great job of showing what they’re capable of. I know the young kid, [Darwin Thompson], stepped up. Mecole [Hardman] stepped up. But also, too, just across the board, I thought guys did some good things,” Bieniemy said. “There were some things that they didn’t do, as well. When it’s all said and done, we just want to make sure that they are focused on the details, because at the end of the day, it’s about executing with great attention to detail to give ourselves a chance when everything is on the line.
Former LSU Teammates, Claiborne And Mathieu, Are Reunited In Chiefs’ Secondary | Forbes
Claiborne and Mathieu started in the same defensive backfield on the 2011 LSU team that went 13-1 and made the title game but lost that rematch to Alabama in the BCS championship.
Mathieu led that team in tackles with 76, and Claiborne led the Tigers with six interceptions. Both were first-team All-Americans.
The LSU defensive backs are a tight-knit crew. In fact, Mathieu was in tears when the Arizona Cardinals drafted him in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft to join Patrick Peterson. The former LSU cornerback, who Mathieu has called his big brother, was drafted fifth overall by the Cardinals in the 2011 NFL Draft.
“I’m just grateful and blessed to be able to play with Patrick again,” Mathieu told The Washington Post in 2013, “to go out there and have fun like we used to have fun at LSU.”
We’ll give one of White’s NFL picks away: He is fading the Kansas City Chiefs at 6-1. There’s no questioning that the Chiefs are talented, as they’ve made five playoff appearances in six years and took the Patriots to overtime in last season’s AFC Championship Game. However, they still have major questions to answer defensively while fighting regression offensively.
Frank Clark and Tyrann Mathieu are solid additions defensively, but it’s hard to imagine a complete turnaround from a team that finished second-to-last in total defense, passing defense and red-zone defense in 2018. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is an all-world talent, but it also seems likely that opposing defenses will adjust and keep him from putting up record numbers again in 2019.
”This is going to be a tougher year for the Chiefs, one of transition,” White told SportsLine. “They’re switching defensive schemes and it’s going to take time for those guys to get their footing. For every quality addition they made, they still have plenty of questions to answer.”
1. Chiefs at Steelers: Chiefs -1
This line is probably moving quickly, with Andy Reid announcing that the starters for the Chiefs would play the entire first half, meaning it’s going to be Patrick Mahomes vs. Mason Rudolph for a full half of football. So jump on it now. I believe the Chiefs were a pick at the start of this writing and since moved to a one-point favorite. Reid made it clear: Mahomes and the starters will see the first half, the second string team will see the third quarter and the third string guys will mop up the fourth. There will be no Ben Roethlisberger for the Steelers, only Mason Rudolph followed by Josh Dobbs. The Chiefs defense is bad, but give me the KC offense to put up enough points that the two Pittsburgh backups can’t storm back. The over/under would be tempting but it’s 46.5!
Around the league
Potential Jadeveon Clowney trade destinations: Jets among fits | NFL.com
New York Jets: New Jets general manager Joe Douglas worked under Roseman in Philadelphia. While it’s safe to say the two men don’t have the exact same philosophy, Douglas has seen firsthand how advantageous player trades can be for an organization. The Jets would have to make a corresponding move or two to make a Clowney trade work under the salary cap, but this is the type of deal the old Jets would make, giving up too much draft capital in the process. Douglas figures to be playing a more patient game as Sam Darnold’s window to compete is just opening. But the incredible need on the roster for a pass-rushing presence could tempt him to make a move if he’s confident they could also sign Clowney long-term.
“It was a dream come true,” the former England and Wasps rugby star announced after his breathtaking 65-yard touchdown. Wade is embarking on an ambitious switch to the NFL, with his first touch of pre-season the perfect introduction. The 28-year-old’s express speed shone a light on the rare potential the Buffalo Bills hope to tap into thanks to the International Player Pathway.
Other teams around th league, too, will now be furiously scribbling notes in case head coach Sean McDermott scratches Wade’s name when they eventually whittle down their squad to 53 players by August 31.
Cluster Busters: Ranking top college QB prospects entering 2019 | NFL.com
Jake Fromm, QB
School: Georgia | Year: Junior
Analysis: Fromm will end up being a very polarizing player around the league. Some see what he can do -- play with poise, throw the ball accurately and exhibit ideal leadership skills. Others will obsess over the negatives -- lacks ideal arm strength and athleticism. I want to see him throw live to get a sense of his arm strength. That’s tough to evaluate off the video.
Exec’s take: “He can really see the field and throw the ball on time with good placement. He doesn’t have elite traits but he will be an efficient starter in the NFL.”
In case you missed it at Arrowhead Pride
Evaluating the WRs with the best chance to play behind Hill, Watkins and Robinson
Best use: Right now, Hardman is an extremely dangerous weapon who can place stress on the defense horizontally and vertically. His rare speed creates a vertical threat on any given play — and once he has the ball, his ability as a runner makes him effective on screens and sweeps. When aligned as a wide receiver, he is going to be limited in the route tree he’s asked to run and where he can align on the field — but Andy Reid has shown the ability to scheme players with similar skillsets into favorable looks.
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