Identifying the Chiefs’ weakest position entering 2020

Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr published an articled titled, “Every AFC Team’s Biggest Weakness Going Into 2020” earlier this week. When it came to the Kansas City Chiefs, Orr highlighted the cornerback position.

ORR: The Chiefs got a nice 2019 from Rashad Fenton (47.1 completion percentage allowed, 57.7 quarterback rating and no missed tackles). He could be a low-cost building block here, but as the rest of football expands to match Kansas City’s explosiveness, they’ll need more bodies on the back end. Tyrann Mathieu is not going to be enough. Again, this is nitpicking. The Chiefs are Super Bowl champions and possess the best player in football. So, everything gets held up to a gargantuan standard.

We discussed his findings on episode 15 of the Arrowhead Pride Editors Show.

John: Disagree

I’ve always thought the team’s weakest position going into this season was at linebacker — so I’m very happy the Chiefs took Willie Gay Jr. in the draft. Besides... I was the guy waving my arms last year, saying that the cornerback position wasn’t the team’s weakest link. Turned out to be right that time. I could have been wrong — and I might be wrong about this, too. But as far as cornerbacks are concerned, I’m a lot more concerned about where the Chiefs will stand in 2021, when they won’t have a lot of cornerback depth on the roster. I also think that part of the problem is that while looking at the Chiefs from outside, you see Bashaud Breeland — who hasn’t made a lot of noise in the last couple of years — and Charvarius Ward, whom the Chiefs picked up from the back end of the Dallas Cowboys roster. So you don’t see a shutdown corner. But I think the Chiefs showed last season that in Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme, they can make it work without a shutdown corner.

Pete: Disagree

While I believe how the Kansas City Chiefs deal with the probable absence of Bashaud Breeland to start the year is something to watch, their ability to manage with him and Charvarius Ward in Steve Spagnuolo’s system in 2019 gives me confidence entering 2020. As Orr notes, Rashad Fenton could be a solution of the future, and the Chiefs have bolstered depth options in free agent Antonio Hamilton and draftees L’Jarius Sneed and BoPete Keyes. In my eyes, the Chiefs are weakest at the linebacker position, especially against the run, as defensive leader Anthony Hitchens recently admitted, saying that if the Chiefs could improve there, they may have a top-five defense. The Chiefs have also been seeking a true weak-side linebacker since the beginning of last season. Perhaps rookie Willie Gay can show enough to push for time, despite the team pegging him for Reggie Ragland’s old role to start. I also think that of every single position on the team, there is one where we flat out don’t have a nailed-down name for a starter, and that is at left guard. Give me linebacker or interior offensive line over cornerback at the moment.

We discuss Chris Jones’ contract status, an interesting note from Andy Reid during his Colin Cowherd interview, a quantification of running it back, SB Nation Video Game Week and more on the latest edition of the Arrowhead Pride Editors Show.

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