Arrowheadlines: The Chiefs are vulnerable

The latest

Ranking top 10 most impactful 2022 NFL Draft classes for upcoming season: Giants rookies ready to roll | CBS Sports

2. Kansas City Chiefs

Impactful rookies: CB Trent McDuffie, EDGE George Karlaftis, WR Skyy Moore, CB Joshua Williams, S Nazeeh Johnson

GM Brett Veach took a calculated risk. Trading Tyreek Hill, given his age and contract demands, may have been smart financially for the future of the Chiefs. However, it undoubtedly intensified the pressure on Veach himself.

And he did a darn good job morphing the Hill trade into quality youthful players. However, McDuffie was an overpayment in Round 1. He has a very high floor though. Karlaftis is the exact type of NFL-ready edge rusher the defense needed to alleviate attention from Chris Jones inside.

Moore was a first-round talent who was somehow the sixth receiver picked...IN THE SECOND ROUND (?!). He will be a budding star with Patrick Mahomes throwing him the football. Then the two secondary members from schools have the experience and athleticism to outplay their draft positions. The Chiefs went into the draft with probably the least complete roster of all the legitimate Super Bowl contenders, then did a fine job on draft weekend to strengthen it.

Most vulnerable NFL division champions in 2022: Chiefs, Cowboys in trouble? | NFL.com

Kansas City Chiefs

Willie McGinest

Kansas City has won six straight division titles, but a seventh is in major question after everything that happened in the offseason. A trade-apalooza sent superstars flying in and out of the division, as the Chiefs shipped Tyreek Hill to South Beach while the Broncos (Russell Wilson), Raiders (Davante Adams) and Chargers (Khalil Mack) brought in big-time playmakers. K.C. is as vulnerable as it has ever been in the Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes era.

Five Takeaways From the NFL’s Schedule Release | The Ringer

The Chiefs and Rams face steep climbs back to the Super Bowl.

Based on projected win totals, the Chiefs and Rams have the hardest 2022 schedules:

Let’s start with the Chiefs. Kansas City is a perennial contender with Patrick Mahomes and Co. having reached the AFC championship in each of the past four seasons, including two Super Bowl appearances and one championship. But with the AFC West turning into the most exciting—and most difficult—division in football, the Chiefs’ path is clouded. Add in contests against playoff-caliber teams such as the Colts, Bucs, Bills, Titans, Rams, and Bengals, and it’s easy to see why Kansas City’s schedule is rated very difficult.

On paper, the defending champion Rams have it only a little easier. The NFC West might not be as tough as it was a few years ago, but Los Angeles will also face the Bills (season opener), Packers, Broncos, and Chargers (weeks 15 through 17, respectively). If the Rams are going to repeat, they will need to overcome a tough regular-season slate.

2023 NFL Mock Draft: Four QBs go in top 10, LSU’s Kayshon Boutte first wide receiver off the board | CBS Sports

Round 1 - Pick 30

Cam Smith DB

SOUTH CAROLINA • SOPH • 6’1” / 187 LBS

Kansas City took Trent McDuffie in the first round, but may not be done at cornerback. Smith is one of the players who could be justified in the first round and there should be more attention on him this season.

Chiefs Promote Tyler Kirby to Executive Vice President of Business Development | The Mothership

On Monday, the Kansas City Chiefs announced that Tyler Kirby has been promoted to Executive Vice President of Business Development.

“Hiring and retaining talented individuals who contribute to our organization’s success is key for our business, and we are happy to recognize Tyler for the work he’s done throughout his time in Kansas City,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. “Tyler joined the club more than 13 years ago and has been an integral part of the continued growth of our ticketing department and business operation in that time. Tyler’s knowledge, experience and ability to innovate make him the ideal person to step into this expanded role and lead all aspects of our club’s ticketing and premium business development efforts.”

Entering his 14th season with the club in 2022, Kirby was originally hired as a Ticket Sales Representative in 2009 and rose through the ranks of the club’s business operations team. He served as Ticket Sales Manager (2011-12), Director of Ticket Sales and Operations (2013-16), Vice President of Ticketing (2017-20) and was named the Vice President of Business Development in June 2021.

Around the NFL

Packers agree to terms with CB Jaire Alexander on four-year, $84M extension | NFL.com

Alexander and Green Bay have agreed to a four-year, $84 million extension, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday. Alexander receives $31 million in the first year of the extension, per Rapoport, and the new deal makes Alexander the top-earning corner in the NFL in annual average salary, surpassing Cleveland’s Denzel Ward at $21 million per year.

Alexander proved to be an elite cornerback in 2020, posting the best defensive grade and the best coverage grade among every player at his position, per Pro Football Focus. He wasn’t as fortunate in 2021, suffering an injury that limited him to just four regular-season games.

What’s next if former New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees is serious about playing again? | ESPN

Was Brees serious about ending his retirement after one season?

No … but, well, you never know.

Sources close to both Brees and the Saints have indicated no comeback is imminent. And Saints coach Dennis Allen confirmed as much at Monday’s Saints Hall of Fame Golf Classic when he said, “I think it was a comment made in jest, and we certainly haven’t had any conversations in that regard.”

Brees was directly responding to a New York Post report that he would not be returning to NBC after one year as an analyst. Brees responded to the report while listing a number of things he may consider doing — including training “for the pickleball tour.”

Despite speculation from media about my future this fall, I’m currently undecided. I may work for NBC, I may play football again, I may focus on business and philanthropy, I may train for the pickleball tour, senior golf tour, coach my kids or all of the above. I’ll let you know

— Drew Brees (@drewbrees) May 15, 2022

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Rocky’s World: Kehinde Oginni Hassan’s long road to Kansas City

While at the camp, Oginni was convinced by the coaching staff to try his hand at football.

It was love at first snap.

His size and length made him a mismatch at wide receiver. He knew instantly that football was his future.

“I’m not just playing this game.” Oginni once said in one of his YouTube videos, “I am made for this... God made me to play football.”

The camp concluded on June 10, 2014. Oginni and his teammates boarded their bus and waved goodbye to their coaches. But on the journey home, tragedy struck. The bus was involved in an automobile accident in which three of Oginni’s teammates were killed — and which left him with severe injuries.

He spent the next two months in the hospital. The event had a profound effect on him. While some would use it as a reason to quit, Oginni used it as a catalyst and motivation.

“And I said to my God, thank you for saving me. Thank you for saving my dream. I know you are keeping me for a purpose. And I promised myself never to give up. [I am] not giving up on the dream, [because] of the incident of June 10th, it’s the only thing I can do to keep the souls of my lost teammates happy. I guess I’ll make them happy for the rest of my life because I ain’t giving up.”

Oginni spent his free time running routes, working out and training with his local football team at the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria.

A tweet to make you think

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