Chiefs and Niners:
Our NFL offseason series concludes with closer looks at the defending AFC and NFC champs.
Chiefs Wire
Can Chiefs live up to new standard?
The stars of the Chiefs have been outspoken lately regarding the team’s future. The comments from wide receiver Tyreek Hill and defensive tackle Chris Jones regarding winning multiple titles have put the ultimate target on the franchise heading into the 2020 season.
Both Hill and Jones have said this offseason these Chiefs could win five or more championship rings.
“You love that guys have the goals; they want to be in Kansas City for a long time and they want to win championships – they don’t want to be average,” said quarterback Patrick Mahomes as the Chiefs prepared for the start of training camp this week.
“They want to be great every single year. But I think other than that, these guys and how they’re talking, other than just the quotes, they’re talking about the day-to-day process, they’re talking about how hard it is to be on the top, to get to the Super Bowl.
“If you look at our season this last season, we had a lot of adversity, a lot of ups and downs in the regular season and in the playoffs. I think the guys have that mindset, they have those long-term goals, they know that they’re going to have to go out there every single day and prove that.”
The Chiefs have been among the best teams in the league since drafting Mahomes in 2017. Andy Reid won his first Super Bowl title as a head coach and spoke candidly about being the team to beat in the league moving forward.
“Absolutely. You cherish that part,” said Reid. “You’ve worked very hard to put yourself in that position and so you understand that, but you also understand you have to go through the process. If you’re not willing to do that then good things aren’t going to happen, and the guys know that.
“Then you have to be blessed with good leaders, and I think we have good leaders. I mentioned this to the rookies, I said, ‘Take your notes. Make sure that you study. Make sure that you come prepared to meetings and to practice,’ and one reason is when you see the veterans that’s how they roll, so you better come in ready to go.
“If you don’t, you’re going to fall by the wayside.”
Which running back gets the bulk of the carries?
Damien Williams will be fighting to keep the starting job after the team drafted LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round. Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has been pretty specific, pointing to the Chiefs’ lack of ability to win on first down during the 2019 season.
“All of a sudden, you get a guy like Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and second-and-8 becomes secondand-2,” Veach said.
Reid has a history of bringing on his rookies slowly, but don’t be surprised if Edwards-Helaire breaks the mold. He’ll have the help of his former LSU teammate, RB Darrel Williams, who mentored Edwards-Helaire when he was a freshman with the Tigers.
If Edwards-Helaire doesn’t get the bulk of the carries early on, he’ll at the very least be tabbed to contribute in the passing game. He caught 55 passes at LSU last season, the most among running backs in the Southeastern Conference.
Reid told Veach that he thought Edwards-Helaire was better than Brian Westbrook, a dual-threat back whom Reid coached from 2002 to 2009 with the Eagles. Westbrook had four seasons with more than 600 receiving yards.
Who will replace Reggie Ragland on defense?
Ragland was a healthy scratch for the first few games of last season. All of a sudden, he came on at Sam linebacker and played an important role through Super Bowl LIV. But he signed with the Lions.
The Chiefs selected Mississippi State linebacker Willie Gay Jr. in the second round of the 2020 draft. Linebackers coach Matt House believes that Gay is versatile enough to play both the Will and Sam linebacker positions, providing a great deal of flexibility. This flexibility could allow for linebacker Damien Wilson to move back to the Sam spot more often.
Another player to watch is second-year linebacker Darius Harris. Harris spent the entire 2019 season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, but Veach tabbed him as a future starter in Kansas City when he signed as an undrafted free agent last year.