Kansas City Chiefs: Positions of need in 2019 NFL Draft
By John McCarty
POSITIONS OF NEED IN 2019 NFL DRAFT – TIGHT END/ WIDE RECEIVER
While some may find this odd, these position groups are a mess.
Chris Conley, Anthony Sherman, Demetrius Harris, De’Anthony Thomas are all free agents this year, Tyreek Hill is a free agent after next season, and Sammy Watkins’ contract makes him a very likely cap cut after the 2019 season. To avoid the offense becoming old quickly, the Chiefs must address and add depth to their ‘pass catchers’ this draft.
While they may add one of both receiver and tight end, they are going to add at least one fairly high in the draft, likely at tight end. The Chiefs have no one behind Kelce, who himself is starting to get ‘old’ by NFL standards and the upcoming draft is really deep at the tight end position.
Having two tight ends would allow the Chiefs to attack the middle of the field, keep one in to block or even line up in the backfield as a fullback/ receiving option out of the backfield.
A wide receiver would be nice, but likely more a developmental, late round type more than immediate front end player. Demarcus Robinson and Gehrig Dieter have emerged as depth options at the receiver position in Kansas City.
At tight end, Irv Smith of Alabama along with Noah Fant and C.J. Hockenson, both of Iowa, would all make sense in round one, while names like Dawson Knox (Ole Miss) and Kaden Smith (Stanford) would make sense in round two. Tyre Brady of Marshall is name to watch for the Chiefs in the draft in later rounds.