The Kansas City Chiefs are entering uncharted territory right now. Andy Reid's team didn't make the playoffs for the first time since Patrick Mahomes took the reins of the offense, and it felt like the rest of the league had caught up to them.
The Chiefs are no longer the team to beat in the AFC West. All their divisional rivals have gotten significantly better either last year or this offseason, and Coach Reid faces an uphill battle restoring balance in the division.
To add insult to injury, it looks like every other team in the division made better moves than the Chiefs. At least, that's how Cody Williams of FanSided feels, as he gave general manager Brett Veach a 'B' grade for what he's done in the past couple of months. While he praised the addition of Kenneth Walker III, the lack of insurance behind Rashee Rice is a major concern.
The Chiefs did well in the offseason, but it might not be enough
""Despite drafting some explosive athletes, the Kansas City Chiefs clearly recognized the need to add more of that element this offseason. While it's expensive, that's why I love the Kenneth Walker signing more than some," wrote Williams. "However, Rashee Rice's off-field troubles continuing make you wonder how Brett Veach didn't do more to add to the receiving corps this offseason.""Fansided's Cody Williams
Truth be told, it's hard to disagree with that statement. The Chiefs' unwavering faith in Rashee Rice came back to haunt them last season when they didn't pursue a big-name pass catcher, and it may have hurt them again this offseason.
There are no guarantees that Rice will make a full recovery from his knee injury now that he'll be in jail for a month. Even if he does, he might still be suspended, or who knows what kind of trouble he'll get himself into again. Clearly, they can't count on him to play a full season, and they're running out of options.
All things considered, the Chiefs have still done a solid job of addressing most of their roster needs, but some questions still linger. They didn't replace Jawaan Taylor, and their running back depth behind Kenneth Walker III is rather suspect. In the meantime, the AFC West got tougher.
For context, the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers both received an A, while the Denver Broncos were given a B+. That said, projections only work on paper, and it'll be interesting to revisit this at the end of the regular season.
As much as everybody keeps rooting for the dynasty's downfall, and as much as people will rush to say the Chiefs are no longer at their best, this team has risen and proven the doubters wrong time and time again. They still have the best quarterback in the game, and after tasting heartbreak and watching the playoffs at home for the first time in his career, putting your money against Patrick Lavon Mahomes II might not be a wise decision.
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