2016 Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Preview
The 2015 season left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Chiefs and their fans. Kansas City started the season 6-2 and looked poised to win their first division title since 2010. However, they faltered down the stretch and limped through the homestretch finishing 9-7 and in 3rd place in the division.
This season brings renewed hope for the team and their city. The Royals won their first World Series title in 30 years. Is it time for the Chiefs to bring home their first title since Super Bowl IV? Only time will tell but the signs are at least pointing in the right direction once again.
Quarterback
Alex Smith was an enigma last season completing 65% of his passes and throwing for 3,675 yards yet leading the NFL in interceptions with 29. This was fresh off of a new contract that made him one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the league. Is the 32 year-old former first-round pick speeding toward the end of his career or was the 2015 season simply an aberration?
The Chiefs went into the offseason hoping to find a potential replacement for Smith that they could groom or possibly use to replace him should he have another year like last season. The team explored options like Zach Mettenberger in Tennessee and had a few potential targets in the draft. Ultimately, nothing materialized and team settled on signing another 32-year-old, Drew Stanton, to be Smith's backup.
The Chiefs have a lot of money tied up in Smith for the next three years so finding a replacement is difficult. But it is an option that they may need to explore if any remnants of the season he had last season re-appear.
Starter: Alex Smith; Backups: Drew Stanton, Tyler Bray
Grade: B-
Running Backs
While there are questions concerning the man taking the snaps for Kansas City this year, there is no question about the man taking the hand-offs. Jamaal Charles had another Pro Bowl caliber season last year rushing for 1,232 yards, a 5.4 AVG and seven touchdowns. Charles, 29, returns with apparently good tread still left on his tires. Nobody can predict how many good years the smallish (5-11 199) back will have, but it seems apparent that he is still an elite back in this league and one capable of being the focal point of the offense.
The Chiefs are switching from a spread-type offense to a more traditional under-center, West Coast offense this year. The ideas is to take the pressure off of Smith to carry the team and rely on the explosive Charles to fuel the offense. Charles is backed-up by bruiser Joique Bell who has also been a starter in this league. Bell can spell Charles regularly to keep his legs fresh while also providing a nice change-up in styles. Jordan Todman was also brought in as a 3rd-down back, kick returner to give yet another contrasting style for opponents to possibly think about in the Chiefs backfield.
Anthony Sherman returns as one of the league's best blocking fullbacks after getting limited playing time in last year's spread offense.
Starters: Jamaal Charles, Anthony Sherman; Backups: Joique Bell, Jordan Todman
Grade: A
Receivers
Compared to some of the other receiver groups in the league, the Chiefs group does not inspire a great deal of enthusiasm. However, they do have one of the league's best tight ends in Travis Kelce and the solid and steady Jeremy Maclin. The Chiefs also have a couple of young, explosive receivers in Chris Conley and De'Anthony Thomas that can make plays and open space for the running game.
The biggest knock on this group, though, is that they are unreliable in critical situations of the game. While Conley is the biggest receiver at 6-3, 204 he has not shown to be adept at catching passes in traffic. He is more of speed guy that happens to have a little bit of size. Maclin, if you had to categorize him, would be the closest thing the Chiefs have to a "possession" receiver but even he struggles with catches in traffic.
Kansas City planned to address this need in the draft but came away with 5-10, 177 Trett Franklin who is basically a slightly taller and possibly faster version of Thomas. The Chiefs offense, essentially, is one predicated on Charles and Bell picking up first downs and the receivers creating big plays with Kelce filling the role as the defacto "possession" receiver. They did add 6-5 tight end Zach Miller to off load some of that burden but it remains to be seen if not having a true possession receiver on the outside can be an effective strategy for the offense across an entire season and possibly the playoffs.
Starters: Jeremy Maclin, Chris Conley, Travis Kelce; Backups: De'Anthony Thomas, Trett Franklin, Zach Miller.
Grade: B-
Offensive Line
The offensive line was one of the biggest areas of need for the team heading into the offseason. It was especially important with the Chiefs renewed focus on the running game. Kansas City headed into the offseason with the goal of improving their offensive line and struck early and often in free agency. First came Pro Bowl tackle Andrew Whitworth to shore up Smith's blind side. Then the team added former Pro Bowl guard Evan Mathis and center Stefen Wisniewski. They also brought in veteran tackle Anthony Collins to backup up both Eric Fisher and Whitworth.
The team did not stop in free agency, however. At the NFL Draft, the Chiefs added three possible future starters in tackles Shawn Marks, center Hayden Lowe and guard Matt Brock. Kansas City now has one of the best offensive lines in the conference as well as one of the best, young trio of linemen in the NFL. There may be some questions pertaining to the offense this year, but it is highly unlikely that, if the Chiefs struggle again this year, that the offensive line will have had anything to do with it.
Starters: Andrew Whitworth, Ben Grubbs, Stefen Wisniewski, Evan Mathis, Eric Fishser; Backups: Shawn Marks, Anthony Collins, Hayden Lowe, Matt Brock, Dakota Dozier.
Grade: B+