The Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl champions, but their work is only just beginning. Assuming a Patrick Mahomes contract extension will inevitably get done, which will lock him in as their franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future, the Chiefs have the rare opportunity to piece together a Patriots-esque dynasty.
But for that to happen, the Chiefs need to resupply this offseason by infusing their roster with fresh, young, and most importantly, cheap talent. Mahomes' extension won't be cheap considering he might just be the most talented quarterback to have ever played the game. Certainly, he's the best quarterback playing right now -- that much isn't up for debate. The Chiefs also have to factor in a long-term deal or franchise tag for Chris Jones, who is hitting free agency. They can't really afford to just let him walk.
Giving those two players huge deals will limit their ability to spend elsewhere. Which places even more importance on the draft -- an avenue the Chiefs have used to find several key players in recent years. For one, they were able to trade up for Mahomes three years ago. The year prior, they took the aforementioned Jones in the second round and Tyreek Hill in the fifth. Kareem Hunt was a third-round pick in 2017, the same year they got Mahomes. A year ago, they didn't have a first-round pick, but they took receiver Mecole Hardman in the second round.
This year, the Chiefs do have a first-round pick. But they only have five total picks heading into the draft -- one pick in each of the first five rounds.
With all that in mind, let's take a look at how the Chiefs approached the 2020 NFL Draft in Chris Trapasso's seven-round mock draft from earlier this week. You can check out the entire draft by clicking here, but if you only want to see how the Chiefs made out, just keep on scrolling for a breakdown of all of Trapasso's Chiefs picks.
Day 1
Round 1, No. 32 overall: Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah
There's no doubt the Chiefs' defense took a massive step forward as the season progressed, which played a huge role in the team's championship. By the end of the year, they ranked 14th in DVOA one season after their 26th-ranked defense cost them a spot in the Super Bowl. There's also no doubt that the team's pass defense is far better than its run defense (sixth compared to 29th). But the Chiefs shouldn't hesitate to continue adding talent to their secondary.
Kendall Fuller, Bashaud Breeland, and Morris Claiborne are all heading into unrestricted free agency. Out of those three players, it's Breeland and Fuller who would be significant losses if they were to walk. Let's assume they won't be able to keep both. Cap space is already limited. Jones' cap number might be big, especially if he's franchise tagged. So, the Chiefs could stand to add another playmaker to the backend of their defense, which is where Johnson comes into play.
Day 2
Round 2, No. 63 overall: D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
Round 3, No. 96 overall: Damien Lewis, OL, LSU
Running backs might not be the most valuable position group. The Chiefs did just ride Damien Williams to a championship. They did use a sixth-round pick on Darwin Thompson a year ago. Taking a running back in the second round would be a luxury. But it's hard not to be enticed by Trapasso's idea of giving Mahomes another weapon in Swift, who could be paired with Williams in the best offense in football. As Trapasso wrote, "Reid getting the pass-catching stud D'Andre Swift is a nightmare for defenses."
The Chiefs have a ton of stability up front, but Lewis would give them depth as they look to protect the most valuable asset in all of football. The offensive line's depth was an issue for the Chiefs last season when multiple players up front suffered injuries. It's worth noting that while the Chiefs were very strong in pass protection (fourth), they were far worse as a run-blocking unit (28th per Football Outsiders' advanced metrics). As Trapasso wrote, "Lewis is a bulldozer in the run game and has a concrete anchor in pass protection." That'd work.
Day 3
Round 4, No. 138 overall: Joe Bachie, LB, Michigan State
Round 5, No. 177 overall: Antoine Brooks Jr., S, Maryland
It's no surprise to see the Chiefs adding two more players to their defense on the third and final day of the draft. The Chiefs' linebackers might be the weak link of the defense, so adding a young body like Bachie who has the potential to morph into a starter would be big.
While the Chiefs appear to be set at safety with Tyrann Mathieu and Juan Thornhill, it's worth remembering that Thornhill is coming off an ACL injury. He's expected to be ready for training camp, but ACL recoveries can be tricky. It can't be automatically assumed that Thornhill will be ready for camp or playing at the level he was at when he got hurt last season. That's where Brooks comes into play.