Arrowhead Pride
Welcome back to the Arrowhead Pride Mailbag! Each week, watch for your opportunity to submit your Kansas City Chiefs questions in The Feed, which is found on AP’s home page.
After the Chiefs kept up their winning ways on Monday night with a 28-7 victory over the Washington Commanders, let’s see what’s on our readers’ minds ahead of a crucial Week 9 showdown with the Buffalo Bills.
Who are potential players the Chiefs may target prior to the trade deadline?
Several of this week’s questions surrounded Tuesday’s trade deadline. I do expect the Chiefs to make at least one minor move. With the team’s bye coinciding with the deadline, however, we may need to wait until early next week.
After losing rookie Omarr Norman-Lott to an ACL tear, I was very confident the Chiefs would acquire a defensive tackle via trade. With veteran Mike Pennel returning to Kansas City (and hopefully taking some early-down snaps from Chris Jones’ plate), I see an interior lineman as less likely. The Chiefs may now turn their eyes to any available outside pass-rushing help on the free-agent market. We are seeing veterans on expiring contracts start to move, and I could see the Chiefs being modestly aggressive in adding someone there.
Running back is the other position that has been widely tied to the Chiefs. With starter Isiah Pacheco reportedly in danger of missing time with an MCL sprain (and Kareem Hunt being managed in practice as the season takes its toll), the team’s running back rotation could quickly become problematic. If Pacheco sits, veteran Elijah Mitchell (inactive in all eight games this season) will probably get a look against the Bills. But the Chiefs probably need to add a back — whether they can find a dynamic upgrade or an option to simply keep the room at its current level: unspectacular — but acceptable.
I generally refrain from speculating on individual players, but I would keep an eye on the Tennessee Titans, who are rumored to be considering a fire sale. They have some options at Kansas City’s positions of need who may not be in the blueprint for rebuilding that franchise. The connection between Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and his former lieutenant Mike Borgonzi (who is now running the show in Tennessee) makes this something to watch.
Is there concern for the offensive line? Several plays against Washington gave flashbacks to games that we’re all trying to forget.
I think the Chiefs have good depth on the offensive line. Jaylon Moore and Mike Caliendo are better than what most teams have for their sixth and seventh linemen. For that matter, very few teams have an eighth-best option as good as Wanya Morris. Most teams have at least one replacement-level option taking starting offensive line snaps — and enter every week hoping the other four starters can cover that deficiency.
That said, the Chiefs will eventually run into trouble if they have...
