There is really one thing the Chiefs need to be focused on over the next few months, and I think we all know what that may be. It’s two words. Edge rushers.
The free agency period is coming up and so is the draft. We know exactly how Steve Spagnuolo is, and he needs more guys who can rush the passer from the edge spot.
Now, that shouldn’t be the only focus, but it should be the biggest focus of the offseason, and there are a few big reasons why. Frank Clark is getting up there in age and we have seen over the last few years that his regular season play and postseason play are both very different.
Sure, he plays better when it matters most, but what if you could get someone that plays well during both? This isn’t me saying they will be getting rid of Clark because I genuinely don’t know what they will do.
But, they can always get ready. Clark has one year left on his deal, per Spotrac.com, and then in 2024 he becomes an unrestricted free agent, so it isn’t a bad idea to draft a guy at the position this offseason.
Then you add in the fact that the Chiefs really used three guys to rush the passer from the edge position this last year Clark, Dunlap, and Karlaftis. Dunlap was on a one-year deal this last season and he will be a free agent. We aren’t really sure if Dunlap will retire, come back, or go somewhere else.
So, it’s only another reason to target the edge rusher position through the draft. One of the biggest reasons though is because of what we saw last year in Karlaftis.
It’s pretty evident he can be a very good edge rusher in this league. Even in his rookie year when he only played 64% of snaps, he still somehow finished with six sacks.
I think with a full year under his belt, we could potentially see a ten-sack guy. Karlaftis is the future of the defense when it comes to rushing the passer, with Chris Jones of course. Why not add to that and create a young dynamic duo for the future?
The Chiefs don’t need to be looking anywhere else with their first pick unless there is another guy too good to pass up, and the rusher they want isn’t available. You know how last draft the secondary was the focus, and they drafted several guys who played a ton of snaps and made key plays even in the playoffs? The Chiefs know what they are doing in the draft.
