The latest
Offensive tackle
18. Donovan Smith (OT), Chiefs: Needing to replace both tackles this offseason, the Chiefs spent big on right tackle Jawaan Taylor and opted for a one-year deal with Smith to protect Patrick Mahomes’ blindside. Smith missed a career-high four games last year and posted his worst “beat percentage” since the stat began in 2017, but he’s generally been rock solid throughout his career.
‘Top 100 players’: Who is the best of the best? Ranking all nine No. 1s in series history | NFL.com
3 – Patrick Mahomes
No. 1 in: 2021
How’s that for efficiency? In five seasons as the starting quarterback, Mahomes has reached five AFC Championship Game and three Super Bowls, wins two. In the Super Bowl era, he ranks first among qualified quarterbacks in winning percentage (.800), passing yards per… game (303.0), passing touchdowns per game (2.4) and passer rating (105.7). He is a two-time regular season MVP and a two-time Super Bowl MVP. And from week to week, no one delivers more WOW player than No. 15. Mahomes is pure magic, must-see TV every time he takes the field.
Did I mention he’s still only 27 years old?
Mahomes may end up at the top of this list. It’s not hyperbole. Mahomes could end up on top of ALL lists.
Over/Under Win Predictions for Every NFL Team in 2023 | Bleacher Report
Kansas City Chiefs (O/U 11.5): Over with 12 expected wins
The Chiefs’ three losses came by a combined 10 points last year, but they’ve gone through some big offensive changes and the schedule is tough for a team that wants a target on its back in a tough division and conference.
Ranking NFL’s Top 9 Route Runners Entering 2023 | The 33rd team
3. Travis Kelce, Kansas Chiefs
Most players can give a head fake or a shoulder roll to perform a fake. Travis Kelce can turn his entire body. No one is more deceptive from the hips up, especially in the shoulders, which Kelce masterfully rolls to affect defenders on a variety of routes. He’s so deadly here that he can make himself look like a zone defender’s liability when his route is actually attacking another zone defender.
In short: Kelce can cover one lot of the ground in misdirection parts of his routes and make himself see as if he is covering even more. The only other tight end who has this trait is Mark Andrews, and to a much lesser extent. Andrews is great at rolling his cuts to disrupt zone defenders’ responsibilities when running 15-plus-yard routes (mainly crossers). Kelce can do it on any route that is over two yards.
2023 NFL Future Power Rankings: Projections for all 32 teams | ESPN
2. Kansas City Chiefs
Overall score: 93.4
Reason for hope: “Patrick Mahomes” could stand as a simple but comprehensive two-word reason for optimism. He’s signed through 2031, and as long as he’s in Kansas City, the Chiefs should compete for titles. But the fact that so many rookies played key roles in last season’s Super Bowl run shows there’s even more reason to be optimistic about the Chiefs’ future. The coaching staff and front office have proven they can build around the generational quarterback to keep competing at a high level. – Graziano
Reason for concern: Tight end Travis Kelce turns 34 in October. Since 2018, he is second in the league in receptions (507), third in receiving yards (6,444) and fourth in receiving TDs (47). Even though Mahomes is one of the best QBs we’ve seen, life after Kelce would start keeping me up at night if I were GM Brett Veach. The Chiefs don’t have any offensive skill position players on the roster ready to handle that kind of responsibility. – Riddick
State to know: The Chiefs’ biggest asset is Mahomes, and they’re leaning into it. On early downs when the game was in question (win probability between 15% and 85%) last season, the Chiefs ran designed pass plays 67% of the time – most in the league. That’s right there, they ought to rank, given who throws those passes for them. — Walder
About the NFL
Seahawks Unveil 1990s-Inspired Throwback Uniforms | NFL.com
It will be the first time Seattle will wear the blue and silver thread since 2001, when the franchise was still in the AFC.
The first sight of the Seahawks throwbacks conjures up the image of Steve Largent’s No. 80 jersey streaking down the sideline with the white numbers popping on the striking blue jerseys, and the glare reflecting off the silver helmets brings back memories of the old Kingdome stadium lights.
Denzel Mims to be waived if Jets can’t trade WR, source confirms | ESPN
Wide receiver Denzel Mims, a 2020 second-round pick who never caught on with the Jets’ current coaching staff, was informed he will be waived, a source confirmed Wednesday to ESPN.
The Jets are trying to trade Mims, who requested a trade a year ago but will be placed on waivers if New York is unable to work out a deal with another team. The Jets’ plan to waive Mims was first reported by the New York Post.
Mims was waived from training camp and did not report with the rest of the team. The move came as no surprise as Mims failed to establish a consistent role and had just 42 catches for 676 yards while not scoring a touchdown in three seasons.
In case you missed it at Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs’ Andy Reid trusted Patrick Mahomes to do ‘Quarterback’ right
Even with all the confidence the team and Reid have in Mahomes, Ted Crews — the team’s executive vice president of communications — had the final say on what went into the show.
“Ted probably had the biggest part in the whole thing, having to go through every inch of it,” Reid revealed Tuesday. “Listen, there are things you don’t want out there—I mean the best you possibly can… there are some things you like to keep internal— [like] the particular way we teach—and so that’s what we tried to do with it, to a point. [But] you know, we shared a few things too.”
Reid didn’t say whether he liked the show — or even acknowledged that he’s seen it — but still gave it a positive review, based on a trusted source.
“You know, my wife saw it,” he said, “so it sounds like it’s a pretty good show — and I’m happy. It’s good for the NFL. It’s great for people to know what quarterbacks go through.”
Mahomes said he was proud of the finished product.
“They did it the right way,” he told reporters. “I think, [you] then the raw emotions of playing football. You saw what it was like to be a quarterback – but also to be a husband and a father and how to balance that time. You saw it from three different perspectives. I thought it was a great way to do it.”
A tweet to make you think
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