Chiefs 2021 mock draft: Revamping the offensive line

The Kansas City Chiefs have won two straight AFC titles and they don’t look like they will be going anywhere anytime soon, not as long as Patrick Mahomes has something to say about it.

With that being said, the Chiefs have undoubtedly found themselves in a bit of a pickle in the 2021 offseason with the salary cap being reduced league-wide to $182.5 million.

The Chiefs released veteran offensive tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz on Thursday, freeing up a significant and necessary chunk of cap space in the process. Unfortunately, the Chiefs are still in the red.

The Chiefs are going to have to say goodbye not only to their former number one pick Fisher and longtime starter at right tackle Schwartz, but other unrestricted free agents like Sammy Watkins, Demarcus Robinson, center Austin Reiter, and other players on either side of the ball.

The Chiefs rightfully sold out for a shot at continuity in 2020 so they could repeat as Super Bowl champions, and they came close (although the Super Bowl itself was a bit of a bloodbath).

Now in need of a reload, we’re going to find out what Kansas City general manager Brett Veach is really made of. He’s done such a tremendous job of building this roster and finding players who fit the culture and identity of the Chiefs, but it’s time to bring in a significant number of new faces for the first time in at least two or so years.

One of the key pieces of the reload will be 2020 third-round pick Lucas Niang, a right tackle prospect out of TCU who was a voluntary opt-out in the 2020 season. Along with the return of fellow opt-out Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, the Chiefs should be able to re-establish the right side of the offensive line with in-house guys, at least on paper.

With that said, they will need to look to the NFL Draft to fill needs elsewhere, as they have virtually no salary cap space to sign impact veterans unless they make even more significant roster cuts.

Let’s take a look at a new Chiefs mock draft scenario with these latest cap casualties in mind.

The Kansas City Chiefs are somewhere between a rock and a hard place here.

The top offensive tackles will almost undoubtedly be off the board at this point. By the time their pick rolls around in round two, the next tier of tackles could also be off the board.

The Chiefs are now in a position with the release of Eric Fisher and a need to keep the majority of their draft capital that they might have to take the best tackle available at pick no. 31 overall.

Liam Eichenberg might have a fairly firm second-round grade, but he could end up being a solid selection for the Chiefs here with their backs in a corner.

Eichenberg, if nothing else, has been extremely productive and consistent. What he lacks in athletic talent (by comparison to some other players in this class) he makes up for with technique.

Although it’s collegiate experience, Eichenberg has played a lot of football and should be able to step into the NFL and start from day one even for a team like the Chiefs, who will need him to play at a high level right away.

2. Quinn Meinerz, C, Wisconsin-Whitewater

One of the hottest players in the 2021 NFL Draft circuit since the Senior Bowl, Quinn Meinerz is rewarded for his outstanding week in Mobile and at his Pro Day with a second-round selection by the reigning AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs.

This guy was an absolute treat to watch in Senior Bowl practices and he torched the 40-yard dash at his pro day as well.

Naturally, he took a celebratory trip to Culver’s afterward.

Meinerz would fill an immediate need for the Chiefs and frankly would give Kansas City a pretty exciting young core on the offensive line if put in a group with 2020 draft pick Lucas Niang and projected first-round pick (in this scenario) Liam Eichenberg.

Meinerz is 6-foot-3, 320 pounds, and a heck of an athlete. He plays with an edge, he plays smart, and he plays with high effort and intensity.

What more could the Chiefs ask for at this spot? There might not be a better scenario for Kansas City than to come away with day one starters in the first two rounds at left tackle and center.

3. D’Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan

The Chiefs are going to have to deal with the likely departures of Sammy Watkins and Demarcus Robinson this offseason.

Although Robinson and Watkins were fourth and fifth on the team in targets respectively this past season, depth at wide receiver is crucial in the Chiefs’ offense.

Between Robinson and Watkins, the Chiefs will need to replace 114 targets in the passing game. Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Mecole Hardman can obviously shoulder more of the load as long as they are healthy, but the Chiefs will need to bring in reinforcements.

They will almost undoubtedly look to bring in a veteran who will play this season for a really low price, but they should also be looking to the deepest position in the 2021 NFL Draft class.

D’Wayne Eskridge is a perfect fit in the Chiefs’ offense for one primary reason — speed.

If he falls to the bottom of round three, the Chiefs would have to pounce here. Outside of offensive line, the wide receiver position is arguably the biggest need for this team offensively with two expiring contracts for key players.

Eskridge is explosive and he’s not just track fast — he plays fast.

He averaged 23 yards per reception over his last 21 games. He will be older as a rookie but that shouldn’t matter for the Chiefs, especially if he’s there in round three.

4a. Benjamin St-Juste, CB, Minnesota

The Kansas City Chiefs found themselves a gem in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft in Louisiana Tech’s L’Jarius Sneed, who had three interceptions and a pair of sacks in just nine games.

He’s got a bright future, but with Bashaud Breeland heading to free agency (again), the Chiefs could look to the depth at corner in the 2020 NFL Draft class and find another gem in the middle rounds.

Here, they go after Benjamin St-Juste, a long 6-foot-2 cornerback who could excel in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense that likes to be aggressive and leave corners on an island.

4b. Aaron Banks, OG, Notre Dame

Continuing the theme of upgrading on the offensive line, the Chiefs cash in on the tremendous depth of this group of big uglies in 2021 with, frankly, another possible plug-and-play starter at the left guard position in Aaron Banks.

Banks would be re-joining Liam Eichenberg in this particular scenario, and while right now he might have more good tape as a run blocker, he is no slouch in pass protection.

The Chiefs have to build in the trenches with this draft class. Thankfully, they have some compensatory selections to expand their class overall and find diamonds in the rough on day three like these two guys.

5a. Tre McKitty, TE, Georgia

A big-time athlete at the tight end position, Tre’ McKitty could serve as some sort of long-term plan behind Travis Kelce for the Chiefs.

He showed at Senior Bowl practices that he looks like an ideal big slot type at the NFL level, and even though he only caught a handful of passes in his lone season at Georgia, he’s got tremendous pro potential.

He could be a fun pickup in the fifth round if he’s still sitting on the board for the Chiefs.

5b. Elerson Smith, EDGE, Northern Iowa

Elerson Smith is a big-bodied edge defender who could come in and play a reserve role right away as a rookie.

Although he’s tall and lanky, Smith has a pretty well-rounded game and holds up well at the point of attack. He’s a physical freak of nature who could potentially be a long-term replacement for free agent Tanoh Kpassagnon.

7. Brandon Smith, WR, Iowa

Nothing like a big-time upside shot late in the NFL Draft.

Brandon Smith didn’t have the type of season in 2020 that many had hoped he would, but he remains an attractive NFL prospect thanks to his ridiculous athleticism and potential.