Kansas City Chiefs 2022 Mock Draft: CB, Front Seven Addressed
By Hunter Haas
Kansas City Chiefs fans have witnessed an eventful offseason, to say the least. In the final mock draft before the official draft gets underway, they put their 12 total picks to use.
The team traded one of the best players in the NFL, Tyreek Hill, to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a number of picks in the next two drafts. They also did not offer an extension to one of the locker room leaders, Tyrann Mathieu, signifying a new era on both sides of the ball. Additionally, the Chiefs also cut linebacker Anthony Hitchens and lost starting cornerback Charvarius Ward to the San Francisco 49ers, with the latter securing a lucrative deal to move over to the Bay Area. Veteran Melvin Ingram (free agent) and former Seahawk Jarran Reed (signed with Packers) are likely to move on, though Ingram has not closed the door on a return.
It hasn’t been all bad, though. The Chiefs tagged left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., the former third-round pick acquired in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens last offseason. While they still have some work to do on a long-term deal, it is expected to get done before the season begins. Either way, Brown is not going anywhere in 2022. Frank Clark was once thought to be a lock as a cap casualty this offseason, but he and the team agreed on a restructure so that is a big sigh of relief. Furthermore, nose tackle Derrick Nnadi re-upped with Kansas City, a move that went under the radar but will pay dividends for the group this coming season. Former Colt Taylor Stallworth also came over to provide some more depth.
As far as outside free agents go, general manager Brett Veach has made some shrewd moves. First, he brought in a replacement for the Honey Badger early in free agency, poaching away Justin Reid from the Houston Texans on a three-year pact. Next, he brought in a trio of receivers: Juju Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Corey Coleman. None of these guys can replicate what Tyreek brought to the table, but they won’t be asked to. It must be a group effort to replace Hill’s production. Ronald Jones also came in on a short-term deal hoping to rebuild his image a bit in the powerful Chiefs offense.
Kansas City Chiefs Mock Draft: Putting all 12 selections to use
As busy as it has been, things are only beginning. Following the aforementioned Tyreek Hill trade, the Chiefs are armed with 12 total selections in the 2022 NFL Draft, with six of those coming inside of the first three rounds. They undoubtedly have some holes to fill, but thanks to savvy moves by the front office to mitigate some of the talent lost, the team will have freedom to pick “best player available” while also addressing their needs. It is an enviable position to be in. Without further ado, let’s get to the mock draft!