By Anthony Licciardi
I don’t think the Kansas City Chiefs were very happy about how last season ended.
After Patrick Mahomes completely collapsed just two quarters away from another Super Bowl appearance, Kansas City was forced into a reality check.
They had fallen short in back-to-back years. Sure, their franchise quarterback, perhaps the best in the game, soiled himself on national television, but they’ll bank on him returning to form next January. It was the worst half of football he’s ever played and it will likely stay that way.
But what if the defense was just a little better? What if they forced a turnover on the game’s final drive? What if Joe Burrow got sacked on the third down preceding a go-ahead field goal in the middle of the fourth quarter?
The Chiefs won’t have the answers to those questions, but they’ve taken significant steps to improve the defense. They signed Justin Reid to secure the secondary and added Leo Chenal’s elite athleticism to their encouraging group of linebackers. They even sacrificed Tyreek Hill for a chance at drafting cornerback Trent McDuffie. Just a few picks later, they would select edge rusher George Karlaftis 30th overall.
Can Karlaftis complete the Kansas City defense?
A Purdue product, Karlaftis is a pass rusher with athleticism that got him mocked in the top half of the first round repeatedly. He saw his stock fall to 30, but there are few questions about his upside.
Karlaftis will likely start alongside defensive end Frank Clark and elite defensive tackle Chris Jones. The former has failed to live up to his cap hit, creating a need in the pass rush. Elsewhere on the defense, the Chiefs are sporting quality, underrated assets. The cornerback depth is spotty, but turnovers will be aplenty. The linebackers are athletic enough to perform in an evolving passing landscape.
Yet, the pass rush has its question marks. Karlaftis is the X-Factor for this defense as a big rookie year would close the door on arguably the team’s biggest concern. If not, they’ll run the risk of over-exposing their young secondary to elite quarterbacks come playoff time. It’s a punishment Kansas City has dealt out more than they’ve taken, and they are well aware of it.
Currently, the Chiefs have the second best odds to win the AFC per FanDuel, at +500, meaning a $100 bet would win you $500. Karlaftis may be the final piece in what the Chiefs hope will be Mahomes’ second Super Bowl victory.