Kansas City Chiefs
Offense
The Chiefs and quarterback Alex Smith are entering the 2014 season without having agreed upon a new deal. Will there be hostility? Does Smith have something to prove, and can he outplay the “game manager” label?
If he wants to do all that, he shouldn’t be happy with the Chiefs’ offseason moves. Dexter McCluster is now in Tennessee, and three starting offensive linemen left in free agency. The contract the team gave Dwayne Bowe is starting to look like a mistake.
Jamaal Charles is the clear-cut focal point of the offense, but how much will the offseason moves affect what he’s able to do?
Defense
Kansas City’s defense is the reason why they were unbeaten midway through the 2013 season. Its sudden regression, however, also led to its struggles down the stretch.
Justin Houston and Tamba Hali are among the NFL’s top pass-rushers, and rookie Dee Ford has been the talk of camp. But while the front seven is stout, there are major questions in the secondary.
Outlook
The Chiefs’ 11-5 mark last season is essentially unreachable for the team this year, as they’re probably going to finish at or a hair above .500, and behind both the Chargers and Broncos in the AFC West.
Charles is an elite talent and this defense has the chance to be outstanding, but will contract talks or a lack of weaponry hurt the team from an offensive standpoint? It just lacks the firepower that most playoff teams tend to pack.
