The debate raging out of Kansas City isn’t about Patrick Mahomes, which is wild to even say out loud. Folks are locked in a battle over who the most important player on the Chiefs is *after* their star quarterback, and defensive tackle Chris Jones is right in the middle of that storm. My mind immediately snaps to Jones because of how much the team has invested in him, both financially and in their entire defensive scheme.
Jones’s Production Demands a Look
Here’s the deal with Jones: he’s paid like a premium edge rusher, and the defense is built around him like he’s going to dominate that spot. But if he’s only putting up 12 sacks over the last two seasons, then the entire game plan and scheme suddenly become easy targets for questioning. Look, Jones doesn’t *need* a pile of sacks to be a game-wrecker, we all know that, but the team’s massive investment in him means they have fewer chances to bring in other proven, high-caliber guys to line up alongside him in the trenches. That puts a huge burden on him. He either has to elevate the players around him significantly, maybe by stopping the edge rushing and focusing on blowing up the pocket’s front, or he needs to rewind the clock. We’re talking prime Chris Jones here, overcoming any limitations around him by just constantly making plays himself. That’s why he feels like the most important non-Mahomes player for this team’s success right now.
Arrowhead’s Voice: K Walker and Delane
Chiefs fans in “The Feed” are not holding back their opinions. One user, kbrown2006, shouts out K Walker as their answer, saying with Bienemy back, it changes everything offensively. For kbrown2006, it’s not about Walker running for 2,000 yards, but how a dynamic run game completely flips the script for their passing game. They even said the RPO and play action has been “a joke” for the last few years. The call is clear: run the ball, punish defenses for disrespecting the offensive line and skill players like Johnson, Royals, and Worthy.
Then you’ve got djsvegas, who’s all in on Delane being the most important Chief not named Mahomes. If Delane can get close to a pro-bowl season, djsvegas believes the team will be in great shape. They’re looking for a shutdown guy in the secondary, someone who can individually impact every game. When the other team negates the pass rush, they need someone to depend on, someone who can stand up and get Mahomes the ball back. HuskerFrisbie weighs in too, pointing to the player who lines up opposite “Furious George” as the most important spot on defense. If they don’t get that “pre” player, the defense faces a big challenge.
It’s clear the Chiefs have some big questions to answer this season, not just around their MVP quarterback, but with these critical players who could dictate how far they go. All eyes will be on how these debates unfold on the field.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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