At this stage of the offseason, it is all about making the right micro-adjustments when it comes to adding and subtracting from one's roster. Training camp is underway across the NFL, and a team like the Kansas City Chiefs may need some help in the back-end of their defense. Matt Conner over at Arrowhead Addict addressed the outside noise about the Chiefs' safety concerns with this article.
Conner wrote the Chiefs seem to like three members of their safety group in projected starters Jaden Hicks and Bryan Cook, as well as a versatile backup in Chamarri Conner. His post was a reaction to a list put forth by Pro Football Network about the best available safeties. It mentioned Julian Blackmon and Justin Simmons as candidates. Blackmon has since signed with New Orleans.
What I am getting at is if there any lingering concerns about the Chiefs' secondary heading into the offseason, maybe they could have considered bringing back one of their own? Former Chiefs second-round pick Juan Thornhill could have been had near the start of the league year in March. Thornhill now plays for Pittsburgh after having been released after his second season with Cleveland.
I am sure there are reasons why the Chiefs passed on Thornhill three springs ago, but he would work.
Kansas City Chiefs may regret not looking into Juan Thornhill this season
While I do not view Pittsburgh as anything close to a threat to Kansas City in the deep AFC, the Chiefs are at a spot where the rest of the league is starting to see obvious cracks in the foundation. Travis Kelce is no spring chicken. Behind a porous offensive line, Patrick Mahomes is not as good as he once was. If the Chiefs go up against a ferocious defensive line, they can get devoured completely.
That being said, they are still the team to beat in the AFC. I may like the Baltimore Ravens quite a lot entering this season, but I am not going to anoint Ravens Flock over Chiefs Kingdom just yet. Lamar Jackson and the rest of the Ravens need to earn that distinction. It cannot just be handed to them. What I may like the most about the Chiefs is the high-end nature of its defense, especially up front.
After taking a look at the Chiefs' depth chart, I am really not seeing any bona-fide star power in the back-end, outside of lockdown cornerback Trent McDuffie. Not to say Thornhill or any other prospective safety candidate would be that, but he knows the system and has played well for the Chiefs before. The last thing the Chiefs want is to be exposed in certain portions of the secondary.
The ship has sailed on re-acquiring Thornhill, but every offseason decision, good or bad, adds up.