The Kansas City Chiefs are missing one of their better draft picks this year, having sent their second-round choice to the San Francisco 49ers in last year’s trade for quarterback Alex Smith.
The Chiefs still have their first-round pick, which is 23rd overall, as well as their own picks in the third, fourth and fifth rounds. They have two picks in the sixth round, their own plus one acquired from Dallas in last year’s trade that sent linebacker Edgar Jones to the Cowboys.
The Chiefs don’t have a seventh-round pick, having sent it to the Cowboys as part of the deal involving Jones.
Compensatory picks for last season’s free-agent activity will be handed out before the draft but don’t look for the Chiefs to get much -- if anything. Their only loss of significance (and I’m using the term loosely here) through unrestricted free agency last year was defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey, while the Chiefs were active in signing players from other teams.
So the Chiefs would be unwise to count on more picks. Not having a second-round choice puts a greater premium on finding a solid player with their first-round pick. The Chiefs had the same situation last year, having also sent their No. 2 pick to the 49ers. But the Chiefs at least had two third-round choices then to remove some of that pressure on the first-round pick and they wound up with two promising offensive skill players in tight end Travis Kelce and running back Knile Davis.
That’s why a trade down might make sense for the Chiefs in the first round. They have some ground to cover in this year’s draft and having just one pick in the top 86 will cripple their ability to replenish. If general manager John Dorsey gets a reasonable offer for that 23rd overall pick, one that would allow the Chiefs a shot at more than just one of this draft's better players, he needs to consider it carefully.