Grading the Chiefs: 2016 position-by-position grades

Here's a look at each position group heading into 2017, and the group's overall grade in 2016, using the following scale:

An "A" means the group performed at an elite level, a “B” means the group was above average, a "C" means the group was average, a "D" means the group was below average and an "F" means the group was one of the worst in the league.　

Last year's grade is in parenthesis.

Quarterbacks: C (B)

Alex Smith knew the stakes entering the season. He was coming off one of his best seasons as a pro, one in which he led the Chiefs to an 11-5 record and their first playoff victory in 22 years. The goal this year was the Super Bowl, but anything short of an improvement from last year would be a disappointment, one that he’d be judged on, fairly or unfairly. And although the Chiefs went 12-4 and won the AFC West for the first time since 2010, Smith’s performance was spotty throughout the season, with some monster highs (i.e. clutch comeback wins over San Diego and Denver) and some massive lows (brutal losses to Tennessee, Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh). He was perfectly serviceable, completing 67.1 percent of his passes for 3,502 yards, 15 touchdowns and eight interception while being named a Pro Bowl alternate. However, his passer rating — 91.2 — ranked smack dab in the middle of the league (16th), and the running flair he flashed a year ago vanished for most of the season, hurting his playmaking ability. His receivers failed in him the divisional round loss to Pittsburgh, with at least three bad drops, but Smith missed some big shots downfield as well, a consistent criticism of him since he arrived in Kansas City.

There will be a call from some to draft a first-round quarterback, which would be wise, or trade for a veteran like Dallas’ Tony Romo, but the Chiefs know what they have in Smith and could certainly do worse than him entering 2017. Nick Foles slung it around pretty good in relief of Smith against Indianapolis and won his only start, a win over Jacksonville, but he needs to continue to work on his footwork and rhythm in the offense. The club owns a $10.75 million option on him for 2017. Tyler Bray has the best arm of the bunch and has spent the last four years learning in the background, but he showed in the preseason that he still has much to improve on, particularly when it comes to ball placement and decision-making.

Running backs: C (B)

After stepping up as bonafide heroes in relief of Jamaal Charles in 2015, Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West were serviceable in 2016. Ware ran hard, blocked well and showed improvement as a receiver, and generally performed fine as a starter, rushing 214 times for 921 yards and three touchdowns. Aside from some fumbling issues in the first month of the season, he never took much off the table. West is small, but he’s a tough guy for his size who is a willing blocking and a good pass receiver. He was nicked up throughout the season, which hurt his explosiveness at times, but he generally looked like he was back to his old self by the end of the season and performed well in the regular-season finale against San Diego. This is a nice duo, but the Chiefs’ offense missed the dangerous playmaking element that the 2013 and 2014 versions of Charles brought to the table from the running back position. Charles logged only 14 touches this season as he battled knee issues. He has a $7 million cap number that logic dictates the Chiefs almost certainly will not pay. He could still return if the two sides were willing to knock that cap number down, but it’s also possible he’ll be released and find a new home in 2017. Knile Davis, a third-round pick in 2013, seems destined for a new home in the offseason after he was traded to Green Bay midseason, only to be let go and eventually return to Kansas City. Fullback Anthony Sherman is a solid special teams player and a tough-guy blocker who doesn’t touch the ball much but is a winning player.

Receivers: C (B)

Prior to the season, few would have bet that the Chiefs’ best – and most dangerous – receiver by December would be fifth-round rookie Tyreek Hill, but that proved to be the case. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound dynamo led all receivers with 61 catches for 593 yards and six touchdowns. His combination of rare speed and burst proved to be a headache for defenses, who had to contend with him as a dynamic deep threat, gadget player and running back by the end of the year. Put it this way — when Hill went in motion, defenders’ eyes went with him. He’s got a chance to be a very good player for a very long time.

Presumed No. 1 receiver Jeremy Maclin followed up a terrific debut season in Kansas City (87 catches, 1,088 yards, eight touchdowns) with a disappointing 44-catch, 536-yard, two touchdown campaign in which he missed four games due to injury, dealt with the early-season death of a childhood friend, had some uncharacteristic drops and rarely seemed to be on the same page with Smith. Maclin, 28, is super-competitive and a solid bet to have a bounce-back 2017 season. Second-year pro Chris Conley (44 catches, 530 yards, zero touchdowns) actually earned the most snaps of any Chiefs receiver and improved as a possession receiver and blocker, but he needs to become a downfield threat to become a complete receiver. Albert Wilson, a starter in 2015, took a bit of a backseat due to the emergence of Hill and Conley and while he had his moments — notably his return to Atlanta in the Chiefs’ win over the Falcons — he caught roughly the same amount of passes as last year (35 to 31) for far fewer yards (451 to 279). De’Anthony Thomas also saw his role shrink because of Hill, though he still contributed on kick returns, while rookie Demarcus Robinson flashed as a receiver in preseason camp but ultimately made his mark in 2016 as a core special teamer.

Tight ends: A (B)

Travis Kelce had his best season as a pro, catching a team-high 85 passes for 1,125 yards and four touchdowns. The 27-year-old lived up to his big-money extension by responding with his second straight Pro Bowl year. The fact he’s a serviceable blocker, which is hard to find at this position these days, complements his vast gifts as a receiving threat. He has soft hands, runs good routes and is a run-after-the-catch threat. Kelce also needs to mature. He had a handful of outbursts on the field that resulted in penalties and hurt his team, while his postgame rants — of which there were a few — served as short-lived distractions. But the fact he was voted one of six team captains by his teammates after the season is a positive sign, one that means he could eventually harness his intensity for good. Demetrius Harris had a few high moments, including a clutch two-point catch against Denver, but he had a few too many drops and must become a more consistent receiver and blocker. James O’Shaughnessy primarily contributed on special teams. Ross Travis shined during preseason camp but didn’t see the field after a slow start to the season.

Offensive line: C (C)

The Chiefs’ line has to get better. They failed to generate movement far too often at the point of attack in obvious rushing situations. But the good news is it’s a talented young group that hasn’t reached its ceiling yet. The tackle situation is actually set up to be solid for a while. For many fans, the lasting memory of left tackle Eric Fisher’s 2016 season might be his hold of James Harrison in the divisional-round, which negated a game-tying two-point conversion, but it really shouldn’t be. Fisher took a big step forward in his fourth season, and he showed flashes of becoming the player the Chiefs drafted him to be while being named a Pro Bowl alternate for the first time in his career. He still needs to work on his technique in pass protection, but he’s blossomed into a nasty run blocker who, at 26, still has time to reach his ceiling.

Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz generally delivered on the big-money free agent deal he signed this offseason, serving as a steady pass protector and run blocker despite an ankle injury that bothered him for at least part of the season. A young interior – center Mitch Morse (24 years old), right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (25) and left guard Zach Fulton (25) all grew together this season, particularly when it came to pass protection and picking up blitzes and stunts, but they must continue to work their technique in the run and pass games and build up their bodies to regularly move 320-plus pound men on a weekly basis. Keep an eye of Parker Ehinger, a rookie starter at left guard until he was lost for the season in October with a knee injury. He’s tough, aware and plays with good technique; he’s got a chance to be a good player, especially after an offseason spent building up his frame. Jah Reid served as a serviceable swing player and sixth lineman.

Defensive line: C (B)

This group absorbed multiple injuries but still managed to provide some quality snaps, though they must take some of the blame for a far-too-leaky run defense. Dontari Poe, a pending free agent, led the group in snaps again and is the conscience of the group; his steady work ethic sets the tone. He also had nine quarterback pressures, the fourth-most on the team, but he was moved on doubles at times and is still looking to recapture his Pro Bowl form of 2013 and 2014 (he had offseason back surgery in 2015). After the midseason injuries to starters Allen Bailey and Jaye Howard – two above-average contributors – rookie Chris Jones proved to be a relevation, totaling 28 tackles, 10 pressures and two sacks. His combination of size, athleticism and enthusiam gives him a Pro Bowl ceiling. He can play anywhere along the line and can be as good as he wants to be. Second-year pro Rakeem Nunez-Roches showed signs of being a disruptive player after an early-season reason, while veterans Jarvis Jenkins and Kendall Reyes gave the Chiefs some adequate snaps after being signed off the street midseason. The Chiefs will need more depth here, particularly if Poe leaves, but Jones will be a key piece going forward, regardless.

Outside linebackers: B (B)

With Justin Houston expected to miss several games as he recovered from offseason knee surgery, third-year pro Dee Ford entered the season with plenty of pressure. But Ford ultimately delivered, recording team highs in sacks (10), pressures (17) and tackles for loss (12) to show why he was a first-round pick in 2014. He must continue to make strides as a run defender, particularly when it comes to his overall consistency, but this was an important season for him. Houston (21 tackles, four sacks, six pressures) returned in November and looked like a boss against Denver with three sacks, only to have his knee issues flare up again a few games later. He returned for the Pittsburgh game and looked solid, but the Chiefs need him to heal up this offseason and be ready to regain his 22-sack form from 2014. The Chiefs rested veteran Tamba Hali during practice for most of the season, only to use him sparingly in the playoff loss to Pittsburgh. It was a bad decision; Hali finished the season with only 3 1/2 tackles and nine pressures but generally performed well while playing 50 percent of the defensive snaps and could have approached last year’s totals had he played as much. They could have used him against the Steelers, for sure. Frank Zombo is a steady run defender who was a valuable special teams player, while rookie Dadi Nicolas showed promise as a pass rusher prior to a season-ending patella injury.

Inside linebackers: D (B)

The Chiefs were not good enough here, as spotty gap discipline, missed tackles and a bit too much hesitation from this group contributed to the league’s 26th-ranked run defense — and that was the case even before Derrick Johnson was lost for the season with a torn Achilles. Injuries to projected starters Josh Mauga and his replacement, Justin March-Lillard, certainly didn’t help. Johnson looked terrific early in the season, only to be slowed by injuries midway through. He played through them and had more missed tackles than normal but was still the heart-and-soul of this group and was sorely missed against Pittsburgh. To fully understand his impact, consider this; despite missing the Chiefs’ last three games, Johnson still led the team in tackles with 90, 13 more than the next closest player, Eric Berry. Second-year pro Ramik Wilson took a big step up this year. He still needs to work on shedding blocks but started to make more plays as the year went on, finished third on the team in tackles (76) and could be a keeper going forward. Fellow second-year pro D.J. Alexander, a Pro Bowl alternate as a special teamer, struggled in his lone start as Johnson’s replacement while undrafted rookie Terrance Smith showed some nastiness as a hitter but also had some growing pains once he took over for Alexander. The Chiefs need more consistency from this group next year, period.

Cornerbacks: B (A)

This group, in general, was solid. Marcus Peters turned in another fine season, racking up team highs in interceptions (six), passes defensed (20) and earning all-pro and Pro Bowl honors for the second straight season. Peters is a ballhawk. Teams opted to stay away from him this year, and his targets dropped significantly. Instead, they targeted 2015 third-rounder Steven Nelson and whoever else the Chiefs sent out there, which rotated between Phillip Gaines, Kenneth Acker and D.J. White before Terrance Mitchell emerged as a terrific late-season option. Nelson had a solid season. He finished second in passes defensed with 16 but needs to focus on creating turnovers (zero picks), while Gaines was plagued by injuries. White had a rough game against Pittsburgh during the regular season but was impressive in camp, while Acker didn’t make a splash play in his 147 defensive snaps. Mitchell, a free-agent pickup in September, showed great hips and anticipation across seven appearances, and while he didn’t force a turnover either, he’s earned a shot to be a starter next year and build on a promising 2016 campaign. He finished the year allowing just 15 receptions on 35 targets for 149 yards and zero touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus.

Safeties: A (A)

Eric Berry and Ron Parker form one of the league’s steadiest duos. Berry (77 tackles, four interceptions, nine passes defensed) had a terrific contract season, making game-changing plays in multiple wins while again earning Pro Bowl and all-pro honors. He played at around 210 pounds this year and again showed improved cover skills thanks to copious amounts of film study, while also emerging as an enforcer — he was the team’s hardest hitter. Lastly, Berry served as the Chiefs’ emotional leader and lightning rod, and he will be missed immensely if he is allowed to leave in free agency. Parker is an underrated player who rarely takes anything off the table. He’s a good pass defender with range who has improved as a tackler. Daniel Sorensen also emerged as a solid dime linebacker and made a few really big plays over the course of the season, while rookie Eric Murray had a nice season as a special teamer. Really nice year for this group.

Special teams: A (B)

Kudos go to special teams coach Dave Toub, who again put together one of the league’s premier units. Hill had plenty to do with that — he earned all-pro and Pro Bowl selections with three return touchdowns — but the overall units were great, and the Chiefs did not yield or kick- or punt-return touchdown. Punter Dustin Colquitt was recently added to the Pro Bowl roster as a replacement for Pat McAfee of Indianapolis, while kicker Cairo Santos also finished eighth in the league in field-goal accuracy (89 percent in 35 attempts).

Coaching: B (A)

Look, the Chiefs have been building toward this moment for four years. This was supposed to be Andy Reid’s best team since his arrival in 2013, and for the most part, it was. A 12-4 record and a sweep in the AFC West, arguably the NFL’s toughest division, deserves to be applauded. In the end, however, Reid’s 20th-ranked offense, while much more explosive in 2016 than last year, was never consistent, and it never got fully corrected, which ultimately cost the Chiefs in the playoffs. Because of that — and the fact the Chiefs again failed to advance past the divisional round (at home, no less) — you can make an argument for a “C” grade. Winning is what matters, and racking up that kind of record is hard to do in today’s parity-driven NFL. You have to take a big picture approach, here. Defensive coordinator Bob Sutton also had a solid year, turning the Chiefs into a bend-but-don’t-break unit that ranked 24th in total defense but forced a league-high 33 turnovers. Toub was terrific as well.

This story was originally published January 21, 2017 at 3:06 PM with the headline "Grading the Chiefs: 2016 position-by-position grades."