(03-17-2023, 01:49 PM)The Real Marty Wrote: ESPN on the Jawaan Taylor deal: 

Chiefs to sign OT Jawaan Taylor
The deal: Four years, $80 million ($60 million guaranteed)

Grade: C-

Taylor is an adequate pass-blocking right tackle, but this contract severely overstates his ability. His 89% pass block win rate for Jacksonville last season ranked 37th out of 64 qualifying tackles last season, and his 69% run block win rate was sixth-worst among tackles. Our numbers are not alone: Pro Football Focus had Taylor as above average in pass protection and last in run blocking. That's two different evaluation methods coming to the same conclusion -- that Taylor is far from an elite tackle. Plus, Trevor Lawrence's strong sack avoidance -- a strength for Patrick Mahomes, too -- likely artificially makes the Jaguars' offensive line look better than it is.

It's a fair assessment. The Chiefs are paying and banking on his upside in this scenario. I just hope we continue to build around Lawrence. I can't stomach another hit like he took in Detroit last year. Keep getting into it with fans on twitter with a wide audience here locally. Jordan De Lugo, Duval Doom, etc. 

They keep saying we need this and we need that on defense. Look, I hear them. I get it. However, with all that said? This front office has invested plenty of cap space and draft picks on defense over the last two, three years. Those guys need to step up or take a big step forward. Cisco, Walker, Lloyd, Hamilton, Muma, etc. 

Campbell has been doing his part. Oluokon came in last year and paid dividends early. Jenkins had his moments as did Williams in the secondary. We need better secondary play but a lot of that relies on the front seven. If we keep having to double dip every year on the same issues? Something is wrong here evaluating wise and it's costing you precious time with Lawrence's contract coming up for an extension sooner than we realize. 

It's bad enough we already pissed away a year of his rookie contract with Urban Miller. However, you cannot fault for the Chiefs nor the Bengals for doing what any smart franchise would do. They're not going to rely on a game of chance in the draft with a rookie tackle, especially because their draft positioning does not allow that right now. Just like ours after winning the division. 

That fancy nickel CB or big interior pass rusher everybody is clamoring for will mean absolutely NOTHING if, god forbid, something happens to Lawrence and he's out for any extensive period of time. The logic is, you build around an elite arm talent, you protect your elite arm talent and you provide for your elite arm talent the tools around him to enable him to ascend the highest tier of QB's. 

It's easier to play defense when your offense is scoring so many damn points early and often to where your opponent simply has no choice but to abandon it's sense of balance and start throwing it to play catch up. Take the guess work out of your 2nd year players on defense and you'll see those pressures converted into sacks. You'll see more interceptions.

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