How Bengals Signing Chase, Higgins Helps Chiefs

The Cincinnati Bengals locked down wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, tipping their hand in the first round of the upcoming draft.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) and Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) collide in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 2 game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. The Chiefs took a 26-25 win with a go-ahead field goal as time expired. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Over the last six seasons, Kansas City is 5-1 in AFC Championship Games. And the only team to beat the Chiefs in that span, the Bengals, may have indirectly helped their conference rivals with a critical need.

Cincinnati committed $276 million in new money to wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this week. And combined with what the Bengals owe quarterback Joe Burrow and left tackle Orlando Brown, and edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson’s requested trade, they’ve tipped their hand on their most likely focus in the first round of the draft: Defense.

That means teams like the Chiefs that draft after Cincinnati don’t have to worry about the Bengals taking a coveted offensive prospect. According to the latest mock drafts from experts Daniel Jeremiah and Mel Kiper – mocks compiled after the first wave of NFL free agency -- Kansas City’s coveted offensive prospect will be an offensive tackle.

Jeremiah has the Bengals taking Marshall edge-rusher Mike Green at 17 and the Chiefs opting for left tackle Josh Simmons from national champion Ohio State at 31. Kiper sees Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart headed to Cincinnati and Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks bound for Kansas City.

Kansas City signed unrestricted free agent Jaylon Moore to at least temporarily stop the its hemorrhage at left tackle, although one analyst accused the Chiefs of giving Patrick Mahomes a used Nintendo. Wanya Morris, Kingsley Suamataia, D.J. Humphries and even guard Joe Thuney – traded to Chicago this offseason – couldn’t get the job done last year.

That’s why drafting a tackle like Simmons to compete with Moore, or at minimum learn from him, would go a long way toward ultimately providing Mahomes a Sega Genesis.

“I know the Chiefs signed Jaylon Moore in free agency,” Jeremiah said, “but I’m not so sure Simmons won’t ultimately be the better option for them at left tackle. Regardless, building quality depth up front would seem like a wise move based on the issues they dealt with last season.”

Those issues were on full display in Super Bowl LIX, Kiper said, and Moore’s two-year contract is no guarantee to solve anything.

“Banks has the traits to help fortify Patrick Mahomes’ protection,” Kiper said in his mock draft Tuesday. Perhaps Banks wins the left-tackle job over Moore. Maybe he replaces Jawaan Taylor on the right side. And maybe he even kicks inside to Thuney's vacated guard spot. Regardless of where he plays, Banks' experience (42 college starts), quickness and power would be welcomed in Kansas City.”

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