The Chiefs have moved on from the last generation of Chiefs

. So what happens now?"It’s been a rough week in some regard for Chiefs fans across the country. They were forced to say goodbye to critical pieces of not only last year’s team but also stars of the last generation. The Chiefs released Justin Houston on Sunday Marcus Allen Jersey , traded Dee Ford on Tuesday and bid farewell to the beloved Eric Berry on Wednesday. The Chiefs ripped the band-aid off and are hitting a complete reset on defense under new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.The moves tell us a lot about the realities of this offseason and what it means for next season and beyond. Here are my takeaways after the major moves:1. This is Patrick Mahomes’ teamDale Zanine-USA TODAY SportsThe exit of key leaders in the locker room like Houston and Berry signify that this is unquestionably the reigning MVP’s team (as if it weren’t to some degree already). There are no older established voices with the credibility that Berry or Houston had in that locker room. There are veterans like Travis Kelce and Chris Jones, yes, but the prevailing voice is now Mahomes. And that’s how it should be. He has earned the opportunity to be the guy in the building. The exit of veterans makes that a smoother transition.2. They need to sign pass rush helpWhether it’s in the interior or at EDGE, the Chiefs have to find one or two players to help make up for the lost production regarding sacks and pressure. They aren’t going to lead the league in sacksthis year, but if they can get to the middle of the pack, they should be better in other areas to make up for it. The players under contract in 2019 account for 26 sacks: Chris Jones (15.5), Tyrann Mathieu (3), Xavier Williams (2.5), Breeland Speaks (1.5), Jordan Lucas (1), Armani Watts (1), Damien Wilson (1) and Reggie Ragland (.5). If these players have similar production or improve, that’s a start. Finding some help in free agency (perhaps Markus Golden) helps them get closer to the middle of the pack for the league, which is 39 team sacks.3. Spagnuolo and company have their work cut out for themBrad Penner-USA TODAY SportsThe new defensive staff is an exciting group. Spagnuolo has compiled some quality minds to help him solve the defensive woes. Defensive line coach Brendan Daly comes from New England after helping develop a rush plan that slowed down Mahomes and company in Arrowhead. It was brilliantly done without too many impact players in their front. That experience is now with the good guys Larry Johnson Jersey , which should go a long way in helping the Chiefs do more with less from their pass rush. Matt House was a dark-horse defensive coordinator candidate for the Chiefs and now he’s in the building as a linebackers coach. His familiarity with the college game should help Spagnuolo adapt to the ever-changing landscape of NFL offenses. The time off for Spagnuolo should serve him well as he comes in energized, with new ideas and with quality minds around him. They have the group to solve these problems, but it’s not going to be easy.4. The Chiefs aren’t picking at 29Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY SportsThere is a clearly defined need to add an impact pass rusher in this upcoming draft. With the additional second-round pick in 2020 and the Rams 2019 second-round pick from the Marcus Peters trade, the Chiefs have more than enough ammunition to move up and grab an available pass rusher. One name to keep an eye on is Clelin Ferrell from Clemson. He did not do athletic testing at the NFL Combine and is not intending to do it at his pro day. Some anticipate he could fall without participating. The Chiefs could be the beneficiary. He has a round-one grade for us.5. The Chiefs have to nail this draftLast year felt like an overcorrection to the toughness that the Chiefs felt they lacked in their playoff loss to the Titans. The Chiefs went and got hard-working, blue-collar players with the likes of Speaks and Derrick Nnadi. They need more of an impact from this draft than they did last year. They’re well-equipped to with the additional assets, but they need to make them count. You can anticipate them to hit defense early and often. They need help at EDGE and cornerback specifically.KC Draft GuideWe are releasing the first ever edition of the KC Draft Guide on April 8.We’ll have over 200 prospect write-ups, specifically about how prospects fit the Chiefs. There will be big boards, more than 300 grades on players, mock drafts, positional rankings and features all specific to the Chiefs. You can learn about the players the Chiefs will potentially draft for just $6.99 by clicking here. KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andy Reid sat inside an opulent suite high above the field in Arrowhead Stadium six years ago, a sparkle in his eyes and a broad smile hiding underneath his bushy, red mustache.He had just been fired by the Philadelphia Eagles after a mostly successful 14-year run highlighted by a Super Bowl appearance, and by all accounts he should have been weary and beaten. But he was instead wired and buoyant Joe Montana Jersey , eager to take on the vast rebuilding job of the Kansas City Chiefs.Eager to answer the critics that claimed he lost it those final years in Philly.Eager to prove to everyone that he can win the big game.Now, the affable coach with the self-deprecating sense of humor has the Chiefs one game away from playing in their first Super Bowl in 49 years.Standing in the way are the New England Patriots, a team that has ruined Reid’s postseason dreams on multiple occasions, but who will have to earn their own trip back to the Super Bowl by beating the AFC’s top seed on the road Sunday.“I think this is big for our fans. It’s big for our family,” Reid said Monday. “There’s a lot that goes into it, from the head coach’s standpoint to the players’ standpoint.“There’s going to be a lot of distractions here,” he added. “It’s important to focus on the job.”It’s the job Reid sought when he signed on in 2013, taking over a franchise coming off a two-win season and marked by on- and off-field misery. And getting to this point hasn’t been easy, either, with more playoff disappointments marking his first five seasons.Twice his Chiefs teams have lost by one point, and once by two, when the Steelers beat them in the divisional round at Arrowhead Stadium in a game in which Pittsburgh never scored a touchdown.Twice they’ve blown 18-point leads, something that has only happened two other times in NFL history.Three years ago, the Chiefs finally won their first playoff game in more than two decades only to blow their shot at the AFC title game in New England. The Chiefs trailed by 14 in the fourth quarter Len Dawson Jersey , but used 16 plays to score the first of two touchdowns they needed, and ultimately ran out of time.“I don’t get caught up in any of that,” said Reid, who even after a 31-13 win over the Colts on Saturday is just 2-4 in the playoffs with Kansas City. “I’m into history — I love history — but only if it makes you better. You learn from it and move forward. That’s the important thing.”To be sure, Reid has had plenty of learning opportunities.He’s been in 25 playoff games over the course of 20 seasons as a head coach, the most of anybody without winning the Super Bowl.In fact, his one Super Bowl appearance — when the Eagles were beaten by Bill Belichick and the Patriots in 2005 — is the fewest of any coach with 20 playoff games.That loss to the Patriots, of course, was as deflating as any postseason defeat.The Eagles trailed that game by 10 points late, but used up several precious minutes with a series of short passing plays to get the touchdown they needed. They were left with little time to march for the tying field goal, and Reid was saddled with criticism for his poor time management.It has turned out to be a criticism that has haunted Reid most of his career.His guys have never been on board with it, though. Reid has always been considered a players’ coach, passing on the praise and shouldering the blame, whether it was during his days as an assistant coach in Green Bay or when he was leading Philadelphia to a series of NFC title games.“I’ve learned a ton just from being around Coach Reid Mitch Morse Jersey ,” said Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs’ record-setting young quarterback. “I think he’s a huge reason why we’ve had success this season.”Reid showed against Indianapolis he’s learned from past playoff failures, eschewing a conservative approach from yesteryear for a go-for-broke mentality. The Chiefs went for it on fourth down on four occasions, converted three of them, and set the tone early in a game they dominated the whole way.“It’s always a tough matchup against Andy,” Belichick said. “I’ve never had the opportunity to coach with Andy, but we’ve competed many times, and played him in a lot of preseason games in Philadelphia and then obviously in Kansas City, and going back to when we were coordinators prior to head coaches.“I’ve always had a tremendous amount of respect for the way he does things,” he added. “He does as good a job as anybody in the National Football League. Has for a long time. Gets the most out of his players, puts them in the right position, plays very competitively always but always in a respectful way, the way the game should be played.”