# Matt Verderame: Matt ranked the Chiefs' position groups (corner 5th, DT 4th, TE 3rd, RB 2nd, OL 1st) and along the way predicted rookie corner Mansoor Delane would be a Pro Bowl-level player immediately, called Chris Jones a top-three defensive tackle and likely All-Pro, Travis Kelce still a top-five tight end, and Kenneth Walker a top-10 running back. They also expect Brendan Sorsby to be taken in the third or fourth round of the supplemental draft.

**Claimed:** Jun 19, 2026
**Pundit:** Matt Verderame — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/matt-verderame
**Outlet:** KC Sports Network (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/kc-sports-network-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us
**Original:** https://pdrl.fm/8d7cde/mgln.ai/e/256/pscrb.fm/rss/p/clrtpod.com/m/bluewire.simplecastaudio.com/8bf45406-115f-47da-8dc8-dcc5713f4a83/episodes/5e2da256-ade9-4aa9-91aa-bd08e9f91ffc/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=8bf45406-115f-47da-8dc8-dcc5713f4a83&awEpisodeId=5e2da256-ade9-4aa9-91aa-bd08e9f91ffc&feed=BJf5DYgc

7 checkable claims — 3 positional finishes, 2 pro bowl and all-pro calls, 1 depth chart call and 1 mock draft pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 7 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 1.

> I think he will be a Pro Bowl level player immediately.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **R Mason Thomas to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: R Mason Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Travis Kelce to finish top 5 at his position, by receiving yards**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Chris Jones to finish top 3 at his position, by an unstated measure**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Chris Jones to make All-Pro**
  - Kind: Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls · About: Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Kenneth Walker III to finish top 10 at his position, by rushing yards**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Brendan Sorsby to be picked “third to fourth round pick” (picks 97–140)**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Brendan Sorsby
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Mansoor Delane to make Pro Bowl**
  - Kind: Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls · About: Mansoor Delane, Kansas City Chiefs
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- R Mason Thomas — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/r-mason-thomas
- Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs
- Travis Kelce — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/travis-kelce
- Chris Jones — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/chris-jones
- Kenneth Walker III — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kenneth-walker-iii
- Brendan Sorsby — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/brendan-sorsby
- Mansoor Delane — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/mansoor-delane

## What others said about the same people

- Chris Clark on Nikko Remigio: Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/99521265-d5c0-4db1-b2a0-fe77908ea0b3 (scored 0)
- Gilberto Manzano on Josh Downs: Previewing the trade deadline, he expects Justin Herbert to stay in Los Angeles despite the Chargers' 0–7 start, thinks the Jets will keep Garrett Wilson and pair him with their young weapons, expects a receiver-hungry Kansas City to be aggressive with Josh Downs the likeliest target, and suggests expiring Eagles contracts Moro Ojomo and Riq Woolen could be dealt for mid-round picks. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/67d5af78-94ea-4ee2-a277-5e68347022de (scored 100)
- Joshua Poniatowski on Josh Downs: Poniatowski names several trade targets, predicting Malik Willis underperforms this week against New England, that Omarion Hampton could become a viable RB2 if Adam Gase takes over play-calling, that Josh Downs gets traded (ideally to Kansas City, where they'd be a top-24 WR), that Brian Thomas Jr. could be dealt to the Rams or 49ers, and that Travis Kelce remains a consistent weekly TE. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d1752582-a799-48b9-984b-39bf7cb8b709 (scored 100)
- Andrew Erickson on Josh Downs: Erickson floated Kansas City as the landing spot for Josh Downs and said a trade there would make them at least a WR3 rest of season; they also expect Rashee Rice to leave the Chiefs after this season as a free agent. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e97e28f2-31fc-4702-915c-63c38477e97d (scored 100)
- Jordan Dajani on Josh Downs: After reporting that Colts receiver Josh Downs requested a trade, they identify five clubs as plausible landing spots for them: the Rams, Patriots, Falcons, Chiefs and Raiders, and suggests Las Vegas could also give them a long-term extension. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f5af1657-8608-4071-a63e-0e7d6124e627 (scored 100)
- Mike Kadlick on Josh Downs: Kadlick names the Chiefs, Patriots and 49ers as the three best trade landing spots for Colts wide receiver Josh Downs ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/45c94482-ef71-413f-834b-2a246271691d (scored 100)

## More positional finishes

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Nick Wright on Puka Nacua: Nick Wright picked the Ravens to beat Houston this weekend even with Lamar Jackson possibly out (leaning on Derrick Henry and Cooper Rush), the Chiefs to win in Jacksonville, and the Rams to beat the 49ers on Thursday night. They also laid out an AFC playoff field of Bills, Steelers, Chiefs, Chargers and Colts, projected the Chiefs' receiver pecking order once Rashee Rice returns, and called Justin Jefferson the best receiver in football with Puka Nacua a top-five receiver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d48b8521-6883-4f25-99f1-6f552bfe5a94 (scored 75)
- Rich Hribar on Matthew Stafford: Hribar published their 2023 fantasy football quarterback tiers, ordering 41 quarterbacks into eight tiers that reflect how they prioritize drafting the position, with Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes in the top tier as the trio most likely to finish as the overall QB1. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9d1e15ad-f96d-457c-ad9f-25882182e28b (scored 100)
- Chris Brockman on Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Brockman argued Jaxon Smith-Njigba is already the best receiver in the NFL and deserves to be the highest paid, called their shot that three quarterbacks (Mendoza, Ty Simpson, Carson Beck) go in the first round with Mendoza first overall, and suggested New England is headed for a 7-10 season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c47d130c-5598-4cd0-b546-1121046b9166 (scored 100)
- Pat Gustavson on Bijan Robinson: Gustafson picks the Patriots, Bills, Seahawks and Bears in the divisional round with a Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl, predicts Mike Tomlin and Matt LaFleur stay, Aaron Rodgers returns to Pittsburgh, and lays out their own coaching landing spots. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/06884586-5b21-40c8-9439-e303a3e8a806 (scored 75)
- JP Acosta on Bijan Robinson: JP picked the Eagles to beat the 49ers in a low-scoring game and the Jaguars to beat the Bills, called Bijan Robinson the best running back in the league, and named their own first-team All-Pro roster. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/660e3494-2b0b-415e-beb7-9e3bf3464e30 (scored 75)
- Rich Eisen on George Pickens: Eisen called the Rams-winning-it-all take an overreaction but expects Los Angeles to win the NFC West, said they don't see how Myles Garrett fails to win Defensive Player of the Year, and called George Pickens perhaps the third-best receiver in the NFL this season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2b6828d6-b24c-4c65-ac95-56bf45c4ebf7 (scored 100)

---

Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology

We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us:
https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=matt-verderame
