MIAMI -- Look past the star power in Super Bowl LIV and you'll see two teams that made a series of smart decisions that contribute to winning. From late-round surprises to impact free-agent pickups, the rosters of the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are well-stocked with success stories.
"The George Kittles and all that, the (Raheem) Mosterts, the Matt Breidas, Ben Garlands...we take a lot of pride in our synergy between the coaching staff and the front office and working together and seeing things the same way, and being very explicit in what exactly we're looking for," 49ers general manager John Lynch said. "I think that communication is where we've found success."
And when you find that synergy, flood the zone with long hours to make sure the pieces fit. That's the front-office plan of the Chiefs, whose quarterback brilliance sometimes overshadows the talent assembled around Patrick Mahomes.
"I don't think anybody is harder on what we do than ourselves," Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. "We'll analyze every move we made, the directions we could have went. ... If we find talent, we're not shy to develop it."
Those are just a few reasons why both teams are positioned for future playoff runs. But sustaining a roster built for January requires a lot of patience, a lot of money and a bevy of tough decisions.
For the last entry of ESPN's Overhaul Tiers, here's a deep breakdown of how the 49ers and Chiefs got here, and where they go next:
Kansas City Chiefs
2019 record: 12-4, AFC champions
Average age of starters in 2019: 26.7 (eighth youngest in NFL)
Projected 2020 cap space: $16,825,621 (eighth least)
Big-ticket free agent: Chris Jones
Low-key important free agent: Kendall Fuller
Three sneaky-good moves that got them to Super Bowl LIV
Finding second-round gems Mecole Hardman and Juan Thornhill: Hardman was redundant with Tyreek Hill in the lineup, but the offense is built around speed for Mahomes to utilize, and Hardman's versatile, explosive skill set gave Kansas City a potent fourth option whose role will only expand. Thornhill was thriving before his ACL injury, an instinctual safety with quickness to match safety mate Tyrann Mathieu. Championship teams do their most draft damage outside of the first round, and this is the perfect example.
Benching LeSean McCoy: The Chiefs didn't panic when Damien Williams started slowly and worked through injuries. McCoy's fumbling problem resurfaced, and at age 31, he can't offset the lack of ball security with enough home-run plays. Andy Reid smartly turned to Williams, and even leaned into the running game late in the AFC Championship game against Tennessee.
Prioritizing the pass rush with the Frank Clark signing: The Chiefs could have spent big money on defensive tackle Chris Jones, who's a free agent in March, but instead they utilized that money by swinging a massive trade for Clark. When both are healthy and wreaking havoc, the Chiefs are hard to stop on third downs. Giving Clark $63.5 million in guarantees is steep, but the pass rush market is exploding by the year, and Clark is better than anyone available this offseason. He also claims to give Kansas City's defense something it desperately needed: "Swagger," he said.
Biggest offseason questions
When should the Chiefs pay Patrick Mahomes? Mahomes' two-year explosion intersects with a ballooning quarterback market at the perfect time. The one certainty is he'll surpass Russell Wilson's $35 million per year as the game's highest-paid quarterback sometime between now and next offseason. But both parties might have their reasons to wait. Many sources around the league believe Mahomes' agents will be eager to do a splash deal now. But waiting helps Mahomes for two reasons: He can let fellow 2018 draft-class mate Deshaun Watson set a new market, and he can get even more money with a fresh collective bargaining agreement if it gets done before March, which many people involved want. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have other pressing contract needs they could figure out with more time. Of course, stalling puts Kansas City under the mercy of a salary cap that's rising 7% or more per year. That means bigger payouts.
How to proceed with Chris Jones' future? This one is complicated, because as one NFL exec points out, sometimes Jones looks like the best player in football, and other plays he disappears. The 10 or so flashes per game will probably get him close to $20 million per year on a new deal. The Chiefs would have to get creative financially to make that work. And sources say Jones strongly considered a holdout last summer, so the chances of him playing nice on a franchise tag appear bleak. This could be headed for a sign-and-trade with another team, giving Kansas City a top pick to use on a new defensive tackle and/or continue to develop Khalen Saunders.
How much will it cost to keep Travis Kelce happy? Kelce has two years left on his contract, but has outplayed his $7.25 million salary for 2020, and wants the third contract. Tyreek Hill makes nearly twice as much as Kelce on average in his deal, but you could argue Kelce is more important to what the Chiefs do. "His ability to get open, to read zone coverages and his chemistry with [Mahomes] makes that offense special," one AFC exec said. "And he's a better blocker than given credit for." With Kittle about to blow the door off the tight end market, Kelce will want to join the party.
Free agent/cut decisions
Sammy Watkins' $14 million cap hit in 2020 will dangle throughout the offseason. Watkins doesn't seem keen on a restructure of that three-year, $48 million deal signed in 2018. He used this week's media sessions to threaten sitting out 2020. But Watkins' presence highlights the Chiefs' philosophical approach of situational signings. Watkins might be a 600 yards-per-year receiver in Kansas City, but his speed can be deadly in a playoff setting, as Watkins showed with 114 yards in the AFC Championship Game.
"We've been a playoff team since 2013, so when you make moves, you're not making moves to make the playoffs, per se. You're making moves to get to the next level," Veach said this week. "I think Sammy, when we signed him, we knew Pat was going to be in his first year and we wanted to surround him with a lot of speed and talent. We know that when we get into these big games, they are going to double Tyreek or Travis, Sammy will get ideal matchups. So certainly there was that aspect of, when we get to that level, having weapons they can't take away will help us get there."
That doesn't mean Kansas City can't find that next, cheaper weapon in free agency, but at least it can justify keeping Watkins at that number for one more year if it needs. Pass rusher Alex Okafor enters the last of a three-year deal at a $5.95 million cap hit. Given his injury issues this year, a clean break might be needed.
More offseason priorities
Improve inside linebacker. Anthony Hitchens is still productive, but isn't a speed guy and needs help. The game is trending toward rangy linebackers with 4.4 speed, in the mold of Steelers' Devin Bush. Reggie Ragland's free agency gives Kansas City a chance to restock the position.
Re-sign Kendall Fuller if the price is reasonable, then draft corner help.
The Chiefs have all offensive line starters under contract for 2020, but using a top-three-round pick on a talented interior blocker will be key for future years.
San Francisco 49ers
2019 record: 13-3, NFC champions
Average age of starters in 2019: 26.6 (fourth youngest in NFL)
Projected 2020 cap space: $12,027,503 (sixth least)
Big-ticket free agent: Arik Armstead
Low-key important free agent: Jimmie Ward
Three sneaky-good moves that got them to Super Bowl LIV
Developed serious offensive line depth: Seven different linemen started at least seven games this season thanks to injuries to Joe Staley, Mike McGlinchey and others. And the 49ers continued to run the ball past nearly every defensive line they faced. Kyle Shanahan's motion-heavy scheme and playmakers all over the field helped that case, but running the ball is still about good line play, and San Francisco got that from all areas. Guard Ben Garland has been a late-season playmaker on a one-year, $805,000 deal, the kind of bargain buy that helps change seasons.
Gave the ball to Raheem Mostert late in the year: Shanahan left room in his potent three-man rushing attack for a bell cow to emerge, and during this seven-game stretch of at least 10 carries, Mostert is averaging 6.3 yards per attempt with 10 touchdowns. San Francisco's offense is at its best when its fastest running back is hitting the hole and cutting upfield. No dancing allowed.
The Fred Warner effect: One of the 49ers' most underrated moves was drafting a 6-foot-3 pass rusher out of BYU and making him an effective inside linebacker. Some considered Warner a reach in the third round of the 2018 draft, but he has started every game, is highly productive and can make audibles for the defense. Warner's presence was huge when Kwon Alexander missed time with a torn pec.
Biggest offseason questions
How much is too much with Arik Armstead? A 49ers source said the team wants to re-sign Armstead, but believes he has played himself into big, big money. Armstead is a key component of the 49ers' defensive identity, with he and DeForest Buckner using length and strength to push the pocket while Nick Bosa and Dee Ford handle the rest. Good defensive tackles simply make too much for Armstead and his agent, Joel Segal, not to test the market at this point. The 49ers would be prudent to make contingency plans.
When does tight end George Kittle get paid? Kittle's timing couldn't be better. He's arguably the best all-around player in a positional market that's capped at $10 million per year and needs a market reset. There's little chance Kittle plays out the last year of his rookie deal, but he must decide now whether waiting on Falcons tight end Austin Hooper to spark the market first is best for him. The team could get something done before the new league year to avoid any complications and unknowns with the new CBA. Either way, he'll soon be the richest tight end and should be.
Is there a true No. 1 outside WR option in San Francisco's future? The only thing missing in San Francisco's offense is a traditional No. 1 wideout. The 49ers' passing game loves to work the middle of the field off play-action with tight ends, along with WRs Deebo Samuel and Emmanuel Sanders, but having a bigger receiver who could navigate the sideline would expand the possibilities for situational football. Veteran free agent A.J. Green would be a whole lot of fun in the Bay.
Free agent/cut decisions
Running back looms large here. The team can save $6.8 million with a post-June-1 cut of Jerick McKinnon, whose knee issues have shelved him for two seasons. But a source said McKinnon is in a good place coming off his last procedure and expects a big 2020, and since he's an ideal swiss-army-knife fit for Shanahan's offense, bringing him back might make sense if he checks out medically. It seems unlikely the team keeps McKinnon and Tevin Coleman, whose $4.9 million cap hit is hefty for a complementary tailback.
Moving on from receiver Marquise Goodwin's $5.125 million cap hit is a sensible move, after the veteran caught a combined 35 passes the past two years. Most of the 49ers' other contracts are totally sensible.
More offseason priorities
Bring back Emmanuel Sanders. He loves San Francisco, should be reasonably priced at age 32, and is a willing blocker, a requirement in this offense.
The 49ers probably need another defensive back in the draft. Jimmie Ward will have a market and Richard Sherman turns 32 in May.
Preserving Kittle's health makes finding complementary tight end help paramount. Kittle has played through a torn labrum and takes a beating in the blocking game. Not that he can't handle it, but it would be smart to give the guy a few plays off.
DeForest Buckner, a 2021, free agent, is good enough to get a big deal now. Moving on from Armstead might heighten Buckner's importance to the 49ers' books.