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Offseason In Review: Kansas City Chiefs

July 11th, 2024 at 9:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Going 50 years in between Super Bowl appearances, the Chiefs have now trekked to four (and won three) in the past five seasons. Kansas City’s walk-off Super Bowl LVIII triumph marked the ninth instance of back-to-back Super Bowl wins. However, the Chiefs joined only the Broncos (1997-98) and Patriots (2003-04) as teams in the salary cap era to repeat.

The franchise’s 2017 trade-up for Patrick Mahomes has become one of the most important acquisitions in NFL history, with the two-time MVP and three-time Super Bowl MVP already among the all-time quarterback greats. While Mahomes has ground to cover to match some of the game’s long-running legends, he has authored the best six-season stretch to open a career in the position’s history. The Chiefs continue to ride with their formidable Mahomes-Andy Reid partnership, and a retention-heavy offseason featured their defensive pillar re-signing and more weaponry coming after a choppy regular season through the air.

Re-signings:

Mahomes and Travis Kelce are tied to team-friendly contracts. After the Chiefs attempted to extend Jones at a below-market rate last year, he held out. But the dominant defensive tackle, following a season that may well have secured Hall of Fame credentials, displayed his value — for a Chiefs team suddenly unreliable on offense — and secured whopping terms just before free agency. Using Aaron Donald‘s Rams deal as a template, Jones reset the DT market on a deal well outside the ballpark of where the sides resided during their 2023 negotiations.

From Charvarius Ward to Tyrann Mathieu to Frank Clark to L’Jarius Sneed, the Chiefs have continually moved on from defensive pieces during the Mahomes era. Jones has been the exception, and while Donald’s presence may have left the 2016 second-round pick as perennially underrated, the Chiefs’ No. 2 defensive ranking last season left no doubt as to who is the NFL’s current DT kingpin. Jones, 30, now has the contract to prove it.

The Chiefs were hesitant about approaching Donald territory for Jones last year; they wanted to pay Jones in the $22-$25MM-per-year neighborhood — a second tier established by the Quinnen Williams, Jeffery Simmons, Dexter Lawrence and Daron Payne deals — while the All-Pro understandably wanted numbers closer to Donald’s. The Rams had given the all-time great a landmark three-year, $95MM deal that doubled as a straight raise. No team had come close to Donald’s $31.7MM AAV for a D-tackle; Jones capitalized on circumstances to become the NFL’s highest-paid DT.

Entering 2024, Williams’ $66MM guarantee number topped the DT market. The Chiefs’ interior dynamo upped that to $95MM. While Jones’ $60MM full guarantee also leads the way, he is almost certain to see the full $95MM number. If Jones is on Kansas City’s roster on Day 3 of the 2025 league year, his 2026 base salary ($19MM) and a $16MM roster bonus become guaranteed.

Headlines around the Chiefs have focused on their threepeat bid and off-field issues, but Jones scoring this contract after the team held firm on its price point last year represents a major win for the club’s defensive centerpiece. The cap’s record-setting spike and the Chiefs passing on a second franchise tag (after the team tagged him in 2020) due to the 120% rule pushing a 2024 tag’s cost past $31MM, the AFC West powerhouse caved two days before Jones would have hit free agency.

As the Chiefs gear up for the NFL’s first threepeat bid in nearly 20 years, retaining Jones is obviously a vital component. Jones ripped off a 10.5-sack season, which closed with the eight-year vet’s crucial pressure of Brock Purdy that forced the 49ers QB into a rushed throw near the Chiefs’ goal line. That led to a San Francisco field goal and Kansas City’s OT walk-off. Jones trailed only Donald (a familiar position) in pass rush win rate last season, and his 35 sacks over the past three years lead all DTs. He has followed Mahomes and Kelce in using this run of Super Bowl berths to craft a Hall of Fame-caliber resume.

Kansas City’s D-line will look similar this season, with the team also re-upping Nnadi, Pennel, Wharton and Danna. A 2020 fifth-round pick, Danna helped fill the Clark void last season. Showing an ability to operate inside and outside, Danna totaled a career-high 6.5 sacks. Despite the Chiefs having used consecutive first-round picks on defensive ends (George Karlaftis, Felix Anudike-Uzomah), the $13MM Danna guarantee shows their view of the versatile pass rusher. Plugged in as a regular starter opposite Karlaftis last season, Danna has 23 QB hits over the past two years. While Anudike-Uzomah will need to play more to justify the team’s draft investment, the Danna-Karlaftis combo remains in front of the local product.

Tranquill did not match Willie Gay‘s snap rate last season, but the Chiefs chose the ex-Charger over their longtime Nick Bolton sidekick. Tranquill cashed in after his one-year, $3MM Chiefs contract led to a regular role. With Bolton now extension-eligible, the Chiefs are making a commitment to a more experienced player. Considering the cost cuts the team has made in recent years, it will be interesting to see how Bolton talks — which figure to feature the three-down LB seeking an eight-figure-per-year price — shape up. Tranquill, who shined in his Chargers walk year, secured a bigger guarantee at signing compared to three-down cogs Quincy Williams and Logan Wilson.

Playing 57% of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps, Tranquill combined 78 tackles with 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. The Notre Dame alum made eight tackles in the Chiefs’ 17-10 AFC clincher in Baltimore. The Chiefs figure to deploy Tranquill, 29 in August, as a three-down player in 2024. Tranquill posted 146 tackles and five sacks in 2022) the last time he held that role (2022).

Edwards-Helaire represents a misstep for GM Brett Veach, who chose the 5-foot-7 running back 32nd overall in 2020. Seventh-rounder Isiah Pacheco supplanted Edwards-Helaire in 2022, ending an injury-plagued stay atop the depth chart. The LSU alum will vie to be Pacheco’s top backup this season, as the Chiefs have not reached their annual one-year agreement with Jerick McKinnon. The Chiefs hosted J.K. Dobbins on a visit the same day they recommitted to CEH; Dobbins soon joined the Chargers.

Trades:

Giving Jones a market-setting payday effectively ensured Sneed would need to find his second contract elsewhere, even though he expressed interest in staying. The Chiefs bet on a trade market forming upon applying a $19.8MM tag on the blossoming cornerback. Kansas City’s bet paid off, to a degree. The team only collected a 2025 third-rounder for a player who was one of last season’s best corners, illustrating the reduced compensation associated with the pricey extension to come. This will continue Kansas City’s CB assembly line under Steve Spagnuolo.

As Trent McDuffie‘s representation has surely noticed, the Chiefs have not made a notable CB payment in over a decade. They traded Marcus Peters in 2018, and after hiring Spagnuolo a year later, the team let Steven Nelson (2019), Kendall Fuller (2020) and Charvarius Ward (2022) walk in free agency. The Chiefs continue to generate solid play from rookie-contract performers.

With McDuffie, Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson each 2022 draftees and Chamarri Conner — a fourth-rounder who appears set for a bigger role post-Sneed — arriving in 2023, the Chiefs do not have to worry about one of their expected regulars departing in 2025. This sets up some development time for McDuffie’s potential sidekicks, with more reps coming after Sneed logged 94%, 96% and 99% snap rates from 2021-23.

A fourth-round find out of Louisiana Tech, Sneed flashed as a slot defender early in his career but settled as a boundary stopper for the Chiefs’ back-to-back Super Bowl-winning teams. Last season, Sneed dominated by holding opposing QBs to a 56.2 passer rating (as the closest defender) and allowing only a 51% completion rate.

Some buyer-beware exists here, as Sneed’s 2023 coverage numbers are far better than his 2021 and ’22 stats. The Titans nevertheless paid up, adding both Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie. Sneed scored a cornerback-high $51.5MM guarantee at signing. That checks in $7.5MM above the next-highest CB deal, increasing expectations for a player the Chiefs counted on last year. While many teams looked into Sneed, a package centered around a 2025 third suggests a tepid market ultimately formed.

As the Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill trade reduced their offensive firepower, Spagnuolo’s defense stepped in — particularly last season — to keep the team on the NFL’s top tier. Sneed played a central role in this support effort, not allowing a touchdown in 781 regular-season coverage snaps. It will be a challenge for the Chiefs to stay on that level without Sneed, but their corner development should not be doubted at this point.

Free agency additions:

The Chiefs were among the teams preparing a Mike Evans pitch, but the dependable target re-signed with the Buccaneers before the market opened. Tyler Boyd also loomed on Kansas City’s radar. A surprisingly cheap Brown pact instead became the solution, and the diminutive target will transition from two run-oriented quarterbacks to the game’s current aerial ace.

Tied to the NFL’s most run-based QB1 and being traded to a team that rostered another dual threat, Brown may well have some untapped potential. The Ravens centering their offense around Lamar Jackson‘s skillset prompted Brown to seek a trade in 2022, and his reunion with Oklahoma teammate Kyler Murray featured both parties suffering injuries to limit time together.

After producing just one 800-yard season through five years, Brown will try his luck with Mahomes. While technically a dual threat, Mahomes is obviously better known for his passing prowess. This presents an interesting opportunity for Brown to re-establish his value and the Chiefs to upgrade a wildly inconsistent receiving corps.

Brown totaled 1,008 yards during his final Ravens season, despite Jackson missing time to close out the year, but the 5-foot-9 pass catcher has been inconsistent as a pro. The 2019 first-rounder did combine for 15 touchdown receptions over his first two seasons, even with Jackson not as reliable on throws outside the hashes. After a durable Baltimore run, Brown missed eight games in his two Arizona slates. Foot and heel injuries, respectively, limited the trade acquisition during that time.

Brown also spent much of last season tied to Josh Dobbs, as Murray rehabbed his ACL tear. After the Cardinals discussed an extension last year, they did not opt to match the Chiefs’ modest free agency offer. With Rashee Rice expected to miss a chunk of the season — assuming a suspension is not tabled to 2025 — Brown may move into a WR1 role for a two-time reigning Super Bowl champion.

After the Chiefs rostered Chad Henne for four seasons, they will have a third QB2 in three years. On his fifth team in five years, Wentz has slid off the starter level. Wentz, 31, will replace Blaine Gabbert. The Chiefs had targeted Wentz in 2023 but went with Gabbert after the former No. 2 overall pick remained unsigned in hopes another starting job would emerge. The former Eagles, Colts and Commanders starter played in two Rams games last season, throwing 24 passes.

Mahomes has proven durable, though the QB icon missed time in 2019 and much of Kansas City’s 2020 divisional-round game. He memorably played through a high ankle sprain during the 2023 playoffs, but the Chiefs still placed some value in the backup role. Wentz has fallen far since his MVP frontrunner season ended with an ACL tear seven years ago, but the North Dakota State alum has still made 93 career starts.

With the Chiefs trimming their punter depth chart from two to one this offseason, Araiza is in line to begin his career two years late. The former San Diego State standout’s NFL journey has been well documented. After a rape accusation did not produce charges, the 2022 Bills sixth-rounder will become the Chiefs’ latest 2020s reclamation project. Kansas City also added former first-round cornerbacks Deandre Baker and Damon Arnette after legal issues led them off their original NFL teams. Araiza won the Ray Guy Award, given to Division I-FBS’ top punter, after averaging 51.2 yards per punt in 2021. He will have a chance to replace Tommy Townsend, who signed with the Texans weeks after the Chiefs’ Araiza addition.

Notable losses:

Bolton has been the Chiefs’ top linebacker during the 2020s. The former second-rounder makes for a natural extension candidate, though, the Chiefs’ two contract-year O-linemen — Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith — could conceivably interfere. The team still found money for Tranquill. This assured Gay would need to find another team. Even though the off-ball linebacker market has taken some hits, Gay only collecting $3MM from the Saints — after a 47-start run with the NFL’s premier 2020s team — proved surprising.

Gay missed four 2022 games due to a suspension under the personal conduct policy but cleared the 60% snap barrier in 2022 and ’23. The Chiefs did not use Gay as a true every-down linebacker, however, with dime packages a regular part of Spagnuolo’s repertoire. The Chiefs also gave Leo Chenal, a 2022 third-round pick, nearly as many snaps as Gay’s 2023 workload (624). With Bolton battling two injuries, that paced the Chiefs during the regular season. Gay started in all nine Chiefs playoff games from 2021-23 but rated as a bottom-12 linebacker in the view of Pro Football Focus.

Memorably dropping a well-placed Mahomes deep ball against the Eagles last season, Valdes-Scantling joined Toney and Moore as the primary culprits of the Chiefs’ receiver struggles. Signed to a three-year, $30MM deal just after the Hill trade, Valdes-Scantling saw his yardage total fall from 687 in 2022 to 315 last year. The inconsistent wideout still made important contributions for the Chiefs, who fared better with Toney and Moore sidelined late last season.

Valdes-Scantling, whose 100-yard night in the 2022 AFC championship game proved crucial as WR injuries mounted, caught two long-range Mahomes offerings in Buffalo and came through with a clinching grab to hold off the Ravens a week later. The ex-Packer then caught a Super Bowl touchdown pass. Valdes-Scantling’s $11.56MM nonguaranteed salary, however, made him a natural cut candidate. The Bills made MVS part of their post-Stefon Diggs/Gabe Davis solution, authorizing a one-year, $2.25MM deal.

Allegretti and Edwards served as fill-in starters in Super Bowl LVIII, but Joe Thuney and Bryan Cook will reclaim their roles upon returning to full strength. Edwards joins MVS in Buffalo, while Allegretti will reunite with Andrew Wylie on Washington’s O-line.

Buggs became the latest Chief to run afoul of the law, being arrested twice this offseason. Given a reserve/futures contract, the former Lions D-line starter was arrested on animal cruelty charges and then for domestic violence. Alleged to have broken into the home of his child’s mother by using a tire iron, Buggs is also accused of dragging the woman down stairs.

Given the Chiefs’ minimal investment in Buggs, the five-year veteran was predictably cut. But the Super Bowl champions’ issues with off-field trouble have stacked up in recent years. This was not their headline item in this area this offseason.

Extensions and restructures:

Justin Jefferson‘s $35MM-per-year contract nearly doubles where the tight end market is; Kelce can be partially blamed for this. After the Patriots held Rob Gronkowski to the six-year extension he signed back in 2012, teams were hesitant to pay inferior tight ends more. That froze the market during the period in which Kelce inked his first extension (2016). As Kelce grew into a superstar, he signed what turned out to be a wildly team-friendly deal in 2020 (five years, $57.2MM). That has undoubtedly impacted the current market. After the 34-year-old weapon has proved indispensable following the Hill trade, the Chiefs authorized a raise. Another Mahomes restructure, thanks to a contract that still runs through 2031, helped the team afford this bump for his sidekick.

Initially reported as an extension, Kelce’s deal did not add any years. It simply bumped him past Hockenson, adding $2MM to his earnings in 2024 and ’25. The agreement also guaranteed Kelce $17MM in 2024. A $12.5MM roster bonus is due on Day 5 of the ’25 league year. Unless the Chiefs want to move on from the perennial All-Pro ahead of his age-36 season next year, this agreement positions Kelce for 13 seasons in Kansas City.

The Chiefs placed plenty on Kelce’s shoulders over the past two seasons. A household name overnight due to his rather famous girlfriend, Kelce delivered throughout 2022 and came on late to help a suddenly shaky Chiefs passing game in the playoffs. Kelce’s 19 postseason touchdowns, three of which coming last season, trail only Jerry Rice (22). Kelce not pushing for a contract more in line with his importance to the Chiefs — a matter he has addressed — has helped the team but played a role in the TE market staying well below $20MM per year.

Draft:

The Chiefs had not drafted a first-round wide receiver since 2011 (Jonathan Baldwin), though they attempted to trade up for one last year. Andy Reid had not done so since selecting future Chief Jeremy Maclin in 2009. With Kelce heading toward post-prime years, Rashee Rice in legal trouble and the team seeing its other pass catchers underwhelm throughout 2023, Kansas City’s top need was not difficult to pinpoint. Though, how the Chiefs managed to fill it was a bit surprising.

Patriots and Chiefs interest came in for Worthy, though it is clear Kansas City offered Buffalo more to move up. The Bills certainly took a risk by equipping the Chiefs with their wideout of choice, and while Worthy clearly was not especially high on Buffalo’s board, helping the team that has become its January roadblock drew scrutiny. The Bills moved up 38 spots — to No. 95 — as a result, while the Chiefs acquired a prospect who just set the Combine 40-yard dash record (4.21 seconds).

It is a bit interesting the Chiefs would choose Worthy after already signing a small wideout in Brown. Worthy goes 5-11, 165 pounds. This would naturally create some limitations, though Worthy’s size was not a significant impediment at Texas. And Reid obviously coaxed plenty from the diminutive DeSean Jackson. Worthy caught 75 passes for 1,014 yards and five touchdowns last season and combined for 21 TD grabs from 2021-22. With the Chiefs seeing Toney and Moore combine for 413 receiving yards last season, they made reinforcements a requirement this offseason

Shortly after the 2023 draft, the Chiefs found a midlevel Orlando Brown Jr. replacement in Donovan Smith. While the ex-Buccaneers LT started when healthy last season, Kansas City is not planning to bring him back. Smith remains available, and the Chiefs met with Andre Dillard (before his Packers agreement) in April. But the champs are planning for Suamataia and 2023 third-rounder Wanya Morris to compete for the role.

The Chiefs preparing to use a third left tackle in three years is atypical for a Super Bowl winner, but they will attempt to further reduce costs while aiming to find a long-term answer for the first time since Eric Fisher‘s release.

A raw talent viewed as a tier below the deep first-round contingent, Suamataia visited the Chiefs after starting for BYU over the past two seasons. The team used Morris as Smith’s backup last season. The Oklahoma product made four starts but did not threaten the veteran’s job security. Through the offseason program, Suamataia was viewed to have a slight leg up. But O-line competitions obviously ignite when pads come on.

Other:

This marks Reid’s fourth Chiefs contract and Veach’s third as GM. The duo essentially entered “name your price” territory by elevating the Chiefs to the highest peak in their 64-year history. Reid is 10-for-11 in playoff qualification in Kansas City, bouncing back after his Eagles dismissal. The Chiefs’ three best players remain John Dorsey acquisitions, but Veach has done well to build around the Mahomes-Kelce-Jones trio despite rising costs.

With Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll gone, Reid is now the NFL’s oldest active HC. The 66-year-old leader, however, has continued to brush off retirement rumors. Reid can still be considered year to year at this point, though it would be difficult to leave his current setup. Successful pre-“Dream Team” in Philadelphia, Reid has transformed his reputation in Kansas City. The three-time Super Bowl-winning HC has climbed to fourth on the NFL’s all-time wins list, and while his 286 victories are well behind the legendary leader’s 333, Reid’s 26 playoff wins are now only five behind Belichick’s.

Reid has played the lead role in staking Mahomes to this unparalleled start, bolstering his credentials as one of the great offensive minds in NFL history. While Mahomes has unlocked Reid dimensions Donovan McNabb and Alex Smith could not, the NFL’s current QB kingpin having the 26th-year HC calling plays separates this situation from the other top-tier passers’ arrangements.

Veach, 46, has filled in gaps nicely. During his most recent contract, Dorsey’s successor overhauled Kansas City’s O-line following Super Bowl LV’s blocking disaster and acquired enough draft capital in the Hill trade to help make the current roster construction work.

Veach has not drafted a talent on the Mahomes-Kelce-Jones level, but he hammered out the quarterback’s 10-year extension that has created steady advantages for the team during the 2020s. Kelce’s team-friendly accord has served a similar purpose, and the Chiefs’ ability to keep finding cornerback replacements on the cheap has enabled payments elsewhere.

Spagnuolo’s three-year run as Rams HC going so poorly has boosted this Chiefs dynasty. Although the four-time Super Bowl-winning coordinator wants another shot, that is unlikely to come. Spagnuolo is 64 and posted a .208 win percentage in St. Louis. The Chiefs’ three Super Bowl wins have has not produced an HC interview for the four-time champion coordinator. But he has settled back in as a premier DC. Toub, 62, has been with the Chiefs throughout Reid’s 12-year tenure.

The 49ers showed some interest in prying their two-time Super Bowl foe to replace Steve Wilks, but the Chiefs announced an extension days after the overtime win. With Mahomes scuffling as Kelce showed signs of decline and the team’s receiving corps proved unqualified, Spagnuolo’s defense gave the Chiefs time to figure out their issues. Kansas City never exactly solved its WR problem, mitigating it by subtraction, but it could depend on its second-ranked defense throughout. After a woeful 2018 defense held back Mahomes in his best statistical season, the megastar has benefited since Spagnuolo’s 2019 arrival.

Toney did reel off the Super Bowl’s longest punt return, but that 2022 trade has otherwise been a misstep. The unreliable Giant quickly became an undependable Chief; the team’s hope the 2021 first-rounder could become a potential go-to player fizzled quickly. Despite the shifty talent returning from a training camp knee injury in time for Week 1 and suiting up for the team’s first 13 games, he did not contribute much. Toney’s most memorable moment being the offensive offside infraction against Buffalo epitomizes his career to date.

Reid said pre-draft Toney remained in the team’s plans, but after the acquisitions of Brown and Worthy, it is difficult to see the Florida alum in anything but a gadget role. However, Rice’s status may help the fourth-year receiver’s prospects.

A six-car accident in late March led to Rice’s arrest. Rice, who made crucial contributions as the team’s top wideout last season, left the scene of the crash and had police searching for him. The 2023 second-rounder’s street-racing involvement is believed to have caused the wreck, which involved both drivers losing control of their vehicles. Rice attended the Chiefs’ offseason program, but the team expects a suspension.

Rice, 24, was also involved in an offseason incident in which he allegedly punched a photographer in the face outside a nightclub. Though, the alleged victim did not opt to press charges. While the accuser called the incident a misunderstanding, it will fall under the NFL’s personal conduct policy. As will a gun-related incident at SMU that featured Rice or a member of his party firing shots into an empty car belonging to one of the Mustangs’ men’s basketball players.

On the whole, the Chiefs have been the NFL’s best team since Mahomes’ 2018 starter debut. They also have shown a high tolerance for off-field issues. The Rice and Buggs developments follow Hill’s well-documented trouble, the Kareem Hunt incidents in 2018 and Clark’s two gun-related arrests in 2021. UDFA wideout Justyn Ross also spent part of last season on the commissioner’s exempt list following a misdemeanor domestic battery arrest; this came shortly after offseason DE pickup Charles Omenihu served a six-game suspension for a domestic violence arrest. The 2024 events extend a lengthy chain which has become an unavoidable part of the Chiefs’ recent success, though this refrain has not exactly tripped up the two-time reigning champs.

Top 10 cap charges for 2024:

  1. Patrick Mahomes, QB: $37MM
  2. Joe Thuney, G: $26.97MM
  3. Jawaan Taylor, RT: $24.73MM
  4. Travis Kelce, TE: $19.55MM
  5. Justin Reid, S: $14.25MM
  6. Charles Omenihu, DE: $10.97MM
  7. Chris Jones, DT: $7.35MM
  8. Marquise Brown, WR: $6.96MM
  9. Creed Humphrey, C: $5.24MM
  10. Harrison Butker, K: $4.82MM

The Vince Lombardi-era Packers won three straight championships, but the first of those occurred before the Super Bowl’s introduction. The 1990 49ers came closest to three consecutive Super Bowl crowns, with the Joe Montana-fronted team losing to the Giants on a game-winning field goal in the NFC championship game. Only two other threepeat bids — the 1976 Steelers’ and 1994 Cowboys’ — reached the conference final. The Chiefs have qualified for six straight conference title games; only the Patriots have pieced together a longer post-merger streak. The Chiefs followed the 2018 Pats in winning a Super Bowl after an unremarkable regular season; it will take a complete effort to dethrone one of the highest-floor operations in NFL history.

Mahomes has not missed a game due to injury since 2019. One injury-related absence appears on Kelce’s resume since his 2013 microfracture knee surgery. Upon receiving his incentive package to end a holdout, Jones suited up for the Chiefs’ final 20 games last season after putting together a 20-game 2022. Eight-time reigning AFC West champions, Kansas City keeping its pillars healthy figures to keep the title bid alive.

With no immediate threat looming in their division — barring Jim Harbaugh‘s Chargers debut offering another quick turnaround — the Chiefs can reasonably prepare for a playoff run that begins at home. Their quest for Super Bowl-era immortality will bring one of the most intriguing seasons this century.

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