Predictions for how the Kansas City Chiefs will fare in 2026 are all over the place.
It’s understandable given how much change they underwent during the offseason. Some believe they are still a work in progress and will not return to Super Bowl competition this upcoming season, but others think they will do exactly that. However, some reasons as to why the Chiefs will struggle are becoming tired.
Lack of Depth at CB Position Among Reasons Kansas City Chiefs Predicted to Miss Playoffs in 2026
GettyChiefs CB Mansoor Delane
Analyst Mike Tannenbaum, who is a former NFL general manager and executive, recently shared a few reasons why he believes the Chiefs won’t make the playoffs in 2026 while appearing on ESPN’s “Get Up.” His first couple of reasons were legitimate.
“The Kansas City Chiefs will miss the playoffs for a few reasons,” Tannenbaum said. “Starting at quarterback — some uncertainty about will Patrick Mahomes be ready to go from Day 1? Secondly, they lack explosiveness at receiver. Last year they were 16th in the league in yards per pass attempt. [There’s] some questions about Rashee Rice, will he be ready to go?”
Mahomes has consistently been said to be well ahead of schedule in his rehab from the torn ACL and LCL in his left knee. He participated in all of offseason OTAs and mandatory minicamp, and although the Chiefs will be careful with him, Mahomes has a great shot to begin the regular season.
Rice had a tumultuous offseason, serving a 30-day jail sentence right after having clean-up knee surgery. Fortunately, he was able to participate in rehab while in jail. Rice has since been released, and is expected to be ready to go for training camp. Tannenbaum concluded his concerns by discussing Kansas City’s cornerback group.
“Thirdly, at corner, they lost two great corners in Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie,” Tannenbaum continued. “Now, they did draft Mansoor Delane [and] re-sign L’Jarius Sneed. But, for a great Kansas City Chiefs team, [it’s] unusual to have three important question marks.”
Chiefs’ CB Corps Could Be Better in 2026 Than It Was in 2025
GettyChiefs CB Nohl Williams
Continuing to cite cornerback as a weakness for the Chiefs feels like lazy carryover analysis from early in the offseason. Yes, they lost two starters in McDuffie and Watson. However, as Tannenbaum even admitted, K.C. spent the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Delane. That doesn’t happen if the Chiefs don’t believe Delane has the makings of a great NFL CB.
Replacing Watson will likely be Nohl Williams, who flashed plenty during his rookie season. Now entering his second year, Williams could be K.C.’s breakout player in 2026. Backing up Delane and Williams should be Sneed and Kristian Fulton, who could be starters for several other NFL defenses.
The Chiefs also brought in two underrated, but important, acquisitions during the offseason in Kader Kohou and Jadon Canady. Both of those guys are true nickel cornerbacks, which the team sorely needed. That’s a total of six potentially very good CBs the Chiefs could have in 2026. Even if none of them reach the status of McDuffie, the group as a whole appears to be deeper than last season.
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