The 2024 NFL season is officially in the books. Now, it’s time to move on to the offseason.
In a month, the free-agent negotiating window opens. The Kansas City Chiefs have a lot of decisions to make. Let’s take a look at some of the team’s biggest needs and free agents.
Team Needs
Sunday’s Super Bowl loss has the Chiefs in a familiar position. After losing in Super Bowl LV to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City had to completely retool their offensive line.
Fortunately, unlike after the last loss in the big game, the Chiefs have some key pieces up front. Joe Thuney and Creed Humphrey will be anchors on the inside. However, Trey Smith is a free agent, Jawaan Taylor has struggled at right tackle, and there is a massive hole at left tackle.
The offensive line has to be a top priority this offseason. Whether it’s through free agency or the draft, Kansas City has to get a left tackle. Thuney stepped up and manned the position at the back end of the year, but he isn’t the answer.
The Chiefs also need to address the defensive line. While the offensive line’s struggles highlighted another Super Bowl loss, the lack of pressure on Jalen Hurts also stood out like a sore thumb.
Kansas City needs to address the pass rush and get some help for Chris Jones on the interior. Jones and George Karlaftis are high-impact players who will continue to have key roles.
However, the Chiefs need to get some more help on the outside with another established pass rusher. Jones is the lone defensive tackle under contract for 2025. It’s key to add in both free agency and the draft to beef up the interior defensive line.
A couple of other needs are at wide receiver, running back, and cornerback. With an impending suspension for injured Rashee Rice, the Chiefs need to have a threat opposite of Xavier Worthy to start the season.
Kansas City needs to add an explosive piece in the backfield alongside Isiah Pacheco. With a loaded running back class, expect the Chiefs to add via the draft.
Unless there’s a bargain signing, I think Kansas City adds a cornerback in the draft to get more depth in the secondary.
Let’s shift focus to some of the Chiefs’ key free agents and positions heading into free agency.
Trey Smith
Kansas City’s most prominent free agent is guard Trey Smith. The Chiefs got a late-round gem when they drafted Smith in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
During his time donning the red and gold, Smith has become one of the premier interior offensive linemen in the league. Going into Sunday’s Super Bowl, Smith hadn’t allowed a sack in 732 pass-blocking snaps.
He is primed to reset the guard market, surpassing Landon Dickerson’s $21 million annual salary. It would be in the Chiefs’ best interest to retain Smith, but can they?
Kansas City only has roughly $15 million in salary cap, according to Spotrac. Brett Veach is going to make a flurry of moves to free up money, but will it be enough?
There will be plenty of suitors for Smith as well. The Bears, Patriots, and Vikings are just a few of the teams interested. The franchise tag is also in play for the star guard.
It’s hard to see the Chiefs let Smith hit free agency, but they have let key pieces go in the past (i.e., Tyreek Hill and L’Jarius Sneed).
Nick Bolton
Kansas City has some key defensive players heading to the free agent market, and one of them is linebacker Nick Bolton. The former Mizzou Tiger has been a staple of the Chiefs’ defense since being drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
During his time with KC, Bolton has 560 total tackles (37 for loss), five sacks, two forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries (2 returned for touchdowns), 17 passes defensed, and four interceptions (including postseason).
He has done it all on the defensive side of the ball. While Bolton’s struggled in coverage throughout his career, he’s been a crucial part of the run defense.
He has emphasized the desire to stay in KC after spending the last seven years in Missouri with the Tigers and Chiefs. It has become home for him.
Bolton would likely have to take a hometown discount to stay with Kansas City due to the cap restraints. However, I don’t think that is likely.
Justin Reid
Another big name on defense, Justin Reid, is also a free agent. Reid joined the Chiefs on a three-year deal back in 2022.
He has been a part of this historic three-year run. Reid stands out as the captain of the secondary and as one of the team’s best leaders. He stepped in and filled the void that was left with the departure of Tyrann Mathieu.
Like Bolton, Reid has emphasized a desire to stay with Kansas City, saying, “I pray this isn’t the end,” in a tweet following Sunday’s loss.
Today didnât go our way but Iâm proud of what we were able to accomplish this year and the last three years together. I love Kansas City. I pray this isnât the end but if it is – I just want to say that I love and appreciate every single one of you that welcomed me and supportedâ¦
â Justin Reid (@JustinqReid) February 10, 2025
Reid turns 28 in a few days. This is likely his last chance to get a big payday. The Chiefs also have a promising young core of safeties.
Jaden Hicks is primed to take over Reid’s role next season. The 2024 fourth-round draft pick showed a lot of potential in his limited playing time throughout the season.
He posted a 73.4 coverage grade while holding opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of 73.9 when targeted in coverage.
Other young safeties include Bryan Cook and Chamarri Conner. Cook has been a consistent starter for the Chiefs the past couple of seasons, and Conner has shown the potential to be a solid box safety.
I think retaining Reid would be huge for the defense, especially the secondary. Kansas City might focus on developing their youth at the position and adding depth through the draft.
Charles Omenihu
One of the priorities for the Chiefs this offseason has to be the defensive line. EDGE rusher Charles Omenihu is one piece that could be headed elsewhere.
Kansas City was left without Omenihu for the majority of the regular season due to a torn ACL from last year’s AFC Championship Game.
While he didn’t exactly fill up the stat sheet when he was on the field, Omenihu still brought a boost to the pass rush opposite of Karlaftis. However, I don’t see him back next season, unless the market is small and he comes back on a prove-it deal.
I think it’s more likely that the Chiefs will add through the draft on one of the first two days. There is also a chance at a potential trade as well. Regardless, Kansas City has to improve their pass rush heading into 2025.
Wide Receiver
The wide receiver core could look a lot different for the Chiefs come September. Five receivers will hit the open market, highlighted by Hollywood Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, and JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Kansas City has to take a look in the mirror and think about the offensive attack. Going into next season, the connection between Patrick Mahomes and Xavier Worthy looks lethal. You can say the same about Mahomes’s connection with Rashee Rice, but it depends on his injury and pending suspension.
I think Hopkins is the least likely to return. His market value sits at $15.2 million, according to Spotrac. With the other needs that this team needs, you can’t allocate that much to an aging DHop.
Smith-Schuster proved down the stretch that he still has some gas in the tank and can bring value to the offense. I think that the Chiefs can bring him back for cheap on a one-year deal to help round out the group. I think most fans would be happy with JuJu as your fourth receiver.
When it comes to Brown, I think he needs to be near the top of the list for Kansas City to retain. The excitement coming into the year with Brown, Rice, and Worthy had Chiefs fans going crazy, but injuries derailed it.
With Hollywood’s injury, I think that Kansas City can keep him on another prove-it deal. There will be competition to retain the former Oklahoma Sooner, but the Chiefs should do what it takes to keep him.
Especially with the uncertainty of Rice’s availability to start the season, having both Worthy and Brown would mitigate the loss. Mahomes vouched for Kansas City to sign Brown last offseason, so I would expect him to do the same in terms of keeping him around for next season.
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