Chiefs Offseason Preview: Impending Free Agents, Draft Picks, and Top Needs

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22, in last night's Super Bowl LIX. The history books will look kinder upon the Chiefs, who were at one point down 34-0 before the Eagles took their foot off the gas pedal.

Although they couldn't pull off the three-peat, this Chiefs dynasty is still alive and well. FanDuel Sportsbook's 2026 Super Bowl odds currently show Kansas City as the second favorite at +650.

What do the Chiefs need to do this offseason to get back to the big game? Let's check out their impending free agents, draft picks, and offseason needs.

Chiefs' 2024 Schedule-Adjusted Rankings

• Overall Offense: 10th
• Pass Offense: 12th
• Rush Offense: 10th
• Overall Defense: 12th
• Pass Defense: 18th
• Rush Defense: 12th

Chiefs' Impending 2025 Free Agents

• DeAndre Hopkins, WR
• Justin Reid, S
• Charles Omenihu, DE
• Marquise Brown, WR
• Carson Wentz, QB
• Joshua Uche, OLB
• Tershawn Wharton, DE
• D.J. Humphries, LT
• Derrick Nnadi, DT
• Justin Watson, WR
• Samaje Perine, RB
• Nick Bolton, LB
• James Winchester, LS
• Mike Pennel, DT
• JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR
• Kareem Hunt, RB
• Mecole Hardman, WR
• Jody Forston, TE
• Malron Tuipulotu, DT
• Keith Taylor, CB (restricted free agent)
• Peyton Hendershot, TE (restricted free agent)
• Nazeeh Johnson, CB (restricted free agent)
• Jack Cochrane, LB (restricted free agent)
• Malik Herring, DE (restricted free agent)
• Mike Caliendo, G (exclusive rights free agent)
• Trey Smith, G
• Matt Araiza, P (exclusive rights free agent)
• Spencer Shrader, K (exclusive rights free agent)

Here's a look at Kansas City's impending free agents, per Spotrac.

The Chiefs currently have the 11th-lowest cap space available ($15.7 million) in the NFL. That's really bad news considering Pro-Bowlers Trey Smith and Nick Bolton -- as well as Justin Reid -- will hit free agency.

Smith and Bolton were selected by the Chiefs in the 2021 NFL Draft and were each under contract for south of $1.5 million this past season. According to Spotrac, Smith's estimated market value is sitting at $19.7 million per year while Bolton projects for a $12.3 million per year salary. They will not be easy commodities to retain.

Chiefs' 2025 NFL Draft Picks

• 31st overall
• 2nd round
• 3rd round (via Titans)
• 3rd round
• 4th round

(NOTE: This list does not include compensatory picks, which are typically announced in early March.)

The Chiefs currently have five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, per Tankathon.

Notably, all five picks come in the first four rounds. That's exciting considering Kansas City knows how to pick 'em and could also use their draft capital to surf the trade market.

Our Austin Swaim's 2025 NFL Mock Draft projects the Chiefs to nab offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery with the 31st overall pick, which would help them fill a key positional need.

Chiefs' Top Offseason Needs

• Offensive line
• Secondary
• WR

You might not have been able to tell if you watched Super Bowl LIX, but the Chiefs finished the regular season with the seventh-best offensive line, per PFF. However, that ranking does not take away from the fact that the O-Line was an issue -- at least by Chiefs standards -- this season. They started four different players at left tackle, one of which (D.J. Humphries) will hit free agency this offseason.

With Trey Smith potentially out the door, Kansas City will need to revamp the line as best they can, be it through the draft or trade market.

The Chiefs forced 13 interceptions (tied with five other teams for 12th-most) this season and just one in the postseason. Overall, they ranked 18th against the pass and could use even more reinforcements to their secondary if Justin Reid departs in free agency. Tankathon projects them to nab CB Zy Alexander out of LSU with their third round pick.

Marquise Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Justin Watson, and Mecole Hardman will all enter unrestricted free agency. That means Kansas City currently has just two WRs under contract -- Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy -- who were targeted at least 10 times this season.

Running backs Samaje Perine and Kareem Hunt -- two players who were brought in after training camp -- also have contracts up.

Clearly, the Chiefs have a ton of sorting out to do when it comes to their skill players. Rice and Worthy are fun young guns, but Travis Kelce is only getting older and worse at football. Patrick Mahomes hasn't had an abundance to work with in the passing game since Tyreek Hill left, so it will be interesting to see who the Chiefs opt to bring back from their receiving corps this offseason.

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