Chiefs' Team Needs to Fill in 2024 NFL Free Agency
Imagine how incredible the Kansas City Chiefs offense would look with more functional wide receivers.
That is the last thing any of the Chiefs' Super Bowl contending adversaries want to think about, but it should be one of the top priorities of Kansas City's offseason.
Patrick Mahomes left the 2023 season with two pass-catchers he could trust to catch every pass in Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce.
The Chiefs also need to add protection for their three-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player since left tackle Donovan Smith is set to hit free agency.
Defensively, the big question surrounds Chris Jones' free agency. Kansas City could use the franchise tag on the star pass-rusher, or re-sign him, but if he leaves, the Chiefs have a massive void to fill.
Wide Receiver
1 of 3
The Chiefs got 1,922 receiving yards out of Rice and Kelce in the 2023 regular season.
Only one other player, Justin Watson, recorded more than 400 receiving yards over the 17-game season.
Rice and Kelce are tremendous top-tier targets to have, but the Kansas City offense needs to be more robust in 2024.
Mecole Hardman and Richie James are the only wide receivers set to hit free agency. Watson, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore all under contract.
Kansas City could move on from a few of the wide outs under contract to open up salary cap space for free agents, or to bring in new draft picks.
Gabriel Davis, Tyler Boyd, Curtis Samuel and Kendrick Bourne would likely lead the list of free-agent candidates. Kansas City probably will not be in the market for Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman Jr. and Mike Evans.
The Chiefs could also use one of their six draft picks on an extra pass-catcher and hope that player develops into a star as quick as Rice did in 2023.
Offensive Tackle
2 of 3
The offensive tackle free-agent market is not as strong as previous seasons.
That is a concern for the Chiefs in their bid to keep Donovan Smith around. The left tackle may try to cash in on his success in Kansas City elsewhere.
2023 third-round pick Wanya Morris is the internal replacement for Smith if the Chiefs do not do anything in the offseason.
Kansas City could dabble in the offseason markets for tackle depth, especially with an unproven tackle potentially taking over the starting job.
The Chiefs' draft strategy may be dictated by Jones' decision and the holes on the defensive line, but they could use a mid-round draft selection to land an additional offensive tackle who can fight for the starting gig.
Defensive Line
3 of 3
The biggest defensive hole on the Chiefs roster will open up if Jones departs in free agency.
Jones is expected to receive one of the largest contracts in free agency of any player because of the impact he made during Kansas City's Super Bowl runs.
Kansas City has the option of using the franchise tag on Jones, but that would swallow up $32 million in salary cap space.
The Chiefs enter the offseason with $28 million in projected salary cap space, per Spotrac, and they have one defensive tackle currently under contract.
Using the franchise tag on Jones may not make financial sense for the Chiefs, but they could justify doing it because of his impact on the defense.
Even if Jones returns, the Chiefs need to add more players on the defensive line with five total defensive linemen set to hit free agency.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
