Patrick Mahomes' Injury, Chiefs' Roster-Building Strategy Discussed by NFL Insiders

The Kansas City Chiefs are reportedly expected to address some roster deficiencies on the heels of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, some NFL sources suggested that the Chiefs missing the playoffs could be viewed as a positive in some respects since it will allow them to get a head start on the offseason and force them to stop "perpetually retooling" around quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler added that he believes Mahomes going on the shelf with a torn ACL will remind Kansas City "how much it needs to strengthen the roster around him."

Fowler also expressed his belief that the Chiefs' roster will be "vastly improved" going into next season, although he noted that there is some concern regarding how quickly Mahomes will be able to get back on the field.

Mahomes tore both his ACL and LCL in last week's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, which ended the Chiefs' postseason hopes.

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Per Fowler, Mahomes being ready to play in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL regular season "feels awfully ambitious," and a nine-month recovery from the injury "threatens the early portion of the 2026 season."

Prior to this season, the Chiefs reached three straight Super Bowls, winning it all in 2022 and 2023. They also made it to at least the AFC Championship Game in seven straight campaigns.

That streak is over, and it will undoubtedly force general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid to assess what went wrong.

Future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce is set to become a free agent, and he could potentially retire, plus other key contributors such as cornerback Jaylen Watson, linebacker Leo Chenal, wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, and running backs Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco are impending free agents as well.

Whether Mahomes is back in time for the start of the 2026 season or not, the biggest key to the Chiefs' success next season may be the establishment of a running game.

The Hunt- and Pacheco-led running game hasn't been good enough this season, as the Chiefs rank 20th in the NFL with 113.9 yards per game.

They would be ranked even lower if not for the exploits of Mahomes, who is second on the team with 422 rushing yards, behind only Hunt's 557.

Mahomes may be more reluctant to run next season coming off a significant knee injury, and it would help him immensely if the Chiefs can land a productive running back via free agency, trade or the draft.