As the midnight green confetti cascaded onto the field at Caesars Superdome, the Kansas City Chiefs returned to the locker room with an unfamiliar and uncomfortable feeling: After 728 days, the Chiefs were no longer the reigning Super Bowl champions.
Throughout the 2024 season, Kansas City pulled out narrow victories against more talented teams by relying on fundamentals, discipline and experience. But the Philadelphia Eagles tore down that façade and exposed the harsh reality: The Chiefs were a fatigued team with a depleted roster.
Over the past six seasons, the Chiefs have played 19 postseason games — over an entire season’s worth. Along with the attrition caused by a shortened offseason, Kansas City has been penalized for their success with late draft picks, difficult schedules and tough offseason decisions. Maintaining success is difficult in a league designed to drag each team to mediocrity. Although Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has navigated those circumstances well in the past, it’s clear that the roster is in dire need of refitting and renovation this offseason.
So it's no surprise that Veach has wasted little time getting to work. Kansas City already retained the rights to their top free agent by placing the franchise tag on right guard Trey Smith. They also brought back linebacker Nick Bolton with a three-year, $45 million contract extension on Sunday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. But while that’s a good start, there’s plenty of work to be done.
Here’s a look at a few additions that could help the Chiefs punch their ticket to Super Bowl LX.
5. Carlton Davis III, CB
Kansas City’s cornerback depth was tested after Jaylen Watson missed a significant amount of time during the 2024 regular season. With safety Justin Reid likely to depart in free agency, the Chiefs could have a difficult time covering up any deficiencies at cornerback in 2025.
Cornerback Carlton Davis III, who was a part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that dismantled the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, is set to be one of the top cornerbacks available in free agency after an impressive 2024 campaign.
It may not be realistic since Davis won’t be cheap, but he would instantly elevate the Chiefs’ cornerback corps into one of the best in the league. Davis is still only 28 years old and can thrive in a man-to-man scheme, which DC Steve Spagnuolo utilizes heavily.
Davis was traded to the Detroit Lions last offseason, and he immediately stepped in as the team’s top perimeter cornerback in Aaron Glenn’s defense. His season came to an abrupt end after he suffered a broken jaw, but he should be healthy for 2025.
4. Darius Slayton, WR
The Chiefs likely won’t break the bank at wide receiver. Tight end Travis Kelce decided not to retire, wide receiver Rashee Rice will return from his ACL injury and speedster Xavier Worthy should improve in his sophomore campaign. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown is also returning on a one-year, $11 million deal. Still, Kansas City needs to add perimeter weapons to their offense as four of their eight target leaders are set to hit free agency.
Darius Slayton has been one of the league’s best big-play wide receivers throughout his career. Despite playing with a carousel of limited quarterbacks with the New York Giants, he has averaged 15 yards per catch. The 28-year-old was limited to just 71 catches in seven games with the New York Giants last season, but he was playing with quarterbacks Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock. The Giants also fed the ball to rookie Malik Nabers, leaving few opportunities for Slayton to thrive.
The Chiefs are willing to attack defenses downfield, and Slayton could provide the explosiveness that Kansas City has been sorely lacking.
3. Dre’Mont Jones, DT
Chris Jones is the only interior defensive lineman that played in Super Bowl LIX who is still on the roster. Derrick Nnadi and Mike Pennel are both entering free agency alongside Tershawn Wharton, who generated the third-most pressures (35) among Chiefs defenders. Kansas City’s salary cap space won’t allow them to target premier defensive linemen, but they could find value additions, which is what they did with Wharton last offseason.
Dre’Mont Jones was released by the Seattle Seahawks after a disappointing campaign that resulted in him getting benched. He still logged four sacks last season, and a fresh start and a scheme change could provide a spark.
The 28-year-old proved to be a productive player through his first three seasons in the league, when he recorded 19 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, 28 quarterback hits, one interception, one forced fumble and six batted passes. Although Jones is a bit undersized at 281 pounds, he could prove to be a valuable pass rusher in a rotational role. Most importantly, he likely won’t require a significant financial commitment.
2. Khalil Mack, DE/OLB
Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu spent the majority of the 2024 regular season on the shelf after suffering a torn ACL in the prior postseason. He struggled to regain his form after returning to the field. After notching seven sacks and two forced fumbles in 2023, the 27-year-old logged just six tackles and one sack across six regular-season games in 2024. Now, he’s set to be a free agent, leaving a clear need on the edge of Kansas City’s defensive front.
Would Khalil Mack take less money to join the Chiefs? Mack already has a Hall of Fame résumé that consists of nine Pro Bowls and three first-team All Pro selections, but he hasn’t been able to win a Super Bowl. The 11-year veteran mulled retirement but decided to return for another season, and he could seek revenge against his former teams, the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders, by remaining in the AFC West.
Mack has primarily played as an outside linebacker, but he has experience as a defensive end as well. That experience could prove to be useful in Kansas City’s versatile defense, especially when it comes to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s exotic blitzes.
1. Ronnie Stanley, LT
Although quarterback Patrick Mahomes did them few favors, the Chiefs offensive line took the brunt of the blame for Kansas City’s collapse in Super Bowl LIX. The Chiefs already had one of the highest-paid offensive lines in the league, but the left tackle position was a turnstile throughout the season.
Ronnie Stanley would provide Kansas City with the reliability and consistency that they’ve sorely lacked from their blind-side protection. Stanley put together his second Pro Bowl season with the Baltimore Ravens in 2024. The nine-year veteran allowed 35 pressures and three sacks, but was ranked No. 12 in pass-block win rate among all offensive tackles. Now, he’s set to hit free agency and join a new team for the first time in his career.
The 31-year-old has some injury concerns — he was limited to a total of just seven games in 2020 and 2021 — but he played all 17 games for the first time in his career last season. Stanley has plenty of experience and production in both the pass and run game, and the scarcity of quality offensive tackles will create a competitive market despite his injury history.