3 Chiefs who definitely won’t be back in 2025 after the NFL Trade Deadline

The Kansas City Chiefs are the best team in football as of right now. You can have the debate on who the second-best team is, but until the Chiefs lose their first game of the year, the Super Bowl runs through KC.

Patrick Mahomes and Co. have dealt with a plethora of injuries that could have and should have stunted their season in the same way the San Francisco 49ers have seen themselves struggle. Hollywood Brown, Isaiah Pacheco and Rashee Rice are three top offensive talents that the Chiefs will be without for the rest of the year more than likely.

But instead of rolling over and dying, Mahomes and Andy Reid have continued to win games. They also made a plethora of moves at the trade deadline that should have a pretty good impact on the 2024 and 2025 teams.

Kansas City added wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins from the Tennessee Titans and edge rusher Josh Uche from the New England Patriots. They're also anticipating getting running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire back from injured reserve.

With all these additions, Kansas City could look a lot different in 2025 than they do right now. There are a few players on the chopping block heading into next season.

3. RB Samaje Perine

It's unknown whether the Chiefs will be signing Edwards-Helaire back in 2025. But, I would anticipate them to try to bring Kareem Hunt back next season because of how well he's played as the starter this year. Pair that with Pacheco eventually returning from his leg injury and you have a recipe that points directly to the Chiefs not bringing veteran running back Samaje Perine back next season.

Perine has mainly been a receiving and third down back for the Chiefs, but Hunt has the ability to take on the same role next season when Pacheco returns. Perine has been solid in his role, but he hasn't done anything that would indicate that Kansas City should have an eagerness to bring them back. He's carried the ball 14 times for 55 yards and a touchdown while making 13 catches for 129 yards and a touchdown.

With the re-addition of Pacheco in 2025, the Chiefs running back room is going to turn from a small committee back to Pacheco being the bell-cow back. At that point, especially with the draft bringing more running backs into the league, there's no place for Perine on the roster.

2. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster

Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was picked up because of all the injuries the Chiefs had at wide receiver. Heading into the season, they had a decent amount of depth, but after losing Hollywood Brown for the year, their room looked depleted. Then, Rashee Rice saw his season end after suffering a major leg injury and Smith-Schuster was asked to step up in a big way for Mahomes and the offense.

Smith-Schuster has had a load of bad games with one big game this season. Now he's battling a hamstring injury which could keep him off the field for the time being. In his absence, the Chiefs have used more tight ends and more running backs while also feeding their new addition, DeAndre Hopkins.

Hopkins has looked a lot better than Smith-Schuster has this season, especially since Kansas City brought Hopkins in. With Rice returning next year and Xavier Worthy having another season of development, the Chiefs will likely be letting Smith-Schuster's time with the team end this offseason.

Kansas City will explore the draft while also looking at bringing free agents in. Bringing Smith-Schuster in was a move of desperation, but it's a move they won't need to make again next season.

1. WR Hollywood Brown

Speaking of wide receivers, the Chiefs were very excited to bring Hollywood Brown in this season. Adding him and his speed to the potent Chiefs offense as their WR2 or WR3 would be the perfect addition. But Brown was hurt and then he suffered a few setbacks. And now he's going to miss the entire year, and he may never play a snap in a Chiefs uniform.

The easy assumption would be that Kansas City would just bring him back in 2025 and start over again, right? Well, that's where I'm not sure.

Obviously, Rice and Worthy are the two wide receivers of the future. Then, Hopkins has played well enough to warrant another season with Mahomes next year and given the guaranteed team success, it's hard to imagine that he prefers to go elsewhere. Kansas City also has the draft and free agency to play add on to their wide receiver room and it leaves you to wonder if there's going to be room for Brown in 2025.

My best guess is no. Brown will be headed elsewhere when he hits free agency this offseason, largely because of the Chiefs midseason acquisition of Hopkins.