Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Chiefs face a pivotal draft with the No. 9 overall pick and need to plan for the future.
- Kansas City must address critical roster weaknesses, including finding replacements for aging veterans and improving protection for Patrick Mahomes.
- These draft decisions could dramatically shape the team's offensive and defensive strategies for the upcoming season and beyond.
The possibility of Patrick Mahomes' missing some portion of the 2026 regular season puts the Chiefs in an interesting position heading into this year's NFL Draft. GM Brett Veach and his staff will be justified to look for immediate difference-makers capable of helping boost this year's Super Bowl Champions. They also would be wise to look for long-term replacements for big-name veterans that are nearing the end of their professional careers.
Most of the media's attention is being paid on the two first-round picks Kansas City has to work with. The franchise is not used to picking in the top-10 during the Mahomes era, but they go into this draft with the No. 9 overall selection at their disposal. Add in the No. 29 overall pick they got from the Rams in the Trent McDuffie trade and the Chiefs have a lot of directions they can go on Day One. But it doesn't stop there. This draft class is loaded with talent, and the Chiefs have the picks to take advantage of it. That's bad news for some veterans on the roster.
Round | Overall selection |
|---|---|
1 | 9 |
1 | 29 |
2 | 40 |
3 | 74 |
4 | 109 |
5 | 148 |
5 | 169 |
5 | 176 |
6 | 210 |
It's time for the Chiefs to find Travis Kelce's heir apparent
Travis Kelce has been a huge part of the Chiefs' success during the Mahomes era. That doesn't change the reality that he'll turn 37 during the 2026 regular season. It's crucial for Kansas City to find his long-term successor in this year's draft.
A dynamic pass-catcher like Kenyon Sadiq could be a serious consideration for Kansas City in Round 2. Don't sleep on a second round prospect like Eli Stowers as another potential path forward for the Chiefs. The depth of this year's tight end class might also allow the team to wait until the later rounds to find more of a blocker to soak up Kelce's snap count.
Noah Gray's spot on the depth chart gives the Chiefs flexibility on when they can addres the tight end position in the draft but it's time for Veach to find a new weapon for his quarterback. Kelce might play another season ro two, but the offense needs to find a new tight end to rely on to bother opposing secondaries.
Jaylon Moore is not a good enough tackle for a Super Bowl contender
Keeping Mahomes upright is always one of the Chiefs' top priorities. That will only be more important this year as he returns from injury. Putting Jaylon Moore out as a starter at either tackle spot only puts the team's star quarterback at risk.
His 63.1 PFF grade last year ranked him as the 56th-best performer among 89 qualifying tackles. His pass blocking rank was even worse. PFF ranked him as the 72nd best tackle in that metric.
This isn't a draft class chocked full of elite tackle prospects which means the Chiefs might need to wait until Round 2 to address that need. They should still be able to find a better player than Moore at that spot. It's not a high bar to clear but it's crucial that the Chiefs address this need if they want to get their quarterback healthy moving forward.
Kristian Fulton is not an answer at cornerback for the Chiefs
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnulo has a real knack for turning low-profile cornerbacks into high-profile stars. That's a big reason why the organization felt comfortable making the McDuffie trade.
It's a harder trick to pull off at outside cornerback. Kansas City rolled the dice on signing Kristian Fulton in free agency but he's been a complete disappointment. He struggled to stay on the field last year and was ineffective when the team did feel confident giving him snaps on the perimeter.
Don't look for Kansas City to use a first or even a second-rounder on the cornerback position. Taking a couple swings on athletic boundary corners on Day Three is more in line when the team's valuation of the position. One or two of those rookies need to hit during their first seasons in the pros to make sure Fulton stays on the sidelines.
Xavier Worthy is miscast as the Chiefs' No. 1 outside wide receiver
The Chiefs hope they can count on Rashee Rice to be their No. 1 wideout even if he's mostly deployed from the slot position. That leaves Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton as their starting duo on the outside.
Worthy is arguably the top performer of that duo which makes him Kansas City's No. 1 option on the outside. The pass-catching hierarchy would look a lot better if he slotted in at the No. 2 spot. That can only happen if the Chiefs go out and get a true, big-body wide receiver to play on the boundary via the draft.
Someone like Denzel Boston could be intriguing if he falls to Kansas City in Round 2. The Chiefs don't need a superstar in this spot, but they need something different for the pass-catching group. Finding that guy and sliding Worthy down in the pecking order would be a big boost to Mahomes and the offense.
Chris Jones needs more help or a replacement up front
At his best, Chris Jones is still one of the most dominant inside defensive linemen in football. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, the former All-Pro's best is starting to become harder and harder to come by on a per-week basis.
Proponents of Jones will say his play can be improved if Kansas City gives him a better partner at defensive tackle. There's some truth to that line of thinking. Lowering the opponent's ability to double team Jones on every snap would likely improve his efficiency.
It's also possible that Jones' lack of production is a product of age-related decline. That's why the Chiefs need to find another potential gamewrecker in this year's draft. Jones isn't going anywhere in the short-term, but its' time for the Chiefs to plan for a changing of the guard at his position in the medium term.