Patrick Mahomes sends unintentional warning for rest of NFL about Chiefs offense

The Kansas City Chiefs offense is about to get even more scary, if you can believe it. A team which already featured Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice -- despite the latter's legal troubles -- should be even better in 2024.

The Chiefs are chasing history in the seemingly-impossible Super Bowl three-peat. To do so, Brett Veach had to take some chances this offseason. Veach added to the Chiefs impressive core of weapons for Mahomes in signing Hollywood Brown and drafting Xavier Worthy.

Mahomes has already noticed the difference in OTAs. When asked what the Chiefs have been working on in regards to the passing game early in the offseason program, Mahomes response hinted at an aspect that's been lacking since Kansas City traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins.

“Get back to the deep game,” Mahomes said. “I think we’ve done a great job of mastering the intermediate and short stuff, but we want to get back to having that part of the offense as well… Coach [Andy Reid] is really pushing us to push it down the field. It’s hard to do against our defense but we’re trying to make it happen.”

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs ready to embrace the deep ball again

Per Pro Football Focus, Mahomes finished the 2023 season with just 8.9 percent of his passes qualifying as deep balls. Those numbers should improve in 2024 given the additions made by Veach. Brown, for one, has already impressed early in OTAs.

“Hollywood does a nice job out there as a receiver,” Reid said. “Looks like he and Pat are developing a chemistry out there. We’ll just take it step-by-step as we go.”

Despite all the off-field distractions for the Chiefs this offseason, it's been business as usual in practive. Even the defense has taken notice, with linebacker Nick Bolton and cornerback Trent McDuffie in awe of the new-look Chiefs offense.

“Boy, we are rolling,” McDuffie said. “Pat definitely has some weapons.”

This isn't the first time the Chiefs have hyped up one offensive weapon in particular. We've heard the same about Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore in previous offseasons. Brown, however, offers a little more proven pedigree than those two.

Outside of Kelce, Mahomes has lacked that true No. 1 weapon on the outside since trading Hill away. Rice started to develop into that at the end of last season, but it seems like the Chiefs have a few contingency plans at the ready as well.