The Kansas City Chiefs have now made three straight Super Bowls and won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. The success has been undeniable, as the franchise has also reached the AFC Championship Game for seven straight seasons.
That said, after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl in blowout fashion, the Chiefs have faced criticism for their free agency approach so far.
Chiefs Failing To Improve via Free Agency So Far
Notable signings: OT Jaylon Moore, CB Kristian Fulton, WR Hollywood Brown (re-signed)
Notable departures: G Joe Thuney (trade), S Justin Reid, DT Tershawn Wharton, WR DeAndre Hopkins
The obvious caveat here is that the NFL Draft is still over a month away, and plenty of free agents remain available. Trades could also shake things up before the offseason ends.
However, as things stand right now, the Chiefs are among the biggest losers in free agency. According to PFSN’s free agency grades, Kansas City has taken major steps back with its approach.
Here’s an excerpt from that article summarizing the Chiefs’ moves so far:
“The Kansas City Chiefs did their main work on Day 1 of free agency, locking up Jaylon Moore to a two-year deal to be their left tackle. It was an intriguing move for a player who has flashed his ability but has not been a full-time starter in his career. Across four years in San Francisco, Moore started just 12 games, but five of those did come in 2024. The Chiefs addressed their biggest need, but the jury is out whether they did it well.
“A lot of the Chiefs’ moves came before the negotiation window opened in terms of retaining their own free agents. Franchise tagging Trey Smith was a solid decision, but they put all their eggs in that basket by then trading away Joe Thuney. Trading one of the most reliable interior offensive linemen in the league is a major risk, even if he is likely entering the twilight of his career.
“Re-signing Marquise Brown and Nick Bolton are both smart moves. Bolton has been the heartbeat of the defense, while Brown looked good in limited time last year.
“Despite those moves, trading away Thuney and signing an unproven left tackle to be their starter leaves this offseason with a negative feeling overall, as does losing starting safety Justin Reid. Signing Smith to a long-term extension will mitigate some of that negativity.”
The biggest question mark surrounding the Chiefs has to be their offensive line. The last time we saw Kansas City on the field was in the Super Bowl, where its O-line was dismantled for six sacks, and Patrick Mahomes was under constant pressure.
Even though they’ve made some moves along the offensive line, as detailed in the PFSN blurb, it’s hard to argue that Kansas City actually improved. The Chiefs lost a valuable piece in Thuney, who struggled at left tackle in the Super Bowl but was an All-Pro-caliber guard. Meanwhile, KC’s biggest move at LT, Jaylon Moore, remains a complete question mark.
With the success they’ve had over the years, the Chiefs deserve the benefit of the doubt. But right now, it’s understandable why Kansas City fans aren’t thrilled with how free agency has played out so far.