Look for the Chiefs to add offensive depth after the draft
Tyler Brown
The Chiefs still have over $20 million in cap space and free agents this time of the year come at a discount. After the first couple of waves of free agency, the final waves come after the draft for multiple reasons.
One reason is obviously that teams have a much better idea of what their needs are. The second reason is free agents signed after the draft do not count against the compensatory draft pick formula. While we will know what the Chiefs' exact needs are after the draft, they will likely have several offensive depth chart holes to fill. After signing Carson Wentz as the backup quarterback, they are good there. Everywhere else, however, is a giant question mark, depth-wise.
At running back, they currently have Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, La’Mical Perine, Deneric Prince and Keaontay Ingram, amongst others on their 90-man roster. Louis Rees-Zammit is listed as a running back and was brought in with the new kickoff rule in mind, but similar to how they used Chukwuebuka Godrick last year, they may redshirt him a year under the International Pathway exemption rules.
With Edwards-Helaire’s contract being largely guaranteed, so is his roster spot. Whether he is the second or third running back on the depth chart, something will need to be added here. It would be no surprise if the Chiefs added a draft pick at the position since general manager Brett Veach likes to keep the tailbacks cost-controlled. If they do not draft one, they probably have J.K. Dobbins on speed dial, who they
hosted on a visit earlier this month. Dobbins would be a potential high-upside veteran Kansas City could sign and would bring a whole new element to the offense.
At wide receiver they have Hollywood Brown, Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney and Justyn Ross rostered. Nikko Remigio is a dark horse as a weapon and a return man as well. The Chiefs are a lock to add one receiver in the 2024 NFL draft, but that will not keep them from needing a veteran presence. With Rice’s legal situation and assumingly facing a suspension, the Chiefs are looking at a starting lineup of Brown, a rookie and Watson as their top three receivers for the first several games.
Even when Rice does come back, they would just be a Rice or Brown injury away from another very bleak lineup, similar to 2023. Yes, the Chiefs may even draft two receivers, but it was not until last year that Kansas City had much success in year one of a rookie’s career in the Andy Reid era.
There are still several productive veteran receivers left on the market and the Chiefs have the cap space to give a decent contract offered to them. The type of veteran will likely depend on the what type of rookie they draft but certain guys would help any offense, especially in a Reid offense where wideouts are asked to play a variety of positions.
Any of Tyler Boyd, Odell Beckham Jr., Michael Gallup, Hunter Renfow and Michael Thomas all have their niche attributes that could be installed into the Chiefs offense. If the Chiefs wanted to go super cheap they could even go back to the well of Marquez Valdez-Scantling or Mecole Hardman. Deep threat D.J. Chark is available as well.
While the former three would be underwhelming, the Chiefs need help, especially getting through the Rice suspension. While Rice is out, Boyd could step right into his role as the “power-slot,” and would be a fit similar to how Juju Smith-Schuster was. Once Rice does come back, they could split time while allowing Rice to display more of his skills out wide. Boyd would be a good risk to take on a one-year deal given the circumstances.
Beckham Jr. and Gallup would be your traditional X receivers, allowing Rice to stay inside. In that scenario, I would imagine Moore and Brown would split the slot duties while Rice is out, which would fit their skill sets. Renfrow and Thomas are utilized best in the slot but regardless they are route-running technicians and would be valuable to every team in the NFL, especially in money-down situations.
I do not see a scenario where the Chiefs need to add a veteran tight end as the room is pretty well set with Travis Kelce, Noah Gray and Irv Smith Jr. They may elect to add a tight end through the draft, but that is neither here nor there.
The offensive line is a different story, though. Unless they trade up into the area where they can draft one of the top six or seven offensive tackles in this draft, I would put money on the Chiefs resigning Donovan Smith to compete at left tackle with second-year tackle Wanya Morris. They could get frisky pulling a
Brett Veach Special and sign former first-round pick Mekhi Becton to compete for that role, but there have been no whispers of that.
That move is all but a slam dunk, given that their backup tackles are currently Godrick and Lucas Niang. It would not surprise me if they add a veteran even if they do add a tackle through the draft.
That is not the only need along the offensive line though. Not only is their entire interior offensive line basically in a contract season (I say basically because Joe Thuney carries nearly a $27 million cap hit in 2025 and the Chiefs can gain $16 million by releasing him), but their only backup interior lineman currently is Mike Caliendo. The Chiefs clearly like Caliendo but with them losing Allegretti to Washington, they lost both their backup to both guard positions and the center position.
I guarantee the Chiefs draft an interior offensive lineman in the draft, but even still they will need a veteran on a one-year deal until they decide what to do with Thuney, Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith. The top remaining guard on the market is former Bronco Dalton Risner, who is a former Kansas State Wildcat but is likely looking to start at this point in his career. The next highest ranked according to PFF is former Bills and Raiders veteran Greg Van Roten. He has started 70 games since 2012. There is not much out there on the center market but Caliendo had extended center experience at Western Michigan and Thuney even had some center experience at North Carolina State.
The Chiefs are currently 14th in the NFL in cap space available, but they will not have a significant amount, along with many others in the league, after signing their draft class. The Chiefs have, however, shown a propensity to sign veterans to low-level, incentive-laden deals, which has proven to be a dynamite formula for their winning ways. I would look for them to add a running back, receiver and two offensive linemen in that manner. The combination of say, Dobbins, Boyd, Smith and another interior lineman they like would go a long way in making this offense steady.
