The Kansas City Chiefs appear to be the powerhouse we have come to known with quarterback Patrick Mahomes under center.

It was a tough and uncharacteristic start for the Chiefs this season, beginning 0-2 for the first time since 2014, the worst start of Mahomes’ career.

However, once the receiving room got to full strength, the Chiefs offense exploded. Mahomes looks like the Most Valuable Player again, doing it with his arm and his legs.

Mahomes is the second-leading rusher for the Chiefs with 280 yards and was leading the team for most of the season until running back Isiah Pacheco began running more efficiently. Mahomes is averaging 6.1 yards per carry.

With the trade deadline looming on Nov. 4, most would think the Chiefs would buy at the deadline, but ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes Kansas City is more likely to stick with what they have for the most part with a chance of upgrading the defensive line.

“Largely standing pat, save for a modest defensive move,” Fowler wrote Wednesday. “The Chiefs are inclined to stay put on the offensive side, but they will explore defensive line depth. They wanted to do so even before rookie defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott went down for the season (torn ACL). On the subtracting front, Kansas City's cornerback depth could earn interest.”

The biggest need for the Chiefs is defensive tackle. The Chiefs aren’t getting as much pressure on the quarterback as they would like and they aren’t stopping the run. ESPN’s Aaron Schatz believes an upgrade over defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi would make sense for Kansas City.

“The Chiefs have a need on the edge, but a bigger need might be an upgrade on Derrick Nnadi, who is last among qualifying defensive tackles with a 13.2% run stop win rate,” wrote Schatz. “He also has a 0% pass rush win rate, though he plays only a handful of clear pass-play snaps per game.”

A possible target could be Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Keeanu Benton, a former second-round pick who has had his own struggles, but the Chiefs are in position to take a gamble.

“I'm not sure Pittsburgh is ready to trade the 2023 second-round pick, as he has flashed and remains a starter this season,” ESPN’s Ben Solak wrote. “But Benton has been a liability in run defense and is miscast in his nose tackle responsibilities; he would benefit from playing in a front that's oriented on penetration. The Chiefs need defensive tackle help across the board, so a gamble on Benton feels appropriate.”

The Chiefs will travel to Buffalo for a much-anticipated Week 9 matchup against the Bills.