The Kansas City Chiefs have obvious needs on both sides of the football. How they handle those needs in free agency will affect their draft strategy.
The Kansas City Chiefs organization finds itself in uncharted territory, selecting in the top 10 of the National Football League after missing the playoffs and finishing 6-11 in 2025.
Last season was uncharacteristically poor for a multitude of reasons. The Chiefs started 0-2 for the first time since 2014, which also happens to be the last year the team missed the playoffs. Kansas City was awful in one-score games, just one season removed from being an undefeated 11-0 in those games in 2024, a drastic change that played a massive role in the team’s shortcomings.
The biggest problem with the offense was the inability to generate explosive plays in the run game. Kareem Hunt had just one run that was longer than 20 yards and Isiah Pacheco had none. Both are free agents now, meaning the Chiefs’ biggest need this offseason is to replace those two.
In many mock drafts, the Chiefs were mocked to select standout Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love with the ninth-overall pick. However, after freeing up a ton of salary cap space by cutting several contracts and restructuring quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ contract, it opens the door for general manager Brett Veach to address his biggest need in free agency.
ESPN’s Nate Taylor thinks running back is the biggest hole on the roster, not just on offense.
“The Chiefs need a starter, and they want to be more explosive in their running attack,” Taylor wrote Friday. “That upgrade should help quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who will be returning after a torn ACL, the most significant injury of his nine-year career.”
Several intriguing free agents fit the bill of what the Chiefs are looking for at the position, but former Seattle Seahawk and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Kenneth Walker III and former Jacksonville Jaguar Travis Etienne Jr. seem like the best fits. Both players are great dual-threat backs who would transform Kansas City’s ground game attack.
But Taylor didn’t predict that the Chiefs would sign either of these guys (although definitely possible). He thinks GM Veach will certainly address the defensive line after the team got little success out of the pass-rush in 2025.
“In past years, general manager Brett Veach has prioritized strengthening the offensive and defensive lines in free agency. This year, Veach will likely try to make another push to acquire a quality defensive lineman, someone who can provide a boost to the pass rush alongside Chris Jones and George Karlaftis.”
Despite being among the league-leaders in blitz percentage under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, the Chiefs recorded just 35 sacks, ranking near the bottom of the NFL.
Defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers and defensive end Boye Mafe seem like they would be at the top of Veach’s list for free agency, and who he brings in at RB will likely decide which route Veach goes down.