With key departures and Mahomes injured, the Chiefs chase draft talent to revive their dynasty. Who can rescue Kansas City?
The Kansas City Chiefs are in unfamiliar territory this offseason. Instead of simply needing to keep their roster together and run it back for another playoff run, the Chiefs are heading into a pivotal offseason that will alter the direction of the franchise for the foreseeable future.
After winning just six games in 2025, it’s clear there needs to be a change in Kansas City. Superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL last season, and when he returns in 2026 is still up in the air. Tight end Travis Kelce may not be returning as he faces retirement rumors once again this offseason.
Defensively, the Chiefs already traded their top cornerback, Trent McDuffie, to the Los Angeles Rams for a package of four draft picks. Defensive tackle Chris Jones was once the heartbeat of the defense, but the 2025 season showed that he may not be capable of such a duty anymore. To put it simply, there will be big changes in Kansas City when the offseason is all said and done.
In a Bleacher Report article listing the dream targets on both sides of the ball for each NFL team, the Chiefs were linked to several draft prospects as they open the door to a youth movement.
For their dream offensive target, writer Alex Ballentine noted the importance of adding a dynamic running back to the 2026 roster. With two picks in the first round after the McDuffie trade, No. 9 and No. 29, they could very well solve that problem in the draft.
Running back Jeremiyah Love was specifically named as a dream target for the Chiefs. Finishing third in Heisman voting for his 1,372-yard, 18-touchdown season with Notre Dame, Love would bring some much-needed game-changing skill to the Chiefs’ running back room.
The dream targets on the defensive end would also come via the draft, with edge rusher David Bailey and defensive tackle Peter Woods being named as first-round options for the Chiefs. In contrast, edge rusher Zion Young was listed as a good target on Day 2 of the draft.
The Chiefs may be in uncharted territory, but 2026 will be the first step in defining how the rest of the decade will go. With two first-round selections in the draft and plenty of talent to choose from, the Chiefs could very well turn a disastrous 2025 season into the launchpad they needed to keep their place at the top of the league for years to come.