The 2023-24 season for the Kansas City Chiefs gave fans their fair share of ups and downs. Despite Patrick Mahomes’s “down season,” the Chiefs still made it to the Super Bowl and defeated the San Francisco 49ers for the second time. This makes two in a row for Kansas City (and three times overall in the past five seasons).
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Offseason Recap
Despite the victory, the offseason was clouded with several things. One was ideas of what would happen to the team when their stay is up (still quite a few years from now), and the residents voted no to give taxpayer money to help keep them. Another was players getting in trouble. Whenever a player was mentioned in the news or on one of the sports channels, many fans were thinking, “What now?”
Despite the downside of the offseason, fans still anticipate a tough AFC season. The Chiefs looked good in the draft, and their most notable pick was Xavier Worthy in the first round. They signed Carson Wentz to a one-year deal to be Mahomes’ backup. They also re-signed Mike Danna and Clyde Edwards-Helaire and wrapped up Chris Jones in a five-year deal. While Tommy Townsend is no longer with the team, they have potentially made up for it by signing Matt Araiza as his replacement.
Offense
Tyreek Hill’s absence has been noticeable over the past few years, especially with fewer “magical” down-the-field passes from Mahomes. The Chiefs may have found an answer to that when they drafted Worthy. While he may not see much in his rookie year, hopefully, having him on the roster will open up the possibilities of the offense having more of the field to play with. With Travis Kelce failing to reach 1,000 yards last season and retirement inching ever closer, you might see more magic than usual between Mahomes and Kelce.
“Out of spite, I threw a behind-the-back pass.”
The story of @PatrickMahomes‘ iconic pass to @TKelce is legendary 😂 pic.twitter.com/pkVwBElGym
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) August 17, 2024
Fans still wonder who will be the player Mahomes goes to beyond Kelce. There are many choices this season for receivers, but which one will stand out the most? Kadarius Toney was not a sure bet last season, and bringing Marquise “Hollywood” Brown was a very good idea until he was hurt in preseason. Now, it is a toss-up. Go down the roster, and you have Skyy Moore, Justin Watson, Isiah Pacheco, and Rashee Rice, to name a few.
Defense
Steve Spagnuolo has done a fantastic job with the defense since coming to Kansas City. Despite any ups and downs, he has his players ready to face any offense every season. Unfortunately, the Chiefs could not keep L’Jarius Sneed, and he will be sorely missed. However, keeping Jones was smart since he is one of, if not the best, defensive tackle in the NFL.
Defensive lineman Chris Jones says, in his first interview since signing his new five-year extension, that he never thought he’d be anything other than a Kansas City Chief. pic.twitter.com/mepEy6KOKi
— KMBC (@kmbc) March 12, 2024
Last season, the defense carried most of the weight while keeping other teams from scoring. This season, they’ll need to figure out how to keep it going because, after Jones, the Chiefs’ players are good, but they will need to be great, especially if they want another Super Bowl trip and victory.
Look for George Karlaftis to be even better than last season, when he produced 10.5 sacks. After losing several players instrumental in Sapnuolo’s defense, players like Trent McDuffie, Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill, Mike Danna, Justin Reid, and Bryan Cook must step up and make any needed adjustments. All these players have potential; their strengths and weaknesses complement each other.
One Move to Make
Andy Reid is known for his exciting plays. And those trick plays fans love to see. If the Chiefs are to march their way through the season and go for another Super Bowl appearance, they will need more of it. More of the side pass, behind-the-back passes, no-look passes, and all the little things Mahomes does in practice. It must be left out on the field to know that they did their best. Kansas City needs to do what it does best without overthinking it…snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
2024 Outlook and Odds
Look for offensive players other than Kelce to step up and put the game on their shoulders. We know his time with the Chiefs is nearing the end, so Reid and the other coaches and staff are looking for someone to be that type of player. Coaches and the front office have plugged players in on both sides of the ball to help fill voids from this past season. With those players, they may have another winning season, make the playoffs, and potentially get their three-peat.
The road the Chiefs will have to travel this season will not be easy. Teams, not just in the AFC West, have improved on both sides of the ball. Look for them to have a better on-the-road record. No matter where they play, Kansas City will be the number one team to defeat, and each foe they face will want the pleasure of getting that win.
Season Prediction: 12-5, Wins the Super Bowl
