Chiefs hit offseason with real roster decisions
The Kansas City Chiefs will not only have to settle for the brutal loss in Super Bowl 59, but potentially the loss of players from the active roster come free agency this offseason.
According to spotrac.com, the Chiefs will have 28 players’ contracts set to expire following the 2024 season, a real task for the team’s front office as it looks to shake off the 40-22 loss of the Eagles on Sunday.
Among those set to become free agents: wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins, Hollywood Brown and Mecole Hardman, offensive lineman Trey Smith, as well as defensive cogs in the Chiefs Super Bowl victories in 2022 and 2023 like safety Justin Reid and linebacker Nick Bolton. Both Smith and Bolton have reached the end of their rookie contracts that began following the 2021 NFL Draft.
Play up front proved to be a real factor in the brutal beatdown the Chiefs took at the hands of Philadelphia in the Super Bowl. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was sacked six times in the loss, despite the Eagles and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio deciding not to blitz at any point in the game. Heading into the season, the Chiefs had questions at the left tackle position, and continued to by having four different players play significant snaps at the position during the season. The team eventually switched All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney to the starting left tackle position in Week 15 against Cleveland and rode with Thuney all throughout the postseason.
At the wide receiver position, only three receivers are set to be under contract going into the 2025 season, the rest will be unrestricted free agents.
Following the overtime victory in Super Bowl 58, the team went to work to shore up some of its key players in the offseason, coming to terms on extensions to keep its most productive players for a chance at a historic third consecutive Super Bowl championship that the team would ultimately come up short in achieving. Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, Creed Humphrey and Harrison Butker signed extensions prior to the 2024 regular season.
The franchise will also have a decision to make as to where its summer training camps will take place. Since 2010, Missouri Western State University has been the home of Chiefs Training Camp, but a recent expiration of the contract between the two sides has the future location of camp up in the air.
