With the free agency frenzy largely over, all eyes are now fixated on the NFL Draft in a couple of weeks. Chiefs GM Brett Veach and his staff have done their due diligence on addressing roster needs as well as cutting bait with key Super Bowl-winning contributors. As an organization, no single move is unto itself, they are all connected in the hopes of building another championship roster.
One move here or there could be the difference in causing a chain of events that either see you hoisting a Lombardi trophy or walking away from the field in agony and defeat. For the Patrick Mahomes-era Chiefs, every year is precious, thus, every decision is placed under more of a microscope than ever before.
Here are the biggest offseason moves that could backfire on the Chiefs and potentially stall their hopes of another celebration in Kansas City.
1. Not Extending RG Trey Smith
Despite his sixth-round draft pedigree (largely due to health implications), Smith has been integral in transforming the Chiefs' interior offensive lines into one of the best in the league. Smith was expected to become one of, if not the highest-paid guards in the league this offseason, either by the Chiefs or somewhere else in free agency.
However, before he could even hit the open market, the Chiefs elected to place their once-a-year franchise tag on him with a cap hit of $23.4 million, locking him up for the 2025 season only. As the two sides continue to work on a long-term deal, the likelihood of it happening decreases every day he’s not signed.
With an O-line already in flux, specifically on the left side, and RT Jawaan Taylor likely playing his last season in KC, the Chiefs cannot afford to have additional moving parts in the position group that protects the league's biggest commodity in Patrick Mahomes.