When looking at the Kansas City Chiefs roster, there are few glaring issues that remain. The defending AFC champs looked poised to continue to rule the conference as long as health remains. While you could point to the need for additional targets for Patrick Mahomes as a need, perhaps a more interesting addition would be reinforcing a new-look secondary. Looking at the remaining free agents, there are a number of potential rivals the Chiefs could bring over to the winning side.
The Chiefs have added a number of options at safety with Bryan Cook, Mike Edwards, Jaden Hicks, and Chamarri Connor all under contract. However, the team has a chance to add an interesting wildcard in former Denver Bronco and current free agent Justin Simmons. The hated safety is remembered in his time in the division for consistently picking off Patrick Mahomes, notching six in his career, including four in the red zone. A quarterback who typically protects the football at such a high level has been frustrated by the former rival.
Chiefs Should Sign Former Rival Justin Simmons to the Secondary Competition
For a franchise with a history of breathing life back into players' careers, it would be a great move for Simmons. Sign a non-guaranteed deal and come in to compete for a contributing role. Joining the best team in the conference and a quarterback you have so often tormented. Even when Simmons spent the 2024 season with the Atlanta Falcons, he found a way to haunt Mahomes, picking off a pass in the end zone in the team's lone matchup against Atlanta.
It is this type of ability that the Chiefs would be adding and could attempt to do so without spending anything of note. Simmons would need to be sold on his chance to win a contributing role for the Super Bowl contender and be able to cash in during free agency next offseason if things were to go the veteran's way.
This is the type of outside-the-box thinking fans have grown used to seeing work in Kansas City. So many reclamation projects have turned into important role players during the Chiefs' dominant run. Offering someone who has haunted Patrick Mahomes so often feels fittingly on brand for the franchise.
At worst, it is a veteran presence to bring in throughout camp and the preseason to help push a relatively young secondary. Perhaps you find a surprise contributor or at least can benefit from his knowledge and gain a bit of insight on how the safety has so often gotten in Mahomes' way. It is a move worth exploring as the Chiefs' long offseason continues.