The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to do something that's never been done before — win a third Super Bowl in a row.
They pulled out their second win this past season thanks to an overtime touchdown from Patrick Mahomes to Mecole Hardman but it was never easy for them. Their lack of explosion on offense was a problem but they addressed that recently by signing Marquise Brown and drafting Xavier Worthy — the new 40-yard dash king.
Kansas City could go into the regular season feeling strong but it also wouldn't be a bad idea to fill a few more holes. Here’s a look at the best remaining free agents they could target now that the draft is behind us.
3. David Bakhtiari, LT
This one could be a roll of the dice since injuries have been a major concern but David Bakhtiari would be an excellent fit in K.C.
He played for the Green Bay Packers for 11 seasons, so he would have no issues sitting back in pass protection all day for the aerial-minded Chiefs offense. He would also be an improvement over Wanya Morris and a solid mentor for second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia.
Of course, the risk with Bakhtiari looms large as he played in one contest in 2021 and 2023. In between, he suited up for 11 games in 2022. In all honesty, the Chiefs would probably take 11 games from him, especially if they were in the postseason. He's one of the best in the game when healthy and as long as the contract isn't loaded with guaranteed money (which it wouldn't be) then he would be worth the gamble.
2. Stephon Gilmore, CB
The Dallas Cowboys brought in Stephon Gilmore last season to be the No. 2 cornerback but had to lean heavily on the veteran when Trevon Diggs suffered an ACL tear ahead of Week 3. He wasn't the same player we saw during his days with the Buffalo Bills or New England Patriots but Gilmore held his own — especially down the stretch.
Despite his performance, there has been no talk of a reunion between the two sides, leaving the veteran on the open market. Last year, Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams took strides for the Kansas City defense and Trent McDuffie continued to be a menace in the slot. Still, a savvy veteran to round out their secondary wouldn't be a bad move.
Without many options, the Chiefs might be able to convince Gilmore to take an affordable deal to help chase another ring.
Gilmore’s age is the one hindrance given he will turn 34 in September. Even as he approaches his mid-30s, he's coming off a season where he played in all 17 games, recorded 68 tackles, broke up 13 passes, and had two interceptions. A five-time Pro Bowler and 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Gilmore would be a welcome addition to a suddenly stingy defense in K.C.
1. Justin Simmons, S
Ahead of the 2022 season, the Chiefs brought in former Houston Texans safety Justin Reid on a three-year deal worth $31.5 million. That led to Tyrann Mathieu leaving in free agency as they got younger in the secondary.
That same year, they drafted Bryan Cook from Cincinnati in the second round. Cook moved into a starting role in 2023 following the departure of Juan Thornhill (who signed with the Browns). The result has worked since they've won two titles in a row and the defense was strong last year. They finished fourth in passing yardage and touchdowns surrendered, although PFF was far from complementary on either safety.
Cook came in as the 57th safety and Reid was No. 79 — out of 95 graded safeties. These grades are subjective of course, but there's always room to get better.
If there was any one area where there would be a concern, it would have to be interceptions. Reid and Cook each had just one and the defense as a whole was 27th in the league with eight.
Perhaps they can address this by adding a former rival, Justin Simmons. An eight-year pro, Simmons is still on the market after recording 70 tackles and three interceptions for the Denver Broncos in 2023. For his career, he's been a ball hawk with 64 pass breakups and 30 picks.
This might not be a major need, but it's never a bad idea to add someone who can take the ball away.