With the 2026 NFL season within reach, let's dive into the Kansas City Chiefs' outlook and the current shape of the four-time Super Bowl champions.
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Key Offseason Roster Moves
Added: QB Justin Fields, RB Kenneth Walker III, DT Khyiris Tonga, CB L'Jarius Sneed, S Alohi Gilman
Lost: QB Gardner Minshew, RB Kareem Hunt, RB Isiah Pacheco, WR Marquise Brown, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, OT Jawaan Taylor, DE Charles Omenihu, DE Mike Danna, DT Derrick Nnadi, LB Leo Chenal, CB Trent McDuffie, CB Jaylen Watson, S Bryan Cook
Drafted: CB Mansoor Delane, DT Peter Woods, DE R Mason Thomas, CB Jadon Canady, RB Emmett Johnson, WR Cyrus Allen, QB Garrett Nussmeier
Kansas City Chiefs Team Preview
The Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014 last season, bringing one of the NFL's most remarkable runs of postseason success to a temporary halt. Kansas City now enters 2026 focused on getting back into the playoff picture—and that journey begins with Patrick Mahomes' health.
The two-time First-Team All-Pro quarterback suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 15, but head coach Andy Reid has said Mahomes has a "pretty good" chance to play in the Week 1 matchup against the Denver Broncos.
Offense
That's encouraging news for a tier-one quarterback coming off a 2025 season in which he threw for 3,587 yards and 22 touchdowns across 14 games. He'll also have go-to tight end Travis Kelce back for another year following a 2025 campaign in which Kelce broke the Chiefs' all-time touchdown record. The 36-year-old returns for his 14th season after leading Kansas City in receptions, receiving yards and T-1st in receiving touchdowns last year, giving Mahomes one of his most trusted targets once again.
As for the wide receiver group, Rashee Rice returns for another season in Kansas City alongside 23-year-old speedster Xavier Worthy. Tyquan Thornton added three touchdowns last season and provides a downfield threat, while fifth-round pick Cyrus Allen has flashed throughout the offseason and training camp.
One of the biggest additions to the Chiefs' roster is reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III at running back. Walker rushed for 1,027 yards last season and brings proven explosiveness to Kansas City's backfield. His addition gives the offense another dynamic weapon and an opportunity to generate more big plays on the ground.
Defense
That guy Steve Spagnuolo? Yeah, he's still good. Kansas City's defense kept the team competitive throughout 2025, holding opponents to just 19.3 points per game, the sixth-best mark in the NFL. While the personnel looks a bit different after the departures of talented defensive backs Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson and Bryan Cook, the Chiefs added several exciting pieces through the draft and brought L'Jarius Sneed back to Kansas City.
First-round pick Mansoor Delane has shown plenty of promise, with defensive backs coach Dave Merritt highlighting the rookie's "sticky coverage" after he returned to full participation in training camp. Defensive tackle Peter Woods and DE R Mason Thomas are two more exciting additions through the draft, with defensive line coach Joe Cullen praising Woods' quickness, explosiveness and athleticism earlier this offseason.
Speaking of the defensive line, the Chiefs retained top talent up front, including Chris Jones, who is coming off a 25-QB-hit, 7.0-sack season, and George Karlaftis, who posted 6.0 sacks and 23 QB hits. The defensive personnel is younger in several areas, but there's still plenty of proven veteran talent surrounding those new pieces, along with an elite coordinator in Spags.
Overall
Kansas City's offseason and preseason have provided plenty of encouraging signs as the roster prepares for Week 1. The Chiefs added explosive talent on offense, infused youth into the defense and continue to see Mahomes progress toward his return.
With a blend of proven championship experience and fresh talent across the roster, Kansas City has plenty of pieces in place to make a strong push back into the AFC playoff picture. Mahomes inching closer to seeing the field only raises the ceiling for a Chiefs team looking to bring its familiar magic back to Arrowhead in 2026.
Kansas City Chiefs Bets to consider on DraftKings Sportsbook
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