When a team like the Kansas City Chiefs has as much success as they have, winning can hide the obvious flaws that could determine whether they are the pitfalls to the lack of success when it matters the most.
Sunday night exposed those pitfalls in great detail and it will be hard to ignore after coming up well short of the seemingly impossible third consecutive Super Bowl trophy. The Chiefs were held to the fewest yards in a single half in game history (23) while superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw a pick-six to add to the Philadelphia Eagles titan grip in the first half.
While the 40-22 score may indicate a closer game, it was far from it. Now is the time to move past this game and focus on the present: the Chiefs are not in a terrific spot and their ceiling may be slightly capped even with Mahomes under-center.
Kansas City currently possess just over $11.5 million in salary cap space. That money could increase significantly if the team releases Joe Thuney and Travis Kelce retires. Even so, they may have a difficult time bringing back many of their key free agents.
Right guard Trey Smith is up for a massive pay day as is linebacker Nick Bolton, safety Justin Reid and wide receiver Marquise Brown. All are key players in the Chiefs success over the last few years while other role players like Charles Omenihu, Derrick Nnadi, and Tershawn Wharton could test the open market and leave the Chiefs near-barran in the trenches.
Furthermore, Kansas City has more positional needs that they would like to admit. Finding Kelce’s successor won’t be an easy task while offensive tackle, wide receiver, MIKE linebacker, running back depth, safety, cornerback depth, and defensive line depth are all areas of concern moving forward.
The Chiefs are one of the best teams in the NFL in player development as its young defense and outstanding young playmakers will attest. There is still a ceiling the Chiefs could smash wide open and achieve an impossible fourth consecutive Super Bowl appearance but it’s not realistic and it should be written in permanent marker that this franchise does not represent the AFC in the world’s biggest sporting event this time next year.
As of right now, Kansas City lacks an elite playmaker and continuity in the trenches; two areas that were factors in their downfall at the end of the season. It’s fair to question if general manager Brett Veach is up to the task of adding a top-flight wide receiver or tight end to the roster.
There are three reasons why the Chiefs will remain a contender in the AFC, at the least: Mahomes, head coach Andy Reid, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. However, there is also the question of how long Reid will continue coaching or Spagnuolo, who could take another run at being a head coach. Yet, Mahomes is like Brady in the sense he can succeed with whatever is around him.
Kansas City should be the favorites to win the AFC West next season and while doubting them may be all they need, teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals are in a position to pounce and place themselves on the throne in a QB-rich conference. The Chiefs’ reign could be over and it’s time to face the reality of it.
