After falling short in Super Bowl LIX, the Kansas City Chiefs face an uphill battle to regain their offensive identity and reestablish themselves as the team to beat in the AFC.
Despite earning a third straight conference title under Patrick Mahomes, skepticism has crept into the conversation around Kansas City’s ability to maintain dominance.
So far, the Chiefs‘ most notable moves in free agency include the signings of backup tackle Jaylon Moore and running back Elijah Mitchell.
They also brought back familiar faces Kareem Hunt, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Marquise Brown. While these moves may bolster depth, they haven’t sparked much optimism from analysts or fans. The sense is that Kansas City is simply running it back, not retooling.
TreVeyon Henderson could be the draft’s perfect spark for Kansas City
However, with the NFL Draft fast approaching, hope remains that general manager Brett Veach can plug key holes, particularly at running back and along the offensive line. And in Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano‘s ideal scenario, the Chiefs walk away with a draft-day steal that could reshape their entire offensive outlook.
“In this dream scenario, the Chiefs get it all and draw a collective head shake from the rest of the league for getting Henderson in the second round after taking one of the top tackles at the end of the first,” Manzano wrote.
This way Kansas City grabs one of the best offensive tackles with their No. 31 overall pick, then somehow lands Ohio State star TreVeyon Henderson in the second round.
Henderson, with 4.43 speed and elite pass-blocking skills, would instantly boost a rushing attack that ranked just 26th in the league last year (101.2 yards per game).
More importantly, Henderson’s ability to pick up blitzes and protect Mahomes-who was sacked 47 times last season-could be the real game-changer. Protection, not just production, is what Kansas City’s backfield has lacked. Henderson’s arrival would offer both.
Pairing him with Isiah Pacheco (in the final year of his rookie deal) and Hunt (on a one-year contract) could usher in a new era for the Chiefs’ ground game. While Pacheco‘s toughness has made him a fan favorite, Henderson could add the explosiveness and pass-protection capabilities that elevate the backfield to elite status.
Add in the arrival of speedy 2024 first-round wide receiver Xavier Worthy, and suddenly the Chiefs’ offense has new life.
