The Kansas City Chiefs have won two consecutive Super Bowl championships, but the true potential of this dynasty has some huge question marks when it comes to NFL free agency.
To win Super Bowls, teams are going to have to have several great players. After winning the big game, many of those players are going to demand big contracts after a great year.
The Chiefs are no different this year, as guys like Chris Jones and L’Jarius Sneed are set to be free agents. What will the defending champions do? Here are our Chiefs free agency predictions.
Kansas City Chiefs Free Agency Predictions
As of now, the Chiefs currently have just over $17 million in salary cap space, according to Over the Cap. In PFN’s Dallas Robinson’s top 100 NFL free agent rankings, the Chiefs are the only team to have two players in the top 10.
While the Chiefs are coming off a second consecutive Super Bowl win, they also have needs to address on the roster, particularly at wide receiver, if they want to successfully pull off the first three-peat in NFL history.
Chiefs Bring Back Chris Jones on a Long-Term Deal
Patrick Mahomes was the MVP of the Super Bowl, but you could make the case that Chris Jones was the most important player during this year’s playoff run. There were multiple times when the Chiefs’ opponents had potentially wide open touchdowns, only to have Jones disport it just enough to get the stop.
In the win against the Buffalo Bills, Jones hit Josh Allen just as he was looking to give the Bills a late lead. In the Super Bowl, Jones hit Brock Purdy in overtime to prevent a probable touchdown that would have given the San Francisco 49ers a potential seven-point lead, rather than just 22-19.
There is a saying that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. That is 100% the case for both sides.
Jones is arguably the most dominant defensive player in the NFL, and you just can’t replace that type of player. He has a defensive line coach in Joe Cullen, who Jones has said is the best defensive line coach in the league.
Pairing those two with Steve Spagnuolo, who is as good of a defensive coordinator, is just the perfect match. Both sides will realize that, and Jones will continue to anchor the Chiefs’ defense.
L’Jarius Sneed Gets a Big Payday Elsewhere
L’Jarius Sneed put together a special season this year. His play against the Baltimore Ravens, where he stripped the ball from Zay Flowers at the goal line, was one of the biggest plays this season.
Sneed was drafted in the fourth round (138th pick) in the 2020 draft after playing his college career at Louisiana Tech.
Not only was he one of the best corners, Sneed was arguably the best value player when it came to the entire league. There’s no denying that he has earned a new contract, but it’s hard to see Kansas City being able to give Sneed what he is truly worth.
Sneed will be in high demand in free agency, with the Philadelphia Eagles being one team linked to the star cornerback so far.
Chiefs Add a Pass Catcher in Darnell Mooney
Every NFL fan can tell you that the Chiefs’ wide receivers largely struggled for the duration of the 2023 regular season. While Rashee Rice had 938 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie, the rest of the receiving corps had its struggles, with young players such as Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore, in particular, having disappointing seasons.
After leading the NFL in drops during the regular season, Kansas City will have to make an upgrade at WR if they want to return to the Super Bowl. One player who stands out as a strong fit is Chicago Bears free agent Darnell Mooney.
Mooney was a fifth-round draft pick by the Bears in the 2020 NFL Draft, back when Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy was the head coach in Chicago.
KEEP READING: 2024 NFL Free Agents by Position
Over the last two seasons, Mooney’s production has been tied to a Bears passing offense that has been one of the worst in the NFL, but the young WR has shown flashes throughout his career, including a 2021 campaign with 81 receptions for 1,055 yards.
A buy-low opportunity on a young and talented receiver like Mooney, who has familiarity with Nagy, makes perfect sense for Kansas City.
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