3 Available Free Agents Who Could Start for Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Every team has holes after Week 1 of free agency. Thanks to the Chiefs, even the Super Bowl champion Seahawks have a monstrous void in their offensive backfield.

And while the Chiefs are set with Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker at running back, they’re still looking at concerning holes in the wide-receiver room and their defensive secondary. Now, they need to weigh the risks of whether desired players will fall to them in the draft, whether they need to revisit available free agents, or both.

mcduffie alle — Oct 22, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

“The Chiefs sense the urgency with this draft,” insider Jeremy Fowler said on Monday’s edition of Get Up. “They know that they can reset their entire team coming off a down year. They weren't huge players in free agency because they wanted to acquire more picks.

“With the Trent McDuffie trade, they’ve got two first-round picks. They could package those to even move back. It's not considered an overly deep draft at the top. They're going to try to rebuild that defense, especially the secondary. They've lost a lot of pieces on that back end, so expect them to get some cornerback help. They know they're good at drafting corners. They also need some help on that defensive line to help Chris Jones.”

thornto — Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (80) warms up before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Secondary and defensive line are the obvious needs, but wide receiver was Kansas City’s most important area needing improvement entering the offseason. And so far, the only move the Chiefs have made to address that void is re-signing Tyquan Thornton.

Here are three available free agents a week into the league year, plug-and-play veterans who could start for Kansas City this week.

Keenan Allen, WR

Twelve catches, 104 yards and a touchdown. That was the damage the veteran wideout inflicted on the Chiefs alone in two games last year – both narrow Chargers wins. Adding Allen would at minimum take away his ability to move chains on the Chiefs again this year. But his upside is providing a savvy target for Mahomes, especially in the red zone.

Mike Evans would’ve made a great addition to Kansas City, which is parched for veteran leadership at the wide-receiver position without free agent JuJu Smith-Schuster. Allen, who turns 34 next month, is a close second. Selected 13 picks after Travis Kelce in the third round of the 2013 draft, Allen and Kelce could be the complementary combination the Chiefs need to erase the tight margins that didn’t go their way in close games last year.

Rasul Douglas, CB

Kristian Fulton didn’t appear to escape Steve Spagnuolo’s doghouse until late in the season. So, Fulton, Allen’s former teammate in Los Angeles, could certainly use competition for the Chiefs’ starting cornerback role. Douglas has 21 career interceptions – three of which he’s returned for touchdowns. He’s seen everything in the league, including 11 playoff games. He’s played for four teams, including the Eagles, who drafted him in 2017 and won the Super Bowl that year. Douglas on a one-year deal could really help the Chiefs’ secondary.

A.J. Epenesa, DE

Douglas’ former teammate in Buffalo, Epenesa is a 27-year old tactician on the defensive line. He’d fit well into Spagnuolo’s rotation, whether on early downs or passing situations. He has 24 career sacks in 91 NFL games since entering the league in 2020. And, as the Chiefs know, he has plenty of postseason experience and would fit well into their culture. He’d also fill an underrated void after Kansas City lost Charles Omenihu to Washington as a free agent last week.