Have the Chiefs Backed Themselves Into a Corner This Year?

A popular phrase in Kansas City Chiefs circles since February has been "two-year rebuild." It's something that's made local media rounds, which trickled down to the fan base as a potential reality for 2026 and 2027.

If that's the case, does that mean the team can't contend this coming campaign? Of course not. The 2022 season, for example, was supposed to be a reset year for a club that wound up winning its first of back-to-back Super Bowls. With that said, embracing a retooling on one side of the ball while relying on one marquee move on the other end is walking a tightrope.

How effective could that strategy be? Does general manager Brett Veach need to throw caution to the wind and make a splash move? Tucker Franklin and Matt Verderame discussed all of that and more on the latest episode of the That Football Show podcast on KC Sports Network.

Should Brett Veach pull the lever and trade for A.J. Brown?

If things pan out with the trio of Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton, the Chiefs will be just fine at wide receiver. The issue is Rice isn't durable or reliable, Worthy can't be counted on and the jury should still be out on Thornton. Failing to secure a more profound solution at the receiver position could come back to bite the Chiefs.

That was the case before Rice violated his probation and wound up in jail. It was also before it was revealed that he underwent knee surgery prior to said violation. The downsides of Veach's risks are already beginning to manifest in real time.

There are ways to help shore things up in the interim, whether it be signing a free agent like Stefon Diggs or ponying up NFL Draft capital for another star via trade. The team has already passed on disgruntled Philadelphia Eagles standout A.J. Brown, but the Franklin-Verderame duo wonders whether it's time to reconsider.

Kansas City's defense could define the club's short-term ceiling

The prized pickup of the Chiefs' offseason is running back Kenneth Walker. Make no mistake: Walker will help transform the rushing attack, even if some others can help maximize his skill set. With a lack of activity at other skill positions, though, the focus truly comes into play on defense.

Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's secondary will look vastly different from 2025's group, as two starting cornerbacks and a safety left town. In is a first-round NFL Draft selection in Mansoor Delane, as well as a Day 3 slot option in Jadon Canady.

Veach invested up front, too, with the acquisitions of tackle Peter Woods and defensive end R Mason Thomas. It's clear that if the two-year rebuild buzz is real, this was the year for defense. Kansas City is getting younger, more athletic and more versatile on that side.

How quickly things jell — and if they do — could determine the immediate team ceiling.

Has a dynamic AFC leveled the playing field?

Earlier this month, we weighed in on whether the gap between the Chiefs and everyone else in the AFC West had closed. While it's impossible to discredit the Denver Broncos for a division-winning 2025 season, K.C.'s extended run of dominance can't be discounted based on one down year.

It's expected that the Chiefs will once again compete for a West title this coming season. Denver and the Los Angeles Chargers figure to be in the mix as well, however, making the playing field as level as it's been in some time.

Elsewhere, AFC teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots are trying to prove that they can stay in the mix as potential conference representatives for the Super Bowl. Surprise 2025-26 franchises such as the Jacksonville Jaguars are attempting to show their recent success wasn't a fluke.

At the end of the day, whatever "gap" there is might have more to say about the Chiefs either recovering or continuing to stumble than anything else. An organization can lose the crown just as easily as another steals it from them.

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