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[Kansas City Chiefs]

In this week’s ‘Reacts’ poll, Chiefs’ fans think Alex Smith should return

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Sign up here to join SB Nation NFL Reacts.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged-in Kansas City Chiefs fans. You can see all of the recent survey results here.

And be sure to check out FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

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Chiefs players who should be coaches​

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By a narrow margin, Chiefs fans would most like to have former quarterback Alex Smth become an assistant coach for the team. Tamba Hali, of course, already serves as an unofficial coach, training defensive linemen like George Karlaftis and Felix Anudike-Uzomah in martial arts.

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2025’s most important position group​

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It’s not exactly a surprise, but a huge majority of Kansas City fans think that getting the offensive line right will matter the most this season.

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The best of the north, south, east and west​

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NFL fans from around the country were asked to compare AFC and NFC divisions in different parts of the country. The divisions with the two teams who played in Super Bowl LIX were picked by the widest margins.

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Click here to see other recent survey results.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2025/6/21/24452920/chiefs-fan-poll-alex-smith-should-return

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Can you guess this Chiefs lineman in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Chiefs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Arrowhead Pride in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Arrowhead Pride in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Saturday, June 21, 2025
Friday, June 20, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Arrowhead Pride in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the correct Chiefs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2025/6/22/24453590/sb-nation-chiefs-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

The latest predictions for the Bills and Broncos are properly labeled: ‘Bold’

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Kansas City’s rivals will be well-motivated in 2025 — but at least for now, they won’t have the edge.

In Monday morning’s Arrowheadlines, we noted NFL.com columnist Jeffri Chadiha’s recent list of 10 bold predictions for 2025. Specifically, we noted his belief that the Denver Broncos would knock off the Kansas City Chiefs as AFC West champions this season.

But that wasn’t the only statement on Chadiha’s list we’d like to address.

1. The Bills will win the Super Bowl.

This is bold simply because the Bills have dealt with so much heartache over the last five seasons. They’ve lost four playoff games to the Chiefs (including two AFC title bouts) and suffered another home defeat to the Bengals in the 2022 Divisional Round. This team has too much talent and smart coaching to continually miss out on opportunities to get over the hump, which is why this prediction makes so much sense today. Quarterback Josh Allen is coming off his first MVP season. The defense added some nice pieces in the 2025 NFL Draft, including speedy cornerback Maxwell Hairston and edge rusher Landon Jackson. The schedule also looks favorable, with Buffalo playing 10 games against teams that didn’t produce a winning record in 2024. There’s basically never been a better time for the Bills to earn the top seed in the AFC and potentially host a conference championship game. And if they can do that, they should win the whole damn thing.

My take​

In both of these prognostications involving the Chiefs, Chadiha is depending on the usual flawed logic: “It could have happened before, but it didn’t. So it must be happening now.” This is the same reasoning that roulette players use when they bet on 17 because the marble hasn’t fallen in 17 all evening. It doesn’t work any better for them than it’s likely to work for Chadiha.

That’s not to say that the Bills can’t win the next Super Bowl — or that the Broncos can’t win this season’s AFC West title. Both of those things are indeed possible. But they’re not more likely because Buffalo has lost four playoff games to Kansas City — or because Denver lost 2024’s Week 10 game to the Chiefs on a blocked field goal.

We know this because that’s how probability works. Every random event is entirely independent of every other random event. Just because a coin toss has come up heads 10 times in a row doesn’t mean it is more likely to come up heads on the next flip. The probability it will happen is exactly the same: 50%.

And besides... these aren’t random events. These are games between professional football teams. Sometimes we see that one team can get another team’s number — and sometimes, it’s only in the playoffs. Between 2013 and 2018, Kansas City went 2-1 against the New England Patriots. But you probably remember that in that same period, the Chiefs went 0-2 against the Patriots in the postseason.

So it is with Buffalo. In the last four years, it has defeated Kansas City in four straight regular-season games — and in the previous five, it has lost four straight playoff games to the Chiefs.

Let’s not kid ourselves. In every game Kansas City plays against the Bills or Broncos in 2025, both opponents will be putting everything on the line. Both teams will have solid chances to defeat a squad that’s been to three consecutive Super Bowls.

But until they claim those wins in postseason matchups, the Chiefs will still have the advantage. That’s why — at least for now — Chadiha’s predictions must be labeled as “bold.”

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2025...lls-broncos-predictions-properly-labeled-bold

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

PFF ranked returning NFL head coaches; where did Andy Reid land?

The Republic-Imagn Images

Pro Football Focus continued its grand preview of the 2025 NFL season by ranking coaches on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Pro Football Focus rolled out its ranking of the top 10 returning NFL head coaches for the 2025 season. For context, there are 25 returning head coaches in 2025, including Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs.

According to author Dalton Wasserman, Reid tops his list of 10:

1. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs

Like Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots teams before them, the Kansas City Chiefs are the masters of situational football. The Chiefs played in 12 one-score games last season, including the playoffs, and won all of them. They found a way to reach the Super Bowl for the third straight season because Andy Reid has his entire team prepared for any situation.

The Chiefs ranked 17th in PFF offensive grade during the first three quarters of games but slotted into fourth in that same category in the fourth quarter and overtime. They simply find ways to step up their game despite their flaws, injuries and lack of explosiveness. That’s a testament to Reid’s levelheaded approach to the game and wealth of experience.

My take​

With Belichick out of the league, Reid deserves his flowers as the top returning head coach. Regardless of how Super Bowl LIX played out, Reid has pushed the Chiefs to the playoffs in all but one season (2014) since he arrived in Kansas City in 2013. He has also guided the club to seven straight AFC Championship games, five Super Bowl appearances and three championships.

Before I proceed with some quick thoughts on the rest of the list, I would like to address my concern regarding the Associated Press (AP) NFL Coach of the Year award.

We don’t have to do a year-by-year breakdown of Reid’s 26 seasons as a head coach to know that he should have more than one such trophy (2002). As it stands, the “Coach of the Year” ought to be called “Breakout Coach of the Year” or “Newcomer of the Year.” A solution could reflect just that — award your newer coach of a surprise playoff team with a “Breakout” award, and give the actual best coach the “Best Coach” award.

By now, you know that I prefer years of consistency against whoever was sexy last year. For me, that would be Mike Tomlin (listed No. 5), John Harbaugh (listed No. 4) and Kyle Shanahan (listed No. 7) from rankings No. 2 to No. 4. Nick Sirianni (listed No. 8) would round out my top five.

I encourage you to explore the full article before weighing in with your comment below.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2025...y-reid-new-ranking-2025-returning-nfl-coaches

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Where do Chiefs stand in PFF’s 2025 linebacker, defensive line rankings?

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

Kansas City’s linebacker corps is among the league’s best, but the defensive line needs to step forward this season.

On Wednesday, the football analytics site Pro Football Focus published their 2025 rankings for two defensive position groups. First, Dalton Wasserman considered the linebacker corps of every NFL team, ranking the Kansas City Chiefs fourth behind the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions and New England Patriots.

4. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs have several trustworthy players for different linebacker roles. Nick Bolton is the leader of the defense, though his PFF grades have declined since his first two excellent seasons. Leo Chenal ranks second in the NFL over the past two seasons with a 91.8 PFF run-defense grade. Drue Tranquill is a consistent performer who has recorded a 68.8 PFF overall grade across his two years in Kansas City. Special teams ace Jack Cochrane and fifth-round rookie Jeffrey Bassa provide additional depth.

Then Zoltán Buday ranked the defensive lines, putting Kansas City in the middle of the pack. (The Pittsburgh Steelers, Eagles and New York Giants topped this list).

15. Kansas City Chiefs

Chris Jones is arguably the NFL’s premier interior defender, furthering a prolific career by earning a position-leading 90.2 PFF overall grade last season. But despite Kansas City’s continuous investments in the defensive line, there is not much talent around him.

While former first-round pick George Karlaftis earned a career-high 69.8 PFF overall grade in 2024, it ranked only 38th among edge defenders. On the other hand, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who was also a first-round pick, barely got any playing time last season and ranked 70th among edge defenders in PFF overall grade.

My take​

Wasserman is right that Kansas City’s MIKE linebacker doesn’t have superb PFF grades. But he rightly refers to him as the “leader of the defense.” It is Bolton’s ability to be coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s on-field leader that makes him worth the three-year, $45 million contract to which the team signed him in March. Chenal — now entering his fourth NFL season — has steadily improved his play as his defensive use has increased, although he remains a key special-teams player. A year ago, Tranquill signed a three-year deal worth $19 million that recognized his versatile play for the Chiefs after inexplicably being released by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023. And there’s reason to expect that Bassa — a jack-of-all-trades for the Oregon Ducks — will help maintain the second level of the defense in the years to come.

If you’ve read Nate Christensen’s excellent analysis published in these pages on Wednesday, you shouldn’t be surprised by Buday’s ranking of the Kansas City defensive line. Jones continues to be the unit’s most consistent performer. In the coming season, he’ll need more help to keep the Chiefs’ defense operating at a high level. That should come from Karlaftis — who might yet end up on a contract year this season — and Charles Omenihu, who hopes to finally get a full season under his belt with Kansas City. Anudike-Uzomah will be facing a do-or-die season, while Danna will also need to step up after a mediocre 2024 campaign. The good news is that with cornerback Kristian Fulton now in the secondary, Spagnuolo may be able to run enough man coverage to give the defensive line enough time to get home — just as it did in 2023.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2025...25-linebacker-defensive-line-rankings-are-out

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Trey Smith joins Travis, Jason Kelce on the ‘New Heights’ podcast

Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

Smith discussed a lot of things, but did not address his pending contract negations with Kansas City.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce and his older brother — former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce — host a weekly podcast called “New Heights.” The title is an homage to the Cleveland Heights neighborhood in which they grew up.

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In this episode: Chiefs starting right guard Trey Smith joins the brothers to discuss his journey to the NFL, what it’s like to play with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the outlook of rookie starting left tackle Josh Simmons. Predictably, Travis and Jason refrained from asking Smith about his ongoing contract negotiations during the interview.

“New Heights” with Jason & Travis Kelce | Presented by Wondery | You can also listen to the show on Spotify.

Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from the episode:

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1. Rookie left tackle Josh Simmons​

If you’re a Chiefs fan, you’ve probably been waiting with bated breath to see rookie first-round draft pick Josh Simmons in action.

Well, if Travis Kelce’s early reaction is any indication, the Chiefs may have landed the steal of the draft.

During the podcast, Travis recounted going up against Simmons during practice when the rookie was filling in on the scout team.

“He was being a scout team defensive end,” said a wide-eyed Travis, “and I felt that man’s hands grab me, and I was like, all right, all right...”

Smith confirmed the assessment, noting that while he hadn’t met Simmons yet, he’d already heard about his strength.

“I just heard that he is so strong — like unbelievably strong. Obviously the talent is there. I think he’s going to be a great asset to the team.”

But it was Jason who delivered the biggest compliment — and the most reason for optimism — when he said after watching Simmons’ tape:

“He’s the closest thing I’ve seen to a Trent Williams... that next-level strength and athleticism.”

If that’s true, Kansas City might be about to unleash something unstoppable.

2. Blood clots in college​

Smith also opened up about a terrifying health ordeal during his time at Tennessee. In his sophomore year, he developed blood clots in his lungs — a condition that sidelined him for the season.

Although the team doctors initially thought they’d resolved it, symptoms returned in his junior year. That’s when Smith was sent to the Cleveland Clinic, where specialists discovered scar tissue in his lungs.

“I ended up going to a blood clotting specialist in North Carolina,” Smith said. “He created a health plan that had never been done in the sport of football before.”

The plan involved taking blood thinners daily, but stopping the medication on Friday mornings so he could safely play on Saturdays.

“That means no practice, no contact, no training camp. I would literally just be vibing out doing cardio and watching film.”

Smith is no longer on that regimen, but credits it with saving his career

3. Watching KC win Super Bowl LIV​

Smith shared a surreal story when asked about his first impressions of the Chiefs.

Thanks to former Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt, he watched Kansas City win its first Super Bowl in 50 years — live from Miami.

“Through the University of Tennessee, they sent me down there to work the event, ushering people around,” Smith explained. “Colquitt and his buddies found me and were like ‘Nah, you’re coming with us.’ So I watched the game with them.”

Fast forward a couple of years, and things came full circle for Smith as he was the one on the field helping Kansas City hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

4. Playing with Patrick Mahomes​

There’s always a “Welcome to the NFL” moment for every rookie. For Smith, the toughest adjustment wasn’t the speed or the size. It was learning how to block for Patrick Mahomes when he starts extending the play.

“It was a tough transition out of college,” he said. “I wasn’t used to someone extending the plays like that. I struggled so much with just sustaining the block. (Offensive line) coach [Andy] Heck used to get on me every day about not letting the egg timer in your head go off.”

Clearly, Smith figured it out, so he’s now poised for a massive payday once he and the Chiefs reach a new contract agreement.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2025...ews-trey-smith-travis-jason-kelce-new-heights

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Can you guess this Chiefs running back in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Chiefs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Arrowhead Pride in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Arrowhead Pride in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Friday, June 27, 2025
Thursday, June 26, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Arrowhead Pride in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the correct Chiefs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2025/6/28/24457728/sb-nation-chiefs-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Can you guess this Chiefs DB in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Chiefs player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

We’re back for another day of the Arrowhead Pride in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Arrowhead Pride in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Saturday, June 28, 2025
Friday, June 27, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Arrowhead Pride in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the correct Chiefs player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2025/6/29/24458244/sb-nation-chiefs-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs still exploring possibility of moving state

Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Chiefs headlines for Saturday, June 28

The latest​

Chiefs seek extension for Kansas stadium financing, raising possibility of move across state line | Associated Press

The Kansas City Chiefs have requested an extension to an end-of-June deadline for a stadium financing package from the state of Kansas, an indication that the NFL franchise’s potential move across the state line from Missouri is a legitimate possibility.Chiefs president Mark Donovan requested the extension Thursday in a letter to Kansas Senate president Ty Masterson, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. Donovan explained that the Chiefs have made “significant progress” on plans for a new stadium development but that more time is needed to “bring the effort to full fruition.”

Big Ben delivers surprising verdict on Patrick Mahomes’ prime years | Arrowhead Addict

There’s no denying the fact that Patrick Mahomes will, at some point, no longer be in his prime years. It happens to every player who continues to play as long as his skill set allows, and the Kansas City Chiefs superstar will fall prey to the same.

Very few understand the nature of the quarterback position and what it would feel like to fade from greatness like former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. And if you ask Big Ben, he’ll tell that Mahomes is already on the way down.

On a recent episode of his podcast, Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, the former Steeler talked at length about veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who recently signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh. When asked about a comparison with Rodgers and Mahomes, Roethlisberger had something interesting to note about Mahomes’ trajectory.

AFC West 2025 preview examining the Chiefs, Broncos, Chargers and Raiders | The Athletic

Chiefs (11.5 wins)

Key question: Was their 2024 success a fluke, or was the Super Bowl the outlier?

Kansas City went 12-0 in one-score games last season, a record that began after an Isaiah Likely toe cost the Ravens a chance at overtime. That run of good fortune continued until the Super Bowl, when their blowout 40-22 loss to the Eagles exposed this offensive line (six sacks allowed despite zero blitzes) and might have shared the blueprint for stopping Kansas City.

Position to watch: Left tackle.

2024 second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia, last year’s expected starter, was awful (his PFF grade ranked 136th of 140 tackles), forcing Kansas City to eventually move former G Joe Thuney there. That weakened the interior line and run game. An overhaul came this offseason, with former 49ers backup Jaylon Moore signed for two years and Ohio State’s talented (but injured) Josh Simmons drafted in the first round.

10 late-career NFL veterans still playing at a high level | PFF

G Joe Thuney, Chicago Bears

Thuney has been a model of consistency over his career, grading no lower than 74.2 overall since 2017. Although his grade last year (80.0) fell short of his career-best mark (81.2) in 2021, it’s important to point out that he was playing out of position at times. Thuney started at left tackle from Week 15 on through the Super Bowl, with 30.2% of his snaps for the season coming there.

Around the NFL​

49ers’ Deommodore Lenoir arrested in L.A. on obstruction charge | ESPN

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir was arrested in Los Angeles on Thursday night on a charge of obstruction of justice, police said.

Lenoir, a 25-year-old Los Angeles native, was released from jail early Friday morning and is scheduled to appear in court next month, according to jail records.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers had approached a group that included Lenoir and observed a gun inside a parked vehicle. When police asked for the keys, another man tossed them to Lenoir. Lenoir then threw the keys to a third man who tried to hide them, according to multiple reports.

“We are aware of the matter involving Deommodore Lenoir and are in the process of gathering further information,” the team said in a statement.

NFL summer trade proposals: Alvin Kamara to the Broncos and other big-name deals for 2025 | CBS Sports

Alvin Kamara to the Broncos

Why it makes sense: Kamara may be a Saints mainstay, but he’s approaching 30 with an annual injury history, and New Orleans isn’t necessarily geared to compete for meaningful wins in 2025 with a rookie coach and quarterback in Kellen Moore and Tyler Shough, respectively. The Broncos, meanwhile, could still use additional big-play weapons for Bo Nix. And their coach, Sean Payton, was responsible for drafting and unleashing Kamara during his time with the Saints. So what if Denver signed J.K. Dobbins and drafted RJ Harvey? Payton wants depth to win on the ground, and besides, Kamara’s best attribute is collecting passes out of the backfield; he could be Nix’s top safety valve.

Baker Mayfield for MVP? Josh Jacobs for OPOY? Long-shot picks for major NFL awards in 2025 | NFL.com

Coach of the Year

Sean McVay

Los Angeles Rams · HC

Current odds to win COY: +1800

It’s time for the football world to once again acknowledge the offensive wizard as one of the best team-builders in the game. After the Rams overcame slow starts in each of the past two seasons to earn playoff berths, perhaps McVay will walk away with honors for his work with a team that could steamroll through the division from the jump this time around. As free-agent signee Davante Adams and Puka Nacua team with Matthew Stafford to spark a high-flying offense, the coach’s superb management skills should shine as he chalks up wins utilizing a complementary approach that binds the spectacular offense with a gritty defense and special-teams unit to outduel opponents.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride​

Chiefs News: Trey Smith joins Travis Kelce on New Heights Podcast

1. Rookie left tackle Josh Simmons

If you’re a Chiefs fan, you’ve probably been waiting with bated breath to see rookie first-round draft pick Josh Simmons in action.

Well, if Travis Kelce’s early reaction is any indication, the Chiefs may have landed the steal of the draft.

During the podcast, Travis recounted going up against Simmons during practice when the rookie was filling in on the scout team.

“He was being a scout team defensive end,” said a wide-eyed Travis, “and I felt that man’s hands grab me, and I was like, all right, all right...”

Smith confirmed the assessment, noting that while he hadn’t met Simmons yet, he’d already heard about his strength.

“I just heard that he is so strong — like unbelievably strong. Obviously the talent is there. I think he’s going to be a great asset to the team.”

But it was Jason who delivered the biggest compliment — and the most reason for optimism — when he said after watching Simmons’ tape:

“He’s the closest thing I’ve seen to a Trent Williams... that next-level strength and athleticism.”

If that’s true, Kansas City might be about to unleash something unstoppable.

Social media to make you think​

This is pretty sweet. There’s a secret underground tunnel that connects Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums.

It’s called the “commissary” and splits into a right turn for the Royals, or a left for the Chiefs. If you miss the directional signage, you could always follow the blue or… pic.twitter.com/gyOUVmOqOq

— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) June 26, 2025​

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Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2025...s-still-exploring-possibility-of-moving-state

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

Trey Smith contract projection: Chiefs will likely reset the NFL’s guard market

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The top of the NFL’s guard market is going to shift when Trey Smith signs his new deal

Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith became the NFL’s highest-paid guard in unorthodox fashion this offseason when he received the franchise tag, earning him a one-year, $23.4 million deal.

The tag is expected to be a placeholder for Smith, who has until July 15th to reach a long-term extension with the Chiefs. That timeline is coming sooner and sooner, but many still expect an extension to get done.

Kansas City essentially elected to commit to the Pro Bowl guard this offseason, trading veteran Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears as they faced a cap crunch. And an extension makes sense for both sides, as the Chiefs would likely lower Smith’s cap hit drastically from the $23.4 million figure it currently stands at.

Now, a new deal for the guard isn’t expected to be cheap, especially after the franchise tag was placed by the Chiefs.

So, what could an extension look like for Smith?

Baseline numbers for a Trey Smith Chiefs’ contract​

Smith is expected to come near or at the top of the guard market on his next contract, which the Chiefs made apparent by feeling comfortable enough to tag him with the $23.4 million salary for 2025.

Currently, the top salary for guards is held by Landon Dickerson, who signed a four-year, $84 million deal last offseason. The top overall compensation is Chris Lindstrom’s five-year, $102 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons, while the top guaranteed money figure is $60 million on Quenton Nelson’s four-year, $80 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts.

Those are all numbers to keep in mind for Smith, who is only entering his age-26 season.

A four or five-year deal could be the big question here. The Chiefs aren’t strangers to record-breaking contracts, topping the market last offseason with center Creed Humphrey’s four-year, $72 million deal.

While I don’t expect Smith to earn a long-term salary that matches his current franchise tag figure, he could very well top the numbers above on a record-setting deal.

Projecting a new Trey Smith’s Cheifs deal​

A four-year contract makes sense for Smith, given that he’ll likely want a chance to test the market once again in his prime.

Given his leverage, he should top Landon Dickerson’s $21 million-per-year salary. The question comes down to the guarantees. Quenton Nelson currently has the top mark at $60 million in total guarantees, and I think Smith will ultimately beat that.

The Chiefs haven’t shied away from handing guaranteed money to their top players, especially along the offensive line. They gave Humphrey nearly 70 percent of his total compensation guaranteed. $60 million (75 percent) of Jawaan Taylor’s four-year, $80 million deal was guaranteed.

So, I think that barrier will also be broken by Smith in a precedent-setting deal over the next two weeks. The guard should get his first two years, plus a signing bonus handed at signing, but it seems both sides want to be in Kansas City for the long haul, and this projection represents that.

Projection: 4 years, $86 million, $60.25 million guaranteed

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2025...hiefs-will-likely-reset-the-nfls-guard-market

 

[Kansas City Chiefs]

4 Chiefs roster decisions that could come down to finances

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Kansas City’s salary cap is in solid shape, but money can still factor heavily into roster cuts.

Three weeks before the start of training camp on July 21, the Kansas City Chiefs appear to be in great financial shape for the 2025 season. We currently estimate the team to be $11.5 million under the limit — a stark contrast to recent offseasons of operating with minimal breathing room.

That cushion also stands to grow should the Chiefs agree to an extension with franchise-tagged guard Trey Smith ahead of the July 15 deadline. Doing so would likely substantially reduce Smith’s current $23.4 million cap number.

While Kansas City could comfortably go into the season from a cap perspective, dollars and cents will likely play into some of the general manager Brett Veach’s final roster decisions. Fans and media focus heavily on the salary cap, but team decision-makers must also factor in the overall team budget.

Here are four pending decisions that may not have substantial salary cap impact but might be of bigger concern before Week 1 to those actually writing game checks.

Rounding out the cornerback room​

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The Chiefs rebuilt their secondary in 2022 with half of the team’s 10 draft selections devoted to defensive backs. As four members of the quintet enter the final season of their rookie contracts, their snaps are becoming more expensive.

Looking at the Chiefs roster, cornerback Joshua Williams’ scheduled (non-guaranteed) $3.4 million salary stands out as disproportionate to his role. Earlier in the offseason, we looked at a mandatory raise Williams earned due to high defensive snap counts in 2022 and 2024, while the Chiefs managed injuries to Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, respectively. Upon Watson returning for the playoffs in January, Williams did not see a postseason defensive snap.

The offseason has made his hold on his roster spot somewhat precarious after the Chiefs traded up to the 85th selection in April’s draft to select former California cornerback Nohl Williams. Also, when fellow 2022 cornerback draftee Nazeeh Johnson agreed to a reduced contract with Kansas City in March, the team guaranteed $1.2 million of his earnings. Joshua Williams has no guaranteed salary for 2025.

Williams will certainly have a chance in camp and the preseason to make his case to stay with the Chiefs, but he should currently be seen as a strong candidate to be traded or cut after the preseason. Absent a transaction note of a reduced salary, the math is unlikely to be on his side.

Another 2022 draft pick​

Veach’s selection of wideout Skyy Moore with the 54th selection of the 2022 NFL Draft has not panned out. While Moore’s $1.5 million salary for the final season of his rookie deal is hardly significant, nine currently rostered wide receivers have cheaper 2025 salaries.

Like Williams, none of Moore’s 2025 base salary is guaranteed (he would leave behind about $543,000 in dead money from a signing bonus proration and a likely earned 2025 workout bonus). Moore also faces direct competition for this year’s roster from a 2025 draft selection in wideout Jalen Royals.

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In a deep receiving room, it is hard to see how Moore will differentiate himself from the field. He has never developed a role on special teams, with only 55 career snaps on the third unit over three seasons. His lack of size limits his blocking upside, making him ill-suited for most three and four-wide receiver packages.

Moore will face heavy competition in St. Joseph from cheaper players more experienced with the dirty-work responsibilities of a reserve wideout.

Could an offseason favorite face ‘CJ Spiller treatment?’​

By most accounts, veteran tight end Robert Tonyan — who signed to Kansas City’s practice squad in December — stood out at organized team activities (OTAs) and the Chiefs’ mandatory minicamp last month.

With franchise legend Travis Kelce possibly in line for a reduced role at age 35 and 2024 draft pick Jared Wiley still recovering from a torn ACL, Tonyan would appear a strong fit in the Chiefs’ tight ends room.

Ironically, Tonyan’s veteran status could prove an obstacle to the active roster. Players with four or more accredited seasons see their entire base salary become guaranteed if on a 53-man roster (or certain reserve lists) for their team’s Week 1 contest.

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The Chiefs have proven themselves very hesitant to lock in even marginal salaries — such as Tonyan’s $1.3 million for 2025 — to back-of-the-roster talent. The most notable case was running back CJ Spiller being released immediately before the 2017 season opener, only to re-sign with the club for Week 2.

Assuming Kansas City’s initial third tight end will eventually be replaced by a returning Wiley, it would not be surprising to see Tonyan on and off the active roster multiple times in 2025.

Which minimal-cost punter will stick?​

Most observers expected the Chiefs’ punter battle between incumbent Matt Araiza and undrafted rookie Eddie Czaplicki to be settled at minicamp.

While Araiza had already won the job by last July, it appears this year’s competition will continue through at least the first part of training camp.

Although finance is unlikely to influence the decision, Czaplicki would be owed $115,000 less than Araiza. The rookie also has $100,000 of his 2025 compensation guaranteed, potentially effectively making Araiza over $200,000 more expensive.

Araiza finally signed his exclusive rights tender — worth $960,000 — at the end of minicamp. None of that amount, however, is guaranteed. Do not be surprised if the Chiefs go with the slightly cheaper option who does have an actual guaranteed salary.

Source: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2025...er-decisions-that-could-come-down-to-finances