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Baltimore Ravens Named Biggest Threat to Kansas Chiefs’ AFC Crown | SI
As such, the question everyone has been asking is who will, or even who can, knock the Chiefs off their throne.
The crew of NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” debated that topic once again recently, with two analysts landing on the Baltimore Ravens. Isaiah Stanback chose them because he believes Lamar Jackson, who has faced no shortage of criticism for his performance in the playoffs, will eventually put it all together at the right time.
“Whenever that switch does come on, it’s going to be a complete problem,” Stanback said. “We haven’t seen the best version of Lamar Jackson when the playoffs show up, but yet they’re still really competitive and they still get just right there. When his game comes over that hump, he’s going to be absolutely unstoppable.”
Biggest remaining need for all 32 NFL teams | PFF
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE
The Chiefs lost Tershawn Wharton in free agency, and now their interior defensive line looks thin. Aside from the elite Chris Jones, they have Mike Pennel, but he is almost 35 years old and recorded a 59.4 PFF overall grade with a 63.4 PFF run-defense grade in 2024.
It’s then Jerry Tillery and rookie Omarr Norman-Lott, neither of whom is known for their run defense. Defending the run in the middle could be an issue to monitor for the Chiefs in 2025 if they don’t add more help.
Over 23 years in the NFL, Brady was sacked 565 times in the regular season and 81 times in the playoffs. That combined total of 646 career sacks is the most all-time by a quarterback, so Brady knows a thing or two about getting hit. He also noted the importance of preparing your body to be able to absorb those hits.
“When you’re getting hit, there’s a discipline with your physical body that you need to take into account,” Brady said. “Because if you [expletive] around, you’re gonna get hurt. … You don’t mess around with your training, because you will pay the price when you got Aaron Donald chasing you.”
While Lewis, Watt, Ngata and Donald all certainly strike fear into any opposing quarterback, it was somewhat surprising that Brady didn’t mention another former Raven, safety Bernard Pollard, who famously hit him low in Week 1 of the 2008 season as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, tearing Brady’s ACL.
One last offseason move for every AFC team | PFF
Kansas City Chiefs: Add more juice at edge defender
The Chiefs have been content to stay the course regarding their pass rush, but finding an upgrade on the edge would be a prudent move. Mike Danna isn’t cutting it, having posted sub-60.0 PFF pass-rush grades in four of his five seasons as a pro.
Inserting a proven veteran option on the edge, such as Za’Darius Smith, would boost the unit. Across his past three seasons, Smith has generated a 90.1 PFF pass-rush grade, placing him in the 93rd percentile.
2025 NFL Season: Ranking Every AFC West Roster | SI
1. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs have won the AFC West nine times in a row, and have enjoyed three consecutive AFC titles along with two Super Bowl trophies in that span. While they lost a few pieces this offseason, nothing happened to move them out of the penthouse in this division.
Kansas City watched as safety Justin Reid and defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton left in free agency. They also traded All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears. However, general manager Brett Veach made additions beyond the draft class, signing left tackle Jaylon Moore, safety Mike Edwards, cornerback Kristian Fulton and others, along with re-signing middle linebacker Nick Bolton, defensive end Charles Omenihu and receiver Marquise Brown.
The Chiefs have questions to answer on the left side of the offensive line with Moore and second-year man Kingsley Suamataia (along with first-round pick Josh Simmons potentially stepping in when healthy), but the rest of the roster is loaded up for another championship run.
Around the NFL
Saquon Barkley on tush push: “If you don’t like it, get better at stopping it” | NBC Sports
Barkley, the Eagles running back whose job is to push quarterback Jalen Hurts forward on the tush push, dismisses attempts to ban the play as sour grapes from teams that haven’t been able to stop it.
“If you don’t like it, get better at stopping it,” Barkley told ESPN. “It’s not like a play that we only do. Everyone tries it, we’re just super successful at it.”
Barkley is right about that: The Eagles have elevated the play to an art form, while many other NFL teams have tried and failed to gain a yard by plunging their quarterback into the line while the running back pushes him from behind. It’s a play the Eagles do with devastating efficiency, and the rest of the league struggles to emulate.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs Roster: Picking a 2025 NFL ‘breakout’ candidate for Kansas City
My take
Although Hicks wouldn’t have been my choice, I understand the selection. Kansas City’s safety train — from Tyrann Mathieu to Juan Thornhill to Justin Reid, and most recently Bryan Cook — keeps rolling along. Now, it is up to Hicks to prove he can make an impact as a starter. On Hicks, one stat stands out among the rest: despite playing only a third of the defensive snaps logged by the top safeties, he led the team with three interceptions as a rookie. What does that number look like with starter snaps?
But my pick is wide receiver Xavier Worthy.
There was an NFL Scouting Combine nugget that may have slipped under the radar: head coach Andy Reid complimenting Worthy as an all-around receiver — and specifically how he showed that through the final stretch of the regular season.
Worthy completed his rookie season with 59 catches for 638 yards and six touchdowns, adding another 19 receptions for 287 yards and three touchdowns in the playoffs. Toward the end of last year, he often referenced the Week 11 matchup against the Buffalo Bills as when things really began clicking for him.
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