1. Left tackle Josh Simmons<\/p>\n
This was the easiet choice on the list. During the offseason, most of the attention focused on the Chiefs was about whether Simmons would play \u2014 and what he would look like if he did. So far, he\u2019s passed every test. He looks healthy, explosive and ready to go. Now we need to find out just how good he\u2019s already become. His preseason film has looked fantastic, but it\u2019ll obviously be much more challenging when the season starts. Is he already an elite tackle, or will he have some rookie struggles? Watching where he lands on that scale will be interesting.<\/p>\n
2. Wide receiver Rashee Rice<\/p>\n
Even without his six-game suspension to begin the season, there are a lot of angles about Rice that will make him intriguing in 2025. Coming off his injury, what kind of player will he be? After all, we don\u2019t even know the level from which he is starting. Rice\u2019s stats to begin 2024 were definitely on an All-Pro trajectory, but it was also just a three-game sample. Is that the caliber of player he will be over a longer stretch? There\u2019s little doubt that Rice\u2019s return will be helpful to the offense, but it\u2019ll be interesting to see whether he\u2019s truly an elite player.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s possible that safety Justin Reid\u2019s importance to the Kansas City defense wasn\u2019t fully understood. He wasn\u2019t a superstar, but he did fill a valuable role in coordinator Steve Spagnuolo\u2019s scheme. One of the league\u2019s better tacklers, he was very good in run support \u2014 and could help defend tight ends in man coverage. He was a great blitzer, too. Reid could do many things in a defense that requires versatility from its safeties.<\/p>\n
After his departure, the Chiefs don\u2019t have a lot of talent at safety. While Bryan Cook and Chamarri Conner are fine, neither are as physically talented as Reid. But before he was drafted in 2024, I comped Hicks to Reid \u2014 and I think he\u2019s the man to take Reid\u2019s place. He has the length and closing speed to be good in run support. To get Hicks to work, I don\u2019t think the team needs to tweak its scheme, but he does have to prove he can fill that valuable safety spot.<\/p>\n
4. Left guard Kingsley Suamataia<\/p>\n
At left guard, Kansas City is replacing one of the NFL\u2019s best from the last decade: Joe Thuney, who was always available and extremely consistent. His absence leaves a big question mark.<\/p>\n
Going into his second season, Suamataia holds the starting job. I don\u2019t feel great about that \u2014 but I do see flashes from him. In the running game, watching him and Josh Simmons move in space can look amazing. But Suamataia has many shaky moments in pass protection. He\u2019s often slow off the ball \u2014 and late to engage (and win) with his hands.<\/p>\n
If the Chiefs are truly committed to him at guard, it feels like it\u2019s going to be a roller coaster ride. In some weeks, he\u2019ll pop. In others, he\u2019ll be a nightmare. Trying to find the equilibrium (and hopefully, some growth) as he gains experience will be fascinating to track. The Chiefs don\u2019t have a lot of depth behind Suamataia. He\u2019d better deliver.<\/p>\n
5. Running back Isiah Pacheco<\/p>\n
During the offseason, Kansas City did very little to address its running back group, which was less than ideal in 2024. While Kareem Hunt was admirable as a short-yardage back behind Pacheco, a lack of big plays in the running game hurt the team\u2019s offensive efficiency. The Chiefs hope that getting Pacheco fully healthy will help fix things. Pacheco has never been my favorite, but he\u2019s clearly the best combination of speed and size Kansas City has at the position. For the Chiefs to have a better running game this season, he needs to have a career year. The good news is that it\u2019s a contract year for Pacheco, so I\u2019m interested to see how he performs.<\/p>\n
6. Defensive end George Karlaftis<\/p>\n
Now that Karlaftis has been paid, we know he\u2019s going to be around. But I\u2019m intrigued to see if he has another leap in him. Is he going to stick as a high-quality starter, or could he be a legitimate No. 2 pass rusher on a great defense? As it stands, Karlaftis is great as the team\u2019s third-best defensive lineman. If he can move up to No. 2, that would be great.<\/p>\n
7. Cornerback Kristian Fulton<\/p>\n
I\u2019m a little worried about the Chiefs\u2019 cornerback depth. If Fulton (or Jaylen Watson) get hurt, Kansas City will have to move Trent McDuffie outside and play rookie Nohl Williams (or Nazeeh Johnson, who is now on Reserve\/Injured) inside. With Fulton\u2019s injury history, I don\u2019t feel great about that. Fulton is a good player when he\u2019s healthy, but the Chiefs need to make sure he can get to the finish line.<\/p>\n
8. Wide receiver Xavier Worthy<\/p>\n
I\u2019m mostly interested to see Worthy\u2019s role in the offense when Rice is available, because we hardly saw what that could look like last year. When Rice returns, do we see Worthy become more of a downfield player, or will the Chiefs prefer to use him the way they did at the end of 2024? Over a larger sample, how the offense orbits around Rice will be interesting.<\/p>\n
9. Defensive end Ashton Gillotte<\/p>\n
With the news that Felix Anudike-Uzomah is out for the season, there is no competition for Gillotte to be the fourth defensive end. He\u2019s going to get snaps at a position where the Chiefs need more help \u2014 both now and in the future. One of the core weaknesses of last year\u2019s team was its lack of a secondary pass rush. Hopefully, Gillotte can help there.<\/p>\n
10. Defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott<\/p>\n
Like with Gillotte, there isn\u2019t a lot of proven depth keeping Norman-Lott from playing time; as a second-round pick, he should get opportunities. I\u2019m just intrigued to see if he can transition his high-impact, low-volume production in Tennessee into the NFL. With the Volunteers, Norman-Lott\u2019s best was very good \u2014 but it came in 10-snap packages. Can he do more? Taking him in the second round was a risk \u2014 but if he ties it together, general manager Brett Veach will look like a genius.<\/p>\n