A shocking end to the 2024 season leads the Kansas City Chiefs into a major offseason. They will need to rebound through the coming weeks after a 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.
Despite the franchise's abundance of success over the last few seasons, they face the prospect of losing a number of key players to free agency. Trey Smith, Nick Bolton, Justin Reid and Hollywood Brown headline that laundry list.
The Chiefs are strapped for cap space, so while they may be able to retain a few of these players, there is an understanding that losses are coming. Rising contenders in the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens make the urgency of responding all the more apparent.
Following that Super Bowl loss, the biggest needs are clear. The Chiefs need to beef up a weakened offensive line and find weapons in the passing game more reliable than what has been a revolving door of average pass catchers.
Most would assume Kansas City utilizes pick No. 31 in the first round to attend to one of those needs. After all, protecting the franchise centerpiece is a constant top priority and this year's draft class projects to be deep at the wide receiver spot.
But what if the Chiefs go an alternate route here? NFL.com's Dan Parr has the Chiefs selecting Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon in the first round. According to Parr, this assumes the Chiefs solve their offensive line needs in free agency, but also plugs an underlying need heading into the offseason.
Star defensive tackle Chris Jones is currently the only defensive tackle under contract heading into next season. Harmon's pedigree of being a forceful power-four star in the college ranks brings some assurance as Kansas City reassesses Steve Spagnuolo's defense.
So here, Jones gets presumably a new partner on the defensive line, a major plus for a group in danger of losing some valuable pieces. However, the Chiefs are going to need it on more than one pick in the draft to secure themselves for next season.
Picking up a player like Harmon and strengthening their defensive front would nonetheless be a good start.
