The Chiefs enter the 2024 season presumptive favorites to win their third consecutive Super Bowl, a historical feat that speaks to the overall quality of Kansas City's roster.
While few teams can match the Chiefs' talent, there are still plenty of players who haven't yet reached their full potential. Kansas City's wide receivers notably struggled last year, leading the league in drops (44) despite another masterful season from Patrick Mahomes.
With the organization trying to make history, expectations are high across the board. Let's take a look at the five Chiefs with the most to prove in the new year.
5 Chiefs With Most to Prove in 2024
1. Skyy Moore - WR
The Chiefs have not gotten an adequate return for their second-round investment in Skyy Moore. After Rashee Rice's breakout campaign in his rookie year, Moore's limited production is even more troublesome.
Through two seasons, Moore has just 494 total receiving yards and one TD. He scored Super Bowl 57 for a nice highlight, though that play was much more about scheme than anything special Moore did. He's only got two years left on his rookie deal, so he's running out of time to earn an extension.
Moore's path to playing time is complicated. He saw his snaps decline even prior to his season-ending injury, and the Chiefs' wide receiver room figures to be much better than it was last year after adding Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy.
Plenty of receivers in league history have taken a few years to adjust to the professional level and produce. Moore could be next in line, and he's shown flashes of impressive play. Far too often though, he's struggled to create separation and has never shown an ability to make tough, contested catches.
Given his place on the depth chart, Moore will have to make the most of limited opportunities. He's still got a chance to make an impact and deliver on his draft pedigree, but the margin of error is much smaller than it was the last two seasons.
2. Jawaan Taylor - RT
Kansas City's prized acquisition in the 2023 offseason gave mixed returns in his first season. Jawaan Taylor committed a league-leading 20 penalties, struggling with false starts and holds far too often.
He improved as the year went on, though it wasn't the kind of performance the Chiefs hoped for when they handed Taylor a four-year, $80 million contract. Kansas City doesn't have a realistic path to moving on until after the 2025 season, though Taylor is still one of the team's question marks entering training camp.
A number of key Chiefs are entering the final year of their respective contracts. Taylor's contract makes it difficult, if not impossible, to keep everyone, so fans could turn on him quickly if the penalties don't subside.
When he wasn't committing penalties, Taylor was impressive. That's obviously a large caveat though, and he needs to clean up his false starts to avoid putting the offense in poor positions. If he trims down those penalties, the Chiefs' offensive line could be downright dominant.
Considering the uncertainty at left tackle, Taylor's play becomes critical to stabilize the right side of the line. We know Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, and Trey Smith make up one of the best interior lines in the NFL. Improvement from Taylor could push this offense over the top.
Should Taylor struggle, expect Brett Veach to start preparing for his departure following 2025.
3. Felix Anudike-Uzomah - DE
The 2023 season was essentially a redshirt year for Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who played more than 10% of the snaps just twice after the Week 8 bye. He wasn't part of the Chiefs' plans once Charles Omenihu returned from suspension, though the organization remains optimistic about his potential.
That said, it's not clear how Anudike-Uzomah will make an impact this year either. Omenihu is still rehabbing from an injury and will miss games, though George Karlaftis and Mike Danna are still firmly ahead on the depth chart.
First-round picks are among the most valuable assets in the NFL. If Anudike-Uzomah doesn't earn significant snaps, what was the point of drafting him so high?
I'm optimistic about the former Kansas State Wildcat's future. He's in a great position to learn and develop, but you typically want your first-round picks to see the field quickly. Considering the Lions drafted rising star TE Sam LaPorta just three picks after the Chiefs took Anudike-Uzomah, the opportunity cost weighs heavily.
Anudike-Uzomah will be one of the players I'm watching closely at training camp. Brett Veach has done a sensational job in the draft, though this could be his second first-round bust in only a handful of years.
4. Justin Reid - S
This is not about Justin Reid's performance on the field or fit for the roster. He's been spectacular as a tone-setter for the Chiefs and is one of the most important players on the defense. Not only that, Reid has an expanded role and value now thanks to the new rules that positioned him to handle kickoffs.
Instead, this is about Brett Veach's approach in negotiations. He has never given a member in the secondary an extension, moving on from players like Charvarius Ward, Tyrann Mathieu, and now L'Jarius Sneed. Veach has always prioritized youth in the secondary, and Reid has to prove he's worth breaking the bank for after this season.
There are a few factors working in Reid's favor, but Kansas City already has an heir apparent on the roster in Bryan Cook. The team drafted hard-hitting, versatile safety Jaden Hicks this year too, giving the organization a pair of exciting young players at the same position.
In his two years with the Chiefs, Reid emerged as a vocal leader and backed his words up with his play, compiling 178 tackles, 14 deflected passes, four sacks, a forced fumble and an interception while playing in every game except for Week 18's Chargers matchup when Kansas City rested the starters.
I'll be surprised if Reid gets an extension but I'm rooting for it either way. He's brought a tenacious physicality and is still only 27 years old. With these new kickoff rules, perhaps Veach will make an exception on his normal rule.
Reid has proven plenty with the Chiefs. Regardless, this is a massive season for his future, whether in Kansas City or elsewhere.
