Chiefs Enter NFL Combine With Two Major Priorities Beyond the Draft

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — While much of the NFL world rightly views the scouting combine as a showcase for draft prospects, the Kansas City Chiefs will arrive in Indianapolis next week with two major objectives that extend far beyond 40-yard dashes and vertical jumps. For Kansas City, the combine is as much about internal decisions, free-agent evaluation and strategic positioning as it is about analyzing college athletes.

On Friday, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes gave fans an unexpected spark of speculation by following Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne on Instagram. It came just hours after Mahomes freed up roughly $44 million in cap flexibility for the organization—an enormous financial gesture that instantly widened Kansas City’s offseason possibilities.

Head coach Andy Reid confirmed that the combine will function as a crucial meeting point for conversations that reshape rosters behind the scenes. “The combine ends up being an area where people talk,” Reid said. “Agents, coaches, GMs—everybody is together. You hear things.” In the NFL, information moves quickly, and Indianapolis is historically where whispers turn into legitimate negotiations.

According to OnSI sources, multiple teams around the league believe Etienne is likely to sign with Kansas City, causing some organizations to pull back from pursuing him. While no formal negotiations can occur until the early window opens on March 9, Etienne’s market momentum is already forming—and much of it appears to be leaning toward Kansas City.

Etienne’s rise makes the chatter understandable. After missing his rookie season in 2021 due to a Lisfranc injury, he evolved into one of the NFL’s most explosive backs. Over the past four seasons, he produced nine 100-yard rushing games—outperforming the entire Chiefs roster during the same span. Kansas City, by comparison, managed just seven 100-yard rushing performances in four years, including only one in 2025. Etienne’s burst, acceleration and versatility present the type of skill set the Chiefs have lacked since their early Patrick Mahomes era.

Reid, who has long maintained a preference for running backs who combine vision with explosive cut-ability, knows that Etienne would immediately elevate Kansas City’s offense. For a team that endured inconsistency in the run game last season, adding a dynamic performer like him could significantly reduce pressure on Mahomes and reinvigorate the Chiefs’ play-action arsenal.

However, Kansas City’s combine priorities extend beyond Etienne and outside free agents. The Chiefs will also use the event to negotiate face-to-face with agents representing their own 2025 unrestricted free agents. In this category, two names stand out: safety Bryan Cook and short-yardage specialist Kareem Hunt.

Cook, one of Kansas City’s most improved defensive players, enters free agency at a time when the Chiefs’ secondary is undergoing transition. His physical tackling and closing speed have become staples of Steve Spagnuolo’s defensive scheme. Meanwhile, Hunt—arguably the league’s most effective short-yardage back in 2025—remains a valuable piece not easily replaced on a depth chart.

These internal negotiations form one of the Chiefs’ two primary combine priorities: securing potential returns of homegrown talent before they hit the open market.

The second major priority involves surveying—and quietly gathering intel on—the league’s soon-to-be free agents. The conversations Reid referenced are not theoretical. They happen every night during combine week. Coaches and front-office executives exchange information casually, and agents use the event to gauge player value long before contracts can officially be signed.

“People talk, and you keep your ears open and your mouth shut,” Reid said. “You listen and see what’s going on. Until the new league year starts, nobody can really dig in, but people like to talk in this league.”

One name being discussed around Kansas City is New York Jets running back Breece Hall—another dynamic weapon expected to command attention across the league. Teams won’t negotiate directly with Hall yet, but his value and potential landing spots will be common topics among decision-makers. For Kansas City, understanding that landscape is essential, especially if Etienne’s price climbs or if alternative options become unexpectedly available.

But the combine is not merely a marketplace of rumors—it is also a logistical and analytical challenge for teams. Kansas City’s staff will conduct nightly interviews with draft prospects, attend medical evaluations and participate in continuous roster meetings. The Chiefs are no strangers to juggling simultaneous tasks at the event. Last year, for example, they signed veteran left tackle Jaylon Moore in free agency while still selecting first-round tackle Josh Simmons in the draft—ending up with two starting-caliber players at a premium position.

Reid noted that such overlap is simply part of the evaluation process. “You go through it and evaluate that—see where you can spend and what’s out there,” he said. “Free agency is a little bit different animal.” For Kansas City, solving that “animal” requires balancing cap space, immediate team needs and long-term roster sustainability.

This year’s complexity is heightened by Mahomes’ restructuring, which opened enormous cap space. The flexibility gives the Chiefs options they have not enjoyed in years. They can pursue a marquee running back, fortify the secondary, add veteran receiver depth or target high-impact defensive line additions. Combine conversations often determine which direction Kansas City will lean as March approaches.

Another wildcard is the incoming draft class, including running back prospects such as Notre Dame standout Jeremiyah Love—one of the fastest risers at the position. If the Chiefs determine that draft value eclipses free-agent cost, they could pivot accordingly. Combine interviews and testing will play an important role in that assessment.

Still, Kansas City’s foundational priorities remain unchanged:
1. Evaluate external free agents like Travis Etienne.
2. Negotiate with their own soon-to-be free agents such as Cook and Hunt.

With the combine serving as a massive information hub, it is the perfect environment for both objectives. Whether or not Etienne ultimately becomes a Chief, Kansas City will use Indianapolis to set the stage for an offseason that could reshape the offense around Mahomes for years to come.

As the franchise enters next week with ears tuned to every whisper and every rumor, one thing is certain: the combine may be a draft event, but for the Chiefs, it is shaping up to be the most important non-draft week of their offseason.