Arrowheadlines: Patrick Mahomes behind many players in final 2024 QB rankings

The latest

Ranking all 59 NFL QBs to start a game in 2024 season: Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, Eagles’ Jalen Hurts among elite | CBS Sports

8. Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

His 2024 had a lot of similarities to that of his Super Bowl LIX opponent, Jalen Hurts; his passing marks weren’t “elite” as he prioritized ball control, but he came through in the clutch, winning on the margins as a killer scrambler. The difference: Mahomes was then totally, almost shockingly, neutralized in the big game.

2025 NFL Free Agency matchmaking: One team fit for 12 notable free agents | NFL.com

Trey Smith

OG · Age: 26

Kansas City Chiefs

More than 130 million people just watched Kansas City’s offensive line crumble beneath the sheer force of the Eagles’ pass rush in Super Bowl LIX. So I don’t care what it takes, but the Chiefs must retain one of their best blockers. It would be asinine to let Smith walk, and jeopardize the interior, when there are already massive issues at tackle; that Pro Bowl guard Joe Thuney had to kick outside just to settle the unit back toward an average level of performance says everything. If the Chiefs fancy themselves as Super Bowl contenders going forward, they cannot overlook the trenches. Use the tag or sign Trey Smith to a long-term, backloaded deal — just don’t let him leave Kansas City.

The Perfect Free-Agent Signing for Every NFL Team | Bleacher Report

Kansas City: WR Stefon Diggs

The Chiefs would love to bolster their offensive line in free agency, but they have just $8 million in cap space and may need the draft to fill holes at tackle and at guard if Trey Smith gets a bag elsewhere in free agency.

So, we’ll go with something unlikely but fun. Diggs is, uh, mercurial. He’s coming off a serious injury. And the Chiefs haven’t had great success acquiring veteran receivers.

But there could be significant turnover at wideout in Kansas City this offseason, and Patrick Mahomes and a healthy Diggs on the same offense could be something to see.

2025 NFL mock draft: Mel Kiper’s Round 1 pick predictions | ESPN

31. Kansas City Chiefs

Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota

It’s telling that the Chiefs’ two Super Bowl losses over the past few years have come down to pass protection woes, and the big issue right now is the left tackle spot. Neither Wanya Morris nor Kingsley Suamataia did enough to keep the job, and D.J. Humphries’ impact was very limited coming off his torn ACL. Moving Joe Thuney outside helped, but it also came at the expense of the interior. And with guard Trey Smith potentially leaving town for big money in March, the Chiefs can’t rely on Thuney outside again.

Ersery is a massive blocker at 6-6 and 330 pounds, and he shows ample power and movement skills on tape. He allowed just four sacks over 39 college starts.

Around the NFL

Commanders grant DT Jonathan Allen permission to seek trade | NFL.com

The Commanders have had trade conversations surrounding defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and the club is planning to help the two-time Pro Bowler find an ideal landing spot by granting him permission to seek a trade, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday.

Entering the final year of his contract in 2025, Allen is due $15.5 million this season but that base salary is not guaranteed, Rapoport and Pelissero added.

General manager Adam Peters told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine that Washington wanted to give Allen a chance to explore other opportunities.

“He’s going into the last year of his deal,” Peters said of Allen. “We wanted to give him and his representation and we talked about it. We wanted to give him a chance to explore other opportunities. So, we’ll let them do that.”

Eric DeCosta on Justin Tucker: The allegations, amount of allegations are serious, concerning | NBC Sports

While the Ravens organization has mostly remained silent on the situation, General Manager Eric DeCosta fielded questions about Tucker during his Tuesday press conference at the 2025 scouting combine.

“The allegations are serious, concerning. The amount of allegations are serious and concerning,” DeCosta said. “I think we’re fortunate that the league is doing an investigation. We’ll wait as patiently as we can for as much information as we can and make our decisions based on that.”

DeCosta noted that the Ravens became aware of the allegations against Tucker when they were alerted about a local news outlet reporting on them.

Packers submitted proposal to ban tush push, GM confirms | ESPN

Vincent did not identify the team that made the proposal when he made his comments — during a break in meetings between NFL officials and the competition committee — to The Washington Post and NFL Network.

On Tuesday, however, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst confirmed that his team made the proposal.

“I know we’re not very successful against it, I know that. But to be honest with you, I have not put much thought into it. It’s been around for a while,” he said at the combine. “We’ve used it in different fashions with our tight end [Tucker Kraft]. I think there will be a lot of discussions about it. I’ve got to kind of look at some of the information as far as injury rates and things like that, but we’ll see.”

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs-Eagles: My trip to Super Bowl LIX

The Big Easy

Going from a serene state park into the bustling streets of New Orleans felt like going from naturally laid-back Southern living into a movie set. I was awestruck by the enormous throngs of people who had swarmed into the city for the game. The national spotlight was burning brightly!

When I arrived at Bourbon Street, the full New Orleans vibe was everywhere: “Come one, come all! Old, young, rich, poor, Philadelphia or Kansas Citian — but do have a good time!”

The crowd was hypnotic. It drew you in, making you go deeper and deeper into the experience. And the further you got, the more you could find.

As my Uber driver put it: “All the food is good — and if it isn’t, that place won’t be around very long.”

At the first restaurant I tried, I was exposed to true Southern comfort: gumbo, jambalaya, red rice, beans, spicy cornbread and some excellent fried shrimp.

Then came a trip to the New Orleans Convention Center to walk it off — and see the NFL’s Super Bowl Experience. In typical fashion, the $10 event cost $40. But it was clear the league had gone all out, creating a family-friendly attraction for out-of-town fans and the hometown crowd.

The locals surely loved the exhibit honoring Willie Roaf — a great player for both the New Orleans Saints and the Chiefs. It brought back fond memories of my earliest days as a fan, reminding me why I had made the trip.

Next, I visited Mr. Ed’s Seafood, which had been recommended by many people. I tried oysters — both raw and fried — crabcakes and more gumbo. It all hit my palate like a ton of bricks.

By now, it was quite clear that Philadelphia fans outnumbered Kansas City fans 10-1. I took part in some sort of drunken spelling bee in which fans tried to spell their team names the loudest. We Chiefs fans kept quiet, thinking our team would do its talking the next day.

My last Saturday stop was a local favorite: The Three-Legged Dog. At nearly midnight, I ate some of the best crawfish I have ever eaten — and was given a full lesson on how to clean them.

Then it was back to my campsite. Game day awaited.

Social media to make you think

Andy Reid on Super Bowl LIX: “It was a bad day to have a bad day.”

Reid adds that he intends to put the team into a better position to get it done. pic.twitter.com/Lmuo5igeCp

— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) February 25, 2025