Chiefs Turn Heads for 'Aggressive' Move That's Paying Off

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The Kansas City Chiefs are getting some major praise for an “aggressive” move they pulled off during the NFL draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs are among the strongest teams in the NFL, so it goes without saying that their offense is rock solid, headed up by Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and company. But, the Chiefs fell short at the Super Bowl last season, and that is not lost on them. It has to sting during the offseason, but the good news is that the Chiefs are making some moves to come back even stronger in 2025.

While the Chiefs’ offense has been considered elite, their defense has sometimes been an issue. Now, the Chiefs are getting praised for some “aggressive” moves during the draft to ensure that their defense is ready to go come September.

The Strongest Defenses in the NFL, Including the Kansas City Chiefs

In a May 6 feature for Bleacher Report, NFL analyst and expert Gary Davenport names the strongest, and weakest, defenses in the NFL. While the Chiefs aren’t in the top five on this tally, they did make his top 10, coming in at No. 9. Some Chiefs fans will likely take issue with that, but that’s his official tally.

In the piece, Davenport states the truism that “defense still wins championships.” He then goes on to actually address the Super Bowl situation, adding, “Just ask Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is still having nightmares about the pounding he took from the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.”

Davenport continues, stating, “We live in an age when the NFL is more heavily tilted toward the offense than ever before. Each year, the rules change in an effort to boost offensive production that much more.”

As for the Chiefs, he praises them for making some big moves to beef up their defense during the draft.

“The Chiefs were relatively quiet in free agency on defense, outside the addition of a couple of defensive backs,” he stated in the piece. “Kristian Fulton has the potential to be an upgrade at cornerback, while Mike Edwards was a cost-efficient replacement at safety for the departed Justin Reid.”

He added, “The team was more aggressive defensively in the draft. Tennessee defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott has real chance for early playing time after Tershawn Wharton and Derrick Nnadi left in free agency.”

The Best Defense in the NFL, According to Experts

So, which NFL team was No. 1 on his roster? It’s the Denver Broncos.

“The Broncos are absolutely loaded defensively,” Davenport stated in the article. “Zach Allen has quietly become one of the NFL’s better interior pass-rushers. Edge-rushers Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper combined for 24 of Denver’s league-leading 63 sacks last year.”

He added, “If the Broncos defense plays up to its potential, the Orange Crush will be back.”

No. 2 on the tally, unfortunately for Chiefs fans, are the Eagles. “With all due respect to Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts, he didn’t win that game—the Eagles defense did,” Davenport stated, referring to how amazing the Eagles’ defense played in that game. “That defense is going to look a lot different in 2025, but it’s still a frightening group.”

Anne Erickson Anne Erickson is an award-winning reporter for Heavy.com and Heavy Sports covering the NFL, NBA and college football. Erickson has years of experience covering the NFL and additional sports, and her work has been published via ESPN, Fox Sports and more. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in sports, including Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Erickson also hosts several podcasts and is a Detroit-based radio host. More about Anne Erickson