While the NFL offseason is long, the Kansas City Chiefs season is finally coming into view. Mandatory minicamp is coming up later this week with training camp on the horizon next month. That means preseason games are around the corner and the waiting will be over. Arrowhead will be rocking soon enough.

Given the dozens of transactions made by the Chiefs this offseason, it’s understandable that some important stories have been lost in the shuffle. As the entire roster comes back together for Chiefs minicamp, we thought we’d help you sort out the vital narratives, key concerns, and expected updates.

We’re nothing if not thorough, so we hope these 30 questions for Chiefs minicamp are a helpful guide for the week ahead.

1. How far along does Josh Simmons seem to be?

The Chiefs selected Simmons in the first round to be their long-term hope in the blindside protector role with the belief that it might take some time before he’s ready. As it turns out, his recovery from a torn patellar is coming along quite nicely. He’s already gone from individual drills to joining the team in OTAs. It will be interesting to see just how far along he looks in mandatory minicamp.

2. Are the Chiefs asking Jaylon Moore to do, well, more?

Speaking of Simmons, his positive health updates might keep free-agent signing Jaylon Moore from manning the left tackle role to start the season after all. It looked like the plan back in March to give Moore the chance to start outside, but if Simmons looks good, the Chiefs could try to figure out other ways to utilize Moore’s talents.

Is it possible they give him reps at right tackle with Jawaan Taylor injured? Could he shift inside to guard and compete there? Minicamp might yield some answers.

3. Does Jake Briningstool look like the real deal?

The Chiefs have a few rookie free agents generating some real excitement, but none more so than Clemson tight end Jake Briningstool. After setting all kinds of records at the position at Clemson, the Chiefs might have a steal on their hands as a proven pass catcher. With Jared Wiley sidelined for much of the offseason and Tre Watson also hurting, Briningstool has the runway to make his presence felt when the roster comes together.

4. Will Tyquan Thornton cement the buzz that began in OTAs?

The Chiefs have a history of bringing former draft busts at the wide receiver position with the hope that a change of scenery will unlock their potential. Corey Coleman, John Ross, and even Kadarius Toney would all fit that bill, to name some examples, and Tyquan Thornton is this year’s entrant.

Thornton already turned heads this spring for the Chiefs and made himself a name to watch going into minicamp and potentially training camp as well. Cementing that buzz would make the receiver position even more exciting (and deep) heading into the preseason.

5. Can Skyy Moore generate a strong preseason push for security?

And while we’re on the subject of wide receivers, Moore is himself a frustrating former draft choice who has yet to provide the sort of expected return on the second-round investment made by the Chiefs in 2022. Now in his contract year, Moore has as much motivation as possible to not only make the Chiefs roster but earn some looks as well.

6. How does the chemistry look for Patrick Mahomes and Xavier Worthy?

If there was a memorable takeaway for the Chiefs in their abysmal loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, it was the sight of Xavier Worthy coming up big on such a grand stage. It capped a sensational rookie season that closed on an exemplary note, with an average of 6 catches, 82 yards, and 1 touchdown in each of his final five games (including the postseason). If his chemistry with Mahomes can carry over into the offseason, it’s going to be an exciting year for this Chiefs offense.

7. Will FAU look like a breakout candidate?

Few players are blessed enough to hear their names called in the first-round of an NFL Draft, and the Chiefs made sure defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah was one of them in 2023. Through his first two seasons, however, FAU has been mired in a rotational role behind Mike Danna, George Karlaftis, and Charles Omenihu.

With the addition of Ashton Gillotte in this year’s draft, will Anudike-Uzomah find himself fighting even harder for middling reps? Or is he ready to push someone else out of the way to stake his claim as a key piece of the Chiefs’ pass rush?

8. How healthy is Jawaan Taylor looking?

We mentioned Taylor’s health concerns earlier, and the good news is that the team’s right tackle was able to return to offseason training activities by the very end. That he’s trending toward healthy is a good sign, but the Chiefs might take it easy with him in minicamp. Either way, updates should be forthcoming about the health of the team’s injured o-linemen.

9. What does a slimmed-down Travis Kelce look like?

Travis Kelce is down a reported 25 pounds coming into Chiefs minicamp. Whether or not Kelce is on his farewell tour around the NFL to cap a historic career has yet to be established, but it’s clear that the team’s Super Bowl LIX loss has inspired the veteran to come back as ready as possible.

10. Will the Chiefs sort out punter before, during, or after minicamp?

The Chiefs aren’t making a secret of their hopes for greater punter performance in 2025. The signing of USC’s Eddie Czaplicki to a rookie free agent deal means the position is taking up two precious roster spots, and it’s hard to see that continuing for long. Matt Araiza might still come out on top, but someone is going to have to prove themselves pretty soon. That competition might be settled by the end of this week.

11. Will Trey Smith be in attendance?

Perhaps the biggest question facing the Chiefs and minicamp is the possible attendance of right guard Trey Smith. The Chiefs traded away Joe Thuney already and announced their intentions to lock up Smith with a forthcoming long-term deal. All the leverage is in Smith’s camp at this point, and he’s not yet signed his franchise tender. Both sides have until July 15 to work out a contract, so we might not see Smith until training camp.

12. Is Jared Wiley losing ground in the TE room?

Jared Wiley already lost his rookie season due to injury, which means the former TCU product is doing his best to play catch up coming into his sophomore season. The downside is that the former fourth-round pick still isn’t healthy enough to take reps at OTAs. With free agent Robert Tonyan playing well and Briningstool, who we already mentioned, generating hope, it’s going to be even tougher sledding for Wiley.

13. How will the Chiefs use Jalen Royals?

Royals was drawing praise from Chiefs coaches in OTAs as another big receiver who could excel after the catch. With the full roster back for minicamp, fans will want to see what the Chiefs ask from their rookie wideout with the rest of the depth chart also hanging around.

14. Who is really in the running for the Chiefs’ return roles?

It feels natural that Nikko Remigio will reprise his role as the team’s primary return option in 2025. However, Worthy has already been mentioned in conjunction with punt returns this offseason, and the Chiefs might be thinking of switching things up. We don’t buy the Worthy bit, but Carson Steele is still around but other rookies who could surprise. (Maybe Mac Delana?)

15. Does Isiah Pacheco have the juice in a contract year?

Terez Paylor used to say that the contract year is undefeated, and that could yield good things from Pacheco in a backfield that has more questions than answers. Pacheco led the Chiefs in his first two years in the NFL, but injuries robbed him of his effectiveness in 2023. Does he have the juice to fuel the Chiefs’ ground game once again? How he looks in minicamp will be a major talking point.

16. Can Mike Caliendo reward the Chiefs’ verbal statements about him?

So far, Mike Caliendo’s ceiling has looked rather low after watching the Chiefs press him into a starting role following the shift of Joe Thuney to left tackle last postseason. It’s easy to overlook him, but Chiefs coaches have insisted the left guard competition includes Caliendo as a primary option. Minicamp could be a good place to see how he looks in the mix.

17. How young/old does Kareem Hunt look nearing his 30th birthday?

On the one hand, Kareem Hunt looked slower and more limited for the Chiefs last season despite being a solid pick-up in September. On the other hand, Hunt signed with K.C. after missing all of training camp while waiting for an opportunity. This year, training camp should give him a chance to start the year off stronger, but he’s also turning 30 in August. How Hunt looks could go a long way toward how the Chiefs approach this part of the roster.

18. Is Rashee Rice ready to go after a season-ending injury?

It’s easy to forget that Rashee Rice was blossoming into one of the league’s top receivers one year ago, with 28 catches for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns in the first three games of the year. In his second season, Rice was being handed the torch as Mahomes’ most trusted target until a fluke injury halted his progress. All eyes will be on Rice as he returns to the field in hopes he picks right back up where he left off.

19. Does Kingsley Suamataia look ready for the LG role?

Caliendo is one part of the left guard competition, but the presumed starter coming into 2025 is Kingsley Suamataia. From head coach Andy Reid to general manager Brett Veach to Suamataia himself, everyone is saying good things about his readiness at the position. Then again, he was already starting at left tackle at this point for the Chiefs last year and ended up benched in Week 2.

20. Are Jaylen Watson and Kristian Fulton manning the boundaries?

The signing of Kristian Fulton not only bolstered the Chiefs’ talent and depth at the cornerback position, but it also felled some dominoes that will result in other much-anticipated moves. Trent McDuffie will have the chance to shift inside on passing downs, which means Fulton and Jaylen Watson are the likely boundary corners going forward. But what about Nohl Williams? Joshua Williams? The competition here should be fierce.

21. Will any second-year offensive linemen step up unexpectedly?

The Chiefs drafted more than just Suamataia in 2024. They also grabbed Hunter Nourzad out of Penn State in the fifth round and C.J. Hanson out of Holy Cross in the seventh. Very little has been said about either player coming into 2025, so it will be intriguing to see if one or more of them will step up into a greater role.

22. Is Elijah Mitchell ready for relevance again?

After three injury plagued seasons, Mitchell has left San Francisco for the first time hoping to turn a corner and find the mojo that helped him set rookie rushing records for the 49ers in 2021. Can Mitchell provide that spark for the Chiefs that has been missing since Jerick McKinnon was at his best?

23. How will Drue Tranquill look after missing voluntary OTAs?

After a sensational first season in Kansas City, Drue Tranquill provided mixed results for the Chiefs throughout the 2024 season. He’s undoubtedly still a very valued and trusted member of Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, but as he turns 30 in training camp, it’s possible that a lost step could make things dicey on the depth chart. Jeffrey Bassa is around and ready for reps as an exciting young rookie, so watching Tranquill in minicamp will be a key part of the defensive equation.

24. Does Carson Steele have an obvious spot on this roster?

One year ago, Carson Steele generated a zeal among Chiefs fans as a rookie free agent forcing the team to make room for him. Now, Steele has to be wondering whether there’s a place for him again. To carry Steele on the roster brings some obvious positives, but it also keeps the team from carrying a promising player elsewhere. The special teams battles are going to be key this offseason.

25. Will any undrafted safety make his presence felt?

The Chiefs have room for a younger player to step up here after failing to draft a prospect in this year’s draft class after also not re-signing Justin Reid. Rookie free agents like Major Williams or Glendon Miller have a real chance to surprise since their primary competition are league-minimum vets like Deon Bush and Mike Edwards.

26. Does Omarr Norman-Lott look like the next great disruptive presence?

Norman-Lott rocketed up draft boards this spring as a thriling disruptor along the defensive interior. The Chiefs decided they couldn’t risk losing out on him and selected him at the bottom of the second round. Given that they already employ the best in the business in that same category in Chris Jones, let’s assume they know what they’re looking for.

27. How does Chamarri Conner look in the secondary?

We’ve already referenced Fulton’s signing and how it shifted McDuffie inside to the slot. The depth at corner also allows Conner to move into a regular role at safety alongside Bryan Cook and Jaden Hicks. It’s easy to forget his very promising rookie campaign, and if Conner is allowed to operate within his strengths, he’s a dynamic playmaker for the Chiefs secondary.

28. Is there any hope for Justyn Ross?

This feels like the most tired storyline on this list, and yet Ross is still here on the Chiefs roster trying for another spring to earn a role on offense. The competition is greater than ever this year for Ross, so it feels like he’s gotta be on the outside looking in. Then again, the Chiefs are holding onto him for good reason.

29. How will the Chiefs use Brashard Smith?

Most fans were shocked when the Chiefs failed to draft a running back in the first six rounds of this year’s draft, but Brashard Smith was the trade-up target for Veach early in the seventh round. Smith was uber-productive at SMU and brings an exciting skill set to the next level. How will the Chiefs use him? What will they ask him to do? Minicamp will give us some answers.

30. Can Jaden Hicks live up to expectations?

Jaden Hicks was a draft steal for the Chiefs from the moment they submitted his name in the fourth round in 2024. Last year, Hicks looked like a pro-ready prospect from the word go, and it made the decision to let Justin Reid leave that much easier for the Chiefs. But expectations might be too high for Hicks coming into 2025, who is a very common entry on lists of potential breakout players. Are hopes too high?

Bonus Question: Is there anything to the Elijhah Badger hype?

The wide receiver depth is the best it’s been in a few years for Kansas City, and yet we’ve not gotten to undrafted free agent Elijhah Badger. The versatile pass-catcher out of Florida can play anywhere in the passing game and has deep speed to punish defenses. He’s also an experienced returner. Some draftniks loved the signing for the Chiefs. Is there room for him to even make some eye-popping plays?