Arrowheadlines: Don’t overlook the return of the Chiefs receivers

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1 Reason Every NFL Team Shouldn’t Be Overlooked in 2025 | Bleacher Report

Kansas City Chiefs: Return of the Receiving Corps

The Chiefs haven’t been overlooked since the 2019 emergence of Patrick Mahomes coincided with the first of three Lombardi Trophies in six years, but their passing game wasn’t as fearsome in 2024 as it had been in seasons past.

Injuries to Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown kept Mahomes from reaching his full potential and may have ultimately cost the team a chance at becoming the first to three-peat in the Super Bowl era.

However, Kansas City’s passing game should finish far higher than last year’s No. 14 ranking.

Sources: #Chiefs WR Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who left practice on a cart with a lower leg injury, avoided anything serious and is expected to be back on the field as early as tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/2MxScA98A8

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) July 29, 2025

Ranking NFL team talent under 25: Texans, Seahawks lead list | ESPN

13. Kansas City Chiefs

2024 ranking: 14

Blue-chip players: WR Xavier Worthy, CB Trent McDuffie

Notable graduated players: WR Rashee Rice, FS Bryan Cook

Kansas City’s talent under 25 generally comes in three categories: extremely valuable players, guys who didn’t make it but still might and this year’s draft picks.

The first group starts off with second-team All-Pro McDuffie, who played more on the outside last season after making the first All-Pro team as a slot corner in 2023. He’s still 24 but turns 25 on Sept. 13. Edge rusher George Karlaftis is also 24, and Worthy, who broke out in the second half of last season, is 22.

The second group begins with two failed left tackles. Last year’s second-round pick, Kingsley Suamataia, might move to guard in 2025, but he’s still just 22 years old and has plenty of time to improve. Wanya Morris, who started 11 games last season but will now be on the bench, is 24 years old.

The Chiefs are still waiting to get more out of 2023 first-round edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah, 23, who has just three sacks in two NFL seasons. And wide receiver Skyy Moore, who has played three NFL seasons, is 24.

The third group is highlighted by first-round left tackle Josh Simmons, who is 22 years old. Second-round defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott is 23, and both third-round picks, edge Ashton Gillotte and cornerback Nohl Williams, are 22.

2025 NFL Protector of the Year candidates: Top 10 offensive linemen who could win league’s new award | NFL.com

5 – Creed Humphrey

Kansas City Chiefs · C · +2500

Humphrey is all but a unanimous choice for the best center in the NFL today and Kansas City’s true offensive line cornerstone. After a year in which the starting five collectively struggled and eventually crumbled in the Super Bowl, plenty of attention will be on the Chiefs O-line in 2025. If the blocking unit bounces back, Humphrey is going to receive plenty of praise for it, even if he’s been the same dependable pivot all along.

NFL rookies competing for starting jobs in training camp: Super Bowl contenders could rely on these youngsters | CBS Sports

Josh Simmons

KC • OT • #71

Drafted: Round 1 (32nd overall)

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Josh Simmons suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee that suppressed what had been an impressive 2024 season at Ohio State. Despite the injury, Simmons’ talent was worthy of a first-round selection. Kansas City already had a contingency in place when it signed Jaylon Moore in free agency from the 49ers. Moore is very much a vision in his own way having not played significant snaps behind Trent Williams.

Early in training camp, Simmons has been not only available, but impressive. Although a competition in title, Simmons could have this one wrapped up sooner rather than later.

Ex-Viking Jared Allen’s Hall of Fame nod punctuates a career defined by maturation | The Athletic

This is often when the trouble occurred, when Allen’s decisions poured gasoline on the simmering problem-child narrative. He was arrested for drunk driving and speeding in May 2006. Five months later, police busted Allen again for DUI. Former Chiefs president and general manager Carl Peterson described Allen, then 24, as “a young man at risk,” which contributed to a contract spat. The Chiefs escalated tension in the relationship by applying the franchise tag.

“At one point, somebody with the Chiefs told us, ‘We’ve got the tag on him, and don’t ever forget, we’re the bank,’” Harris recalled. “You can’t say that to Jared Allen. If you say that to Jared Allen, bad things happen.”

The bad things for Kansas City became positive things for Minnesota — and Allen.

Harris, the agent, introduced the idea of Allen spending his franchise-tag season as a sideline reporter. The Chiefs then retracted their trade demand of two first-round picks. The Vikings’ brain trust, comprised of former general manager Rick Spielman and executives George Paton and Rob Brzezinski, assembled the plan. Paton focused on Allen’s playing fit. Brzezinski sifted through the financial ramifications. Spielman blessed the vision. Why roll the dice on an inexperienced defensive end in the draft if they could acquire a guy who had just started 55 games and recorded 43 sacks in four seasons?

Around the NFL

Colts, LT Bernhard Raimann sign 4-year, $100M deal, source confirms | ESPN

Left tackle Bernhard Raimann, a former tight end at Central Michigan who has blossomed into one of the team’s most indispensable players, signed a contract extension, the team announced Tuesday.

The extension is for four years and is worth $100 million, a team source confirmed.

Raimann, a 2022 third-round draft pick, was entering the final year of his rookie contract, but the extension keeps him off the market next spring. He has shown dramatic improvement in each year of his career and last season took a leap that demonstrated he could man the critical position for the foreseeable future.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs Rister: Trent McDuffie says secondary communication is better

Cornerback Trent McDuffie and his teammates have been getting a message from defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo this offseason — one that is being better received than a year ago.

“In the first day of meetings,” McDuffie recalled after Monday’s practice, “Coach Spags put on the board, ‘Be bold, be courageous.’ He pretty much said he wants a room full of guys that are confident, that are fearless and that want to go out there and compete. I think that really set the tone — especially when you look at practice right now.

“Things aren’t perfect. People make mistakes. Everybody’s still trying to learn the defense, but we’re flying around and we’re having fun. We’re jelling together, and we’re communicating. I think the biggest thing right now is getting back into football and the communication and the trust. Right now, it’s a lot better than it was last year, and I think we continue to stack up on that.”

Echoing previous sentiments shared by linebacker Nick Bolton, McDuffie believes that even with some newcomers in the secondary, the defense’s communication is on point.

“This defensive backroom,” the fourth-year pro observed, “I feel like is [filled] lifelong learners — people who truly want to help each other. There’s not a lot of ego, so when it comes to guys competing in certain positions, it’s all love. The new guys we’ve brought in — the rookies we brought in — I feel like have learned this defense so much quicker than I feel like our class even did because they have so much help. They have so much communication — and whoever’s out there, for me personally, I trust them. I’m excited for what they can do.”