Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs headlines for Thursday, March 27
2025 NFL free agency class rankings: Most improved rosters | ESPN
Key acquisitions and returning players: LB Nick Bolton, WR Hollywood Brown, G Trey Smith, CB Kristian Fulton, OT Jaylon Moore
I loved: The re-signing of Brown. He has often been cast as a WR1 and has struggled to live up to that billing. He’s more impactful as a WR2 or WR3, which is what he’ll be for Kansas City. As Xavier Worthy emerged in Brown’s absence, and Rashee Rice returns from his injury to reestablish himself as the top guy, Brown can be a field-stretcher and get some of the designed touches behind the line of scrimmage that Worthy doesn’t. When Dyami Brown and Tutu Atwell cost $10 million each, Brown’s $7 million deal is good business.
I didn’t love: The big swings. The Chiefs signed four deals of $10 million or greater. In Fulton, they have a much better CB2 option on the outside for only $10 million per season — that’s fine. Moore cost $15 million per year, which will look great if he hits as their franchise left tackle, but the “sign a backup to become a starter” move rarely works in free agency. Bolton also cost $15 million per year, and while he’s a great culture player for this defense, I’ve watched too many offenses pick on him in coverage to feel great about that signing. And I imagine the market-setting extension for Smith will eventually look just fine, but he’s currently sitting on a $23.4 million franchise tag, which is more than any guard is making per year.
Every move is defensible, but I didn’t love a single one.
2025 NFL Free Agency: Which teams got better or worse? | PFF
Kansas City Chiefs: Stayed the same
Signed: T Jaylon Moore (two years, $30 million)
Signed: CB Kristian Fulton (two years, $20 million)
Signed: RB Elijah Mitchell (one year, $2.5 million)
Signed: QB Gardner Minshew (one year)
Signed: DI Jerry Tillery (one year)
Signed: TE Robert Tonyan
Re-signed: LB Nick Bolton (three years, $45 million)
Re-signed: WR Marquise Brown (one year, up to $11 million)
Re-signed: LS James Winchester (one year, $1.65 million)
Re-signed: RB Kareem Hunt (one year, $1.5 million)
Re-signed: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (one year)
Re-signed: QB Bailey Zappe (one year)
Re-signed: CB Nazeeh Johnson
Re-signed: LB Jack Cochrane
Tendered: P Matt Araiza ($960,000)
Franchise-tagged: G Trey Smith ($23.4 million)
Traded: G Joe Thuney
No matter how you slice it, losing Joe Thuney is just too big of a blow for the Chiefs – even if they were able to franchise tag Trey Smith. Thuney has been one of the best guards in...
