ClutchPoints
The Kansas City Chiefs are chasing a historic three-peat, but even dynasties have weak points. Patrick Mahomes remains the gold standard at quarterback. Andy Reid is still the master architect on the sideline. And the defense is now among the league’s most dependable. Yet for all the Chiefs’ continued brilliance, their margin for error is thinner than ever. The path back to another Super Bowl runs through a stacked AFC. Unless Kansas City shores up a lingering issue in the trenches, the league’s reigning power could be vulnerable where it matters most: up front.
The 2025 Kansas City Chiefs enter training camp facing more offensive question marks than they’ve dealt with in recent memory. Following a 2024 campaign plagued by inconsistency at wide receiver, the team turned to the draft in search of answers. They selected Jalen Royals in hopes he can quickly form a connection with Mahomes. The Chiefs are counting on Royals to complement Xavier Worthy, last season’s breakout rookie. However, that’s a lot to ask of two young receivers in a room still filled with uncertainty.
Marquise Brown, expected to be a key contributor last season, missed nearly the entire year with a preseason shoulder injury. Rashee Rice suffered a torn ACL in Week 4 and now faces further complications both in health and availability. That’s after being sentenced to 30 days in jail in July due to a high-speed crash in Dallas. A suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy remains a possibility. Meanwhile, DeAndre Hopkins and Mecole Hardman departed in free agency. That left a roster light on proven production. Sorting out the pecking order in this revamped receiving corps will be one of training camp’s top storylines.
At running back, the spotlight remains on Isiah Pacheco. After fracturing his fibula in Week 2 last year, he returned to action but never quite looked like the explosive, tackle-breaking runner of his first two seasons. This offseason, he’s bulked back up to his rookie playing weight of 216 pounds. He hopes a return to form is in sight. If not, the Chiefs may look to spread the workload. Rookie Brashard Smith and veterans Kareem Hunt and Elijah Mitchell are waiting in the wings.
Kansas City’s offense is evolving. That said, as the skill players shuffle, one concern remains stubbornly the same. Here we’ll try to look at the fatal flaw that the Kansas City Chiefs must address in their 2025 NFL training camp.
For all the high-flying plays and fourth-quarter comebacks, the Chiefs’ Achilles’ heel in recent years has clearly been at offensive tackle.
It’s not just a concern. It’s an active liability. The four-year, $80 million contract handed to right tackle Jawaan Taylor in 2023 was supposed to be a stabilizing move. Instead, it’s aged like milk. Taylor has consistently struggled, ranking near the bottom of the league in PFF grades and run block win rate. His inefficiency is a...
