Arrowhead Pride
This was the easiet choice on the list. During the offseason, most of the attention focused on the Chiefs was about whether Simmons would play — and what he would look like if he did. So far, he’s passed every test. He looks healthy, explosive and ready to go. Now we need to find out just how good he’s already become. His preseason film has looked fantastic, but it’ll obviously be much more challenging when the season starts. Is he already an elite tackle, or will he have some rookie struggles? Watching where he lands on that scale will be interesting.
Even without his six-game suspension to begin the season, there are a lot of angles about Rice that will make him intriguing in 2025. Coming off his injury, what kind of player will he be? After all, we don’t even know the level from which he is starting. Rice’s stats to begin 2024 were definitely on an All-Pro trajectory, but it was also just a three-game sample. Is that the caliber of player he will be over a longer stretch? There’s little doubt that Rice’s return will be helpful to the offense, but it’ll be interesting to see whether he’s truly an elite player.
It’s possible that safety Justin Reid’s importance to the Kansas City defense wasn’t fully understood. He wasn’t a superstar, but he did fill a valuable role in coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme. One of the league’s better tacklers, he was very good in run support — and could help defend tight ends in man coverage. He was a great blitzer, too. Reid could do many things in a defense that requires versatility from its safeties.
After his departure, the Chiefs don’t have a lot of talent at safety. While Bryan Cook and Chamarri Conner are fine, neither are as physically talented as Reid. But before he was drafted in 2024, I comped Hicks to Reid — and I think he’s the man to take Reid’s place. He has the length and closing speed to be good in run support. To get Hicks to work, I don’t think the team needs to tweak its scheme, but he does have to prove he can fill that valuable safety spot.
At left guard, Kansas City is replacing one of the NFL’s best from the last decade: Joe Thuney, who was always available and extremely consistent. His absence leaves a big question mark.
Going into his second season, Suamataia holds the starting job. I don’t feel great about that — but I do see flashes from him. In the running game, watching him and Josh Simmons move in space can look amazing. But Suamataia has many shaky moments in pass protection. He’s often slow off the ball — and late to engage (and win) with his hands.
If the Chiefs are truly committed to him at...
