Ways the Chiefs Got Better in 2024

Laddie Morse

It may be difficult to believe that the team which won two straight Super Bowls has gotten better, but it’s true. The 2024 version of the Kansas City Chiefs are better, and here’s how.

Quarterback

Many may be assuming I’m going to talk about backup QB Carson Wentz who does make the Chiefs better, but he’s an after thought really. He’ll only becomes a significant player for the Chiefs if Patrick Mahomes gets injured (knock on a Redwood, so hard you knock it down) and Mahomes has shown a great ability to avoid those kinds of interactions on the football field. Sure, he’s had a knee cap moved out of place and a high ankle sprain which caused him to miss one drive, but his resilience is one of his super-powers and fans should relish that.

No, it’s not Carson Wentz I’m referring to, I’m talking about Patrick Mahomes getting better… as in… actually improving: from game to game, from year to year. In his piece called, “Patrick Mahomes’ Next Evolution Could Be His Best One Yet“ for the 33rdteam.com Dan Pizzuta said,

https://www.the33rdteam.com/patrick-mahomes-next-evolution-could-be-his-best-one-yet/#:~:text=With%20all%20of%20the%20experience,That%20could%20change%20this%20season.

“With a deeper and faster receiving corps, Mahomes’ next evolution could look like the early-career downfield aggression but with the poise and understanding of his current iteration. At worst, those deep threats could open more space in the middle of the field for the tight ends and other receivers, more than has been the case during the past two seasons.”

Also, DraftSharks.com said of Mahomes,

“Mahomes is coming off the worst fantasy

season of his career, finishing just 10th

among QBs in points per game.”

While I’m not a Fantasy fan, this does point to one feature of Patrick Mahomes game that we can claim: he is always improving. Whenever possible, Patrick Mahomes improves. We’ve heard before that he doesn’t make the same mistake twice, so that also means, he’s always getting better. So, if Mahomes is getting better in the Fantasy world, that’s noting but a good sign for us heathens.

Running Back

In some ways, the RB position may be worse off without Jerick McKinnon on board. In other ways, starter Isiah Pacheco is getting better. Pop, should have the best year — a career year — of his short three-year career. This coming year is his 3rd and while he gained 4.7 yards per rush attempt over his first two seasons, that would have tied him for 12th all time in the NFL (with players who have had at least 1,000 carries).

Pop has shown up to camp a little lighter this year and he says he’s faster and I would say he looks faster and quicker too. However, his total production of 935 yards gained in 2023 was just 65 yards short of 1,000… which I am projecting him to gain this year.

Andy Reid recently said in response to a question about Pacheco’s skills:

“[He’s] ready to be able to do all that.

He’s good with the protections, he’s good with

the technique and fundamentals, he can

run all the routes, he’s got great hands.”

Better? Certainly.

Wide Receivers

Evan Sanders – Photo Credit

Much has been made of the Chiefs new wide receiving corp and well it should. There’s an article about Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown that came out in the Kansas City Star recently called, “Hollywood went to learn Chiefs playbook. Patrick Mahomes taught him something else.” The piece was written by Sam McDowell and says in part:

“There are some distinct advantages to having your best player be your hardest worker or smartest worker or better yet both, and those advantages are felt during the hot days mixed into a long training camp in St. Joseph. It’s difficult to take a snap or two off when that guy never takes one off. That importance is felt now, this year, when the biggest obstacle the Chiefs will face is complacency after winning back-to-back Super Bowls.”

McDowell goes on to say:

“… Brown’s education this offseason taught him there’s more to it than a bad draw [bad luck]. He has paid better attention to his nutrition and diet, along with performing certain stretches before taking the field. And then there is the new training standards.”

While many are doubting that Hollywood Brown will be the 1,000 yard receiver like when he was in his third year in Baltimore, I think that this year he’ll approach 1,200 yards receiving. Plus, I feel a super positive vib coming from him, all the way around (0:09).

The other major change to the WR room is the addition of 5-foot-11, 172 lbs. Xavier Worthy. While the 5-foot-10, 175 lbs. DeSean Jackson set the standard in Andy Reid’s system with 912 yards receiving in his rookie year, I believe Xavier Worthy will gain at least 800+ yards through the air this year.

The additions of Worthy, plus Hollywood, will make the Chiefs offense a much better offense than the one in 2023… the one which was part of the Super Bowl LVIII winner.

Will Rashee Rice take the next step in his on-field progress? Several pundits have reported that he’s taken that next step. So, yes!

Is the WR room is better? Absolutely.

The Offensive Line

Yes, the OL will be better in 2024. LT Donovan Smith was toyed with as a possible returning player… at least toyed with by analysts. Maybe not by Veach and company, but by the media for sure. The reality is, the Chiefs drafted their new Left Tackle in Kingsley Suamataia. A fellow lineman, Trey Smith, may have said it best when he addressed the addition of Suamataia:

“I love Kingsley man, he’s like a little brother. He’s

an extremely talented player and uh, we have great

coaches and an extremely great front office there

[and] they saw a lot of ability in the player and that’s

obviously why we drafted him. He’ll be a great player.”

Will LT Kingsley Suamataia be better than Donovan Smith? By the end of 2024… I’d say yes. He may start out rough, but he’s proven he’s a quick study and a good learner so he should be able to pick up all the necessary changes needed to protect Patrick Mahomes’ blind side. Suamataia is an excellent athlete with good feet and that’s likely the reasons they drafted him. He also has a penchant for learning his lessons. Then again, the Chiefs likely knew that about him too, prior to the time they drafted him.

Will Kingsley be a better LT than Donovan Smith? Ultimately, yes!

Tight Ends

With the addition of 4th round pick Jared Wiley, who has played well in Training Camp, the Chiefs TE position should be better than it was in 2023. Add in the signing of Irv Smith as the 4th TE and the passing game of the Chiefs from the TE position will be stronger than it’s ever been, especially under Andy Reid. Since Reid arrived in K.C. in 2013, the TE position has been a priority and now that he’s decided to go without a FB, the TE position is even more important. Am I projecting that Carson Steele won’t make the final 53? Yes.

With Reid utilizing the 13-package (which is lining up with 3 TEs) I’m hoping to see some 14-packages which are rarer yet. To do that, Reid will probably go with four TEs and if he does, then the Tight End position will be even stronger than it was last year. Many have reported that Travis Kelce had a down year in 2023 and mostly because he didn’t reach the 1,000 yard mark in receiving (for an 8th year in a row). 16 yards shy. The other part is that Kelce may have lost a step. Here are Kelce’s highlights from 2023… does it look to you like Kelce has lost a step to you?

(7:56)

Defensive End

DC Steve Spagnuolo said recently that Felix Anudike-Uzomah (FAU) has gotten a little better every day. Under the Helmet is also reporting that FAU will be better in 2024 (1:02):

With Charles Omenihu returning to action sometime during mid-season, FAU looks like he’ll be the first man in after starters George Karlaftis and Mike Danna. With the Chiefs having a Bye Week in Week Six, or the second weekend of October, I wouldn’t expect Omenihu back until Week seven at the ealriest and if I was calling the shots, it would be much later in the season. With FAU expected to do well this year, the return of Omenihu may be later than we’re expecting.

Linebackers

With Willie Gay off to the sign with the Saints, his speed will be missed, but the emergence of Leo Chenal should offset any vacancy created by the absence of Gay. Here’s Chenal deflecting a pass which was finally intercepted by Brian Cook.

Leo Chenal ran the 40 yard dash in 4.53 seconds while Wille Gay ran a 4.46. So, Leo Chenal is 6 one-hundredths of a second slower? Chenal is a better overall LB than Gay is and his instincts should be able to make up the difference in half a second+.

While Leo Chenal was the fourth LB coming off the bench last season, Jack Cochrane or Cole Christiansen or Curtis Jacobs or Cam Jones will make up the difference for sure. All depends on who the Chiefs decides make the final 53.

Safety

Mike Edwards was the major loss at Safety and he is now in Buffalo. With Justin Reid (who is scheduled to return by the first game of the year) and Brian Cook returning from injury, plus both Chamarri Connor and Deon Bush on board, the Safety position should be as good as it’s ever been.

Not Mentioned

Special Teams may improve but only if Punter Matt Araiza excels. Otherwise, all the pieces are in place to be as good as ever: Kicker Harrison Butker, Long Snapper James Winchester and the new Punter, Matt Araiza, AKA, “The Punt God”.

Both the Defensive Tackle position and the Corner Back position were not mentioned because the Chiefs didn’t address the DT or CB this offseason except to sign Chris Jones to a huge deal. That also meant not having enough cap monies to re-sign L’Jarius Sneed. CJ may play better than ever and since he’ll likely be playing in more games this year, you could argue that the DT position will be better… simply because CJ sat out the first game of the 2023 season. On the other hand, the DT position is made up of the exact same group.

The Corner Back position wasn’t mentioned above because L’Jarius Sneed is now in Nashville playing for the Titans and DC Steve Spagnuolo hasn’t yet found his replacement. Not good.

What do you think?

Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne

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