Silver and Black Pride is keeping tabs on the Las Vegas Raiders’ divisional rivals this offseason, previously diving into what to expect from the Los Angeles Chargers during free agency and the 2026 NFL draft. Next up are the Kansas City Chiefs, and Maurice Elston from our frenemies at Arrowhead Pride was kind enough to answer a few questions about the Chiefs’ offseason for Raider Nation.
Q: The Chiefs are in unprecedented territory during the Patrick Mahomes era, holding the ninth overall pick in the draft.
Who do you think will be their top targets in the first round? Are they a candidate to trade back?
A: It’s definitely interesting to see the Chiefs picking this high, since they haven’t been in this position during the Mahomes era. I believe pass rusher will be their top priority at No. 9. If either David Bailey or Rueben Bain Jr. is available, I think one of them would be a strong target — though there’s also a real chance both are off the board by then.
A lot of mock drafts from professional analysts have the Chiefs taking Jeremiyah Love at this pick, but I think that depends heavily on what they do in free agency. If they address the running back position in free agency, then the defensive line becomes the clear focus in the draft.
If those primary defensive targets are gone, Caleb Downs could absolutely be in play — especially if they don’t re-sign Bryan Cook. And if the board doesn’t fall in their favor, I definitely think trading back would be on the table.
Q: There’s been a lot of talk about giving Mahomes more support this offseason. What exactly does Kansas City need to do to help its quarterback have a bounce-back season in 2026?
A: The biggest priorities are establishing a strong running game and adding a true outside wide receiver who can consistently win against man coverage.
The Chiefs’ current wide receiver group is solid, but they struggle to separate against tight-man coverage. They need a true X receiver — someone who can win one-on-one quickly and create separation without relying heavily on scheme.
If they can add a receiver who forces defenses to respect the outside and pair that with a more consistent ground game, it will prevent Mahomes from having to hold the ball too long and will make the offense more efficient overall.
Q: Building on that, what led to letting Matt Nagy leave and bringing back Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator? What changes do you expect to see in the Chiefs’ offense with Bieniemy?
A: I think what ultimately led to Nagy’s departure was that the offense often looked undisciplined and, at times, unmotivated. The running game lacked creativity, and there were too many costly penalties — especially in the red zone and on third-and-short situations — that stalled drives.
While some of that falls on personnel, I believe discipline and accountability were major issues.
With Eric Bieniemy returning, I expect a stronger emphasis on the running game and a renewed sense of structure and discipline in the offensive unit. Bieniemy brings intensity and accountability, and that could help clean up the mental mistakes that hurt them last season.
Q: Of the Chiefs’ in-house free agents, if you had to pick two who you’d pound the table to re-sign and one you’d have no problem with letting walk, who would they be and why? The caveat here is that the players have to have been significant contributors from this past season.
A: The two players I would strongly push to re-sign are Leo Chenal and Bryan Cook.
Cook quietly had a solid season, and given that the safety room already has question marks, losing him would make things even more uncertain. I’m not fully convinced that Shamar Conner or Jaden Hicks are ready to step into larger roles, so keeping Cook provides stability.
Chenal doesn’t play every snap, but the versatility and intangibles he brings are extremely valuable. His ability to contribute on defense and special teams in key situations would not be easy to replace.
As for players I’d be more comfortable letting walk, I like Jaylen Watson, but I believe his price tag could become too high. The only way I see bringing him back at a significant number is if they were to move someone like Trent McDuffie, which feels unlikely. Given the financial implications, I could understand letting Watson test the market.
Q: Who do you think will be a surprise free agent or a salary cap casualty in Kansas City this offseason?
A: A potential surprise cap casualty could be linebacker Drue Tranquill.
He’s set to make $7.5 million this season, and releasing him would save around $6 million while leaving only $1.5 million in dead money. That’s meaningful cap flexibility.
It likely depends on how confident the Chiefs are in last year’s draft pick, Jeffrey Bassa, stepping into a bigger role at linebacker. If they believe Bassa is ready to contribute early and consistently, moving on from Tranquill becomes more realistic. I’m not completely convinced they feel that way yet, but if they do, this could be a financially driven decision.
