KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are either adhering to the well-worn cliche that defense wins championships or they have a whole lot of faith that quarterback Patrick Mahomes can return as good as ever from two torn ligaments in his left knee.
The Chiefs loaded up on defense during the NFL draft his week, using their first four selections over the first four rounds on that side of the ball. They traded up in Round 1 to land cornerback
Mansoor Delane sixth overall, added defensive tackle Peter Woods later in the first round, grabbed pass rusher R Mason Thomas in the third round and safety Jadon Canady early in the fourth.
Those were all positions of need, especially after the Chiefs traded away top cornerback Trent McDuffie and lost fellow starter Jaylen Watson in free agency. But it also left Kansas City without a whole lot of early help for Mahomes and the offense.
“I thought it was important that we address the defense,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “I mean, that's an important side of the ball. As much as I love the offense, that's an important side of the ball, and we had some vacancies we need to take care of.”
The Chiefs had already filled their biggest offensive hole in free agency, landing former Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker with a three-year, $43.05 million contract. They added a backup in the fifth round of the draft Saturday when they selected Emmett Johnson, who led the Big Ten with 1,451 yards rushing last season at Nebraska.
Late in the day, the Chiefs supplemented their wide receiver group by drafting Cincinnati's Cyrus Allen.
Yet it was clear from the moment Kansas City packaged three picks in a deal with Cleveland to move up from No. 9 to No. 6 and grab Delane that the Chiefs were focused on defense. The standout from LSU was widely considered the best cornerback available.
Woods should be able to learn alongside perennial Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones, Thomas should provide some depth on the edge, and Canady should help make up for the loss of safety Bryan Cook in free agency.
“I truly believe that defense wins championships, let alone with the offense we already have,” Delane said Thursday night. “The league is such a passing league, and everybody wants to score points. I'm here to shut it down.”
One of the reasons the Chiefs traded up with Pittsburgh to land Johnson on Saturday was because of his versatility. Yes, he averaged 5.8 yards per carry and totaled 15 touchdowns, but he's also a threat out of the backfield. He had 46 catches last season, and he was the only Football Bowl Subdivision player to average more than 150 yards from scrimmage.
Allen was a compensatory pick in the fifth round who provides some intriguing depth at wide receiver for Kansas City. He caught 51 passes for 674 yards and 13 touchdowns for Cincinnati last year. That was his third school in as many years, too, and the Chiefs hope that he will flourish once he settles into a single offensive system.
Most mock drafts had the Chiefs selecting a wide receiver or offensive tackle over the first two days, and general manager Brett Veach chose neither. Instead, he hopes young wide receivers Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy take another step forward — and that Allen can help — while Josh Simmons stays healthy at left tackle and Jaylon Moore steps into the right tackle role.
Moore is a free agent after this season, which means the Chiefs could be in the offensive tackle market during next year's draft. Rice is also due to hit free agency in 2027 along with cornerback Kristian Fulton and linebacker Drue Tranquill.
Travis Kelce chose to return for another season rather than retire, signing a three-year, $54.7 million contract. But for all practical purposes, the contract is a one-year, $12 million guaranteed deal, with the additional years allowing the Chiefs to spread out the cost over the next three seasons. It is unlikely he plays beyond the upcoming season, making tight end a looming hole as well.
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