Super Bowl 57 is officially in the books. Fortunately for the Kansas City Chiefs, they finished the season on top as they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 and took home the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in the last four years. While the victory is still very fresh for them, the front office is likely already thinking about the 2023 season. This means it is time for some Chiefs offseason bold predictions.
Kansas City had a slow start to the season, going 4-2 with a loss to the rebuilding Indianapolis Colts. Then, the team managed to close out the season 10-1, with the only loss coming against the then-reigning AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals.
With wins over the Jacksonville Jaguars and Bengals, the Chiefs returned to the Super Bowl for the third time since 2020. Thanks to a comeback led by MVP Patrick Mahomes, they managed to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit versus the Birds.
Now, all eyes are heading to the 2023 offseason. In addition to the No. 31 pick in the draft, the team will have more than 20 players set to become free agents this offseason. With Kansas City currently hovering right around the salary cap, general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid should have a lot of work to do.
With that being said, here are four bold predictions for the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2023 NFL offseason.
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4. Kansas City trades away first-round pick
After being in the spotlight for championship celebrations, Kansas City, Missouri will be in the headlines once again. In April, the city will host the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Chiefs will have the No. 31 pick, the last of the first round. With the Super Bowl title, the organization might not be looking for any instant game-changing selections. However, based on its salary cap situation, Kansas City might look to acquire more picks to bring more talent.
Because of that, the bold prediction is that the Chiefs will trade away their first-round pick. They could potentially get a high second-round selection and a late Day 2 or Day 3 pick. That way, they could save some money by moving down as well as getting one more player that they can develop.
3. Chris Jones restructures his deal
While Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce deserve their praise, Kansas City's defense also played a key role in their Super Bowl run. Most notably, Chris Jones cemented his name as one of the best defensive linemen in the league.
The defensive tackle had 15.5 sacks this season, tied for fourth-best in the NFL. He ended up earning his fourth consecutive selection to the Pro Bowl and his first First-Team All-Pro honor.
With his help, the Chiefs finished second in the regular season with 55 sacks, only trailing the Eagles' 70.
The problem with Jones is his contract status. The 28-year-old is entering the final year of his deal with a $28.3 million cap hit. This means that he will have a huge impact on the team's finances throughout the 2023 offseason. The Chiefs will be limited on what they can do as long as his contract is on the books.
The bold prediction is that Kansas City and Jones will agree on a restructuring of his contract so the team has more flexibility to work with. This way, the defender can continue contributing on the field while the front office can add some new pieces.
2. JuJu Smith-Schuster leaves in free agency
Perhaps the main addition to the Chiefs' roster last offseason was JuJu Smith-Schuster. The wide receiver joined the organization on a one-year, $10.75 million contract after spending his first five years in the league with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In his first year with Kansas City, Smith-Schuster became one of Patrick Mahomes’ top targets, especially as the team moved on from Tyreek Hill, who went to the Miami Dolphins in a trade.
In 16 games, Smith-Schuster had 78 receptions for 933 yards, only trailing Kelce in those categories. These ended up giving him his best receiving numbers since his Pro Bowl campaign in 2018. He also scored three touchdowns after failing to find the end zone in 2021.
Due to his performance, Smith-Schuster is considered one of the top wideouts in 2023 free agency. Because of that, he might earn a big paycheck. However, since the Chiefs are somewhat limited in terms of cap, do not be surprised if he is in a different uniform for the 2023 season.
1. Orlando Brown Jr. re-signs with Chiefs
Other than Smith-Schuster, Kansas City has other key free agents. One who is widely considered to be the main one for the team and one of the top names in the 2023 free agency class is Orlando Brown Jr. The offensive tackle is projected to receive a contract with an average annual salary of $22.4 million, according to Spotrac.
After a slow start for the offensive line this past season, Brown led the way for a big turnaround. From Week 10 to the end of the regular season, his 88.7 pass-blocking grade was the third-best among left tackles, according to Pro Football Focus.
Brown made it to his fourth Pro Bowl this season. He has earned back-to-back selections in his first two years with Kansas City.
The bold prediction is that, with the help of Jones' restructured deal, Brown will re-sign with the Chiefs. The Oklahoma product will receive a big contract, becoming one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in the league.
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