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The Kansas City Chiefs didn't end their 2024-25 season the way that they would have wanted, as their quest for the first three-peat in NFL history fell one game short. The Super Bowl drubbing at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles should serve as a hard reset for the Chiefs heading into 2025.
Regardless of the sour taste in their mouths, the Chiefs are still the unquestioned kings of the AFC until proven otherwise. Patrick Mahomes and company are gearing up for another run through the AFC, with one preseason game in the books and two more to go before the regular season gets underway.
One of the main objectives for the Chiefs this offseason was to beef up the rest of the offense around Mahomes. Rashee Rice will be back in the lineup and healthy, but the Chiefs need some better protection in front of Mahomes and some more juice on the outside.
After the Chiefs lost to the Cardinals in their first preseason game, Kansas City released its second unofficial depth chart for Week 2 of the preseason. There weren't any surprises necessarily, but a couple of spots stuck out as places that could see some movement before the regular season gets underway.
RT Jawaan Taylor
Jawaan Taylor has been under a lot of scrutiny over the last few years because of a couple of things. His pass protection has been shoddy at times, but even more than that he has been susceptible to penalties during his entire time with the Chiefs.
While Taylor is a serviceable option at right tackle, there is still a chance that Reid and Mahomes could try to turn elsewhere in order to try to find some better results. Taylor finished last season with a 59.9 PFF grade, good for 82nd out of 140 tackles, so there is still plenty of room for improvement there.
At the moment, Jaylon Moore is listed as the backup to Taylor on the unofficial depth chart. Moore doesn't have a ton of pedigree in the NFL, but the former San Francisco 49ers lineman inked a two-year, $30 million contract with the Chiefs in free agency this offseason, and he didn't get that money for nothing.
The more realistic scenario at right tackle is that Taylor enters the season as the starter due to his overall experience and familiarity with the system in Kansas City. However, if he starts to struggle or if the penalty bug starts to pop up once again, Moore will be right there waiting in the wings for his opportunity to get on the field and make an impact.
DE Mike Danna
Mike Danna is a rock-solid player for the Chiefs at defensive end, but Steve Spagnuolo could opt for a more explosive option on the edge. We know that the freshly-paid George Karlaftis will be out there as the starter on one edge, but Danna could be in a bit of a committee on the other side.
Danna is more of an early-down edge player who excels against the run but isn't as adept at getting after the quarterback. The five-year veteran has never eclipsed 6.5 sacks in a season and finished just 153rd out of 211 edge players in PFF's pass rush grade in 2024. However, he did grade out at a 65.6 against the run, good for 69th at his position.
There is a good chance that, with Rice and Xavier Worthy in the lineup and a better offensive line with Josh Simmons at left tackle, the Chiefs could have an offense that is explosive as can be and ends up close to the top of the league once again. If that is the case, Kansas City's opponents will be passing the ball and playing catch-up week after week.
If that comes to fruition, Charles Omenihu could end up getting more reps in place of Danna on the edge. The former San Francisco 49ers standout isn't as good against the run, but he is a much more toolsy pass rusher and has the production to show for it. Injuries have hampered Omenihu throughout his career, but he has a stellar 2023 season with the Chiefs in which he recorded seven sacks in just 11 games.
