Chiefs already lost first AFC West battle before Week 1

Chiefs lost – Kansas City enters an offseason-turned-unknown after missing the playoffs for the first time since Patrick Mahomes took over. Fans and analysts argue the Chiefs weren’t the division’s biggest winners—especially as Rashee Rice’s off-field troubles and knee inju

For the first time since Patrick Mahomes took over the offense, the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t make the playoffs. It wasn’t just a season that ended early—it was the kind of pause that makes every fan and every rival look up and ask a new question: Has the league finally caught up?

Andy Reid’s team is walking into Week 1 in a division that feels different. The Chiefs aren’t being treated like the default threat in the AFC West anymore. Their divisional rivals have taken major steps forward either last year or this offseason. turning the old balance of power into something less familiar—and more difficult to navigate.

On top of that. the offseason moves that are supposed to repair a roster didn’t land the same way for Kansas City as they did for the rest of the division. Cody Williams of FanSided graded general manager Brett Veach’s work with a ‘B’ for the past couple of months. Williams praised the addition of Kenneth Walker III. but pointed directly at a weak spot that won’t go away: the lack of insurance behind Rashee Rice.

Williams wrote: “Despite drafting some explosive athletes. the Kansas City Chiefs clearly recognized the need to add more of that element this offseason. While it’s expensive. that’s why I love the Kenneth Walker signing more than some. ” before adding that Rice’s ongoing off-field troubles make you “wonder how Brett Veach didn’t do more to add to the receiving corps this offseason.”.

The worry isn’t theoretical. The Chiefs’ faith in Rashee Rice became a problem last season when they didn’t pursue a big-name pass catcher. and the same uncertainty follows them into this offseason. There are no guarantees that Rice will make a full recovery from his knee injury now that he’ll be in jail for a month. Even if he returns fully. there’s still the possibility of suspension—or more trouble that could keep him from being the steady piece Kansas City needs.

That’s the center of the concern: the Chiefs can’t build a full plan around a player they may not be able to count on for a full season. And when the receiving corps is questioned, it doesn’t just change a depth chart. It changes how every game is approached—how much risk a quarterback is asked to carry. and how quickly an offense can adjust when a target isn’t available.

The roster questions aren’t limited to Rice. The Chiefs didn’t replace Jawaan Taylor. Their running back depth behind Kenneth Walker III is also described as “rather suspect,” leaving Kansas City with another area where depth rather than star power could end up deciding late games.

While Kansas City is dealing with its own gaps, the AFC West appears to be tightening everywhere else. Las Vegas and the Los Angeles Chargers both received an ‘A’, while the Denver Broncos were given a ‘B+’. The point lands because it frames the division like a standings race rather than a team-by-team rebuild—everybody else improved. and Kansas City still has to prove it can keep up.

There’s also a practical limit to what grades and projections can show. “Projections only work on paper,” the piece says, and the real answer won’t arrive until the end of the regular season.

Still. it’s hard to ignore the counterweight that fans keep returning to: the Chiefs have been written off before. and they’ve answered. For all the talk about a dynasty being past its best. the team has risen again—and Mahomes remains the “best quarterback in the game.” After the heartbreak of watching the playoffs from home for the first time in his career. Kansas City still has a quarterback who knows how to turn desperation into urgency.

The question now isn’t whether the Chiefs can win in individual moments. It’s whether their offseason plan leaves them exposed early—before Week 1 even fully arrives—and whether the AFC West moves faster than the offense can recalibrate.

Kansas City Chiefs Andy Reid Patrick Mahomes AFC West Rashee Rice Brett Veach Kenneth Walker III Cody Williams FanSided Jawaan Taylor AFC West grades