It will take a lot to topple the two-time remaining Super Bowl champion Chiefs. And even after free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft, most experts still rank Kansas City as the best team in the league ahead of scheduled offseason activities and camps.
The Chiefs didn't change too much of the roster this offseason. They spent a lot of money re-signing their own players, such as defensive tackle Chris Jones, edge rusher Mike Danna, linebacker Drue Tranquill and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. KC also gave tight end Travis Kelce and head coach Andy Reid new contracts.
The biggest loss, though, was cornerback L'Jarius Sneed. KC shipped him to the Titans.
As for new additions, the Chiefs brought in dynamic wideout Marquise Brown as well as tight end Irv Smith Jr. in free agency before drafting another speedy wide receiver in Xavier Worthy, offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia and tight end Jared Wiley with their first three picks.
CHIEFS 2024 NFL DRAFT: Expert grades | Superlatives
So with free agency and the draft behind them and the rest of the NFL, how do the Chiefs stack up against their competition for their quest for a threepeat? I looked at 10 expert power rankings following the 2024 NFL Draft to build an aggregate rank for the Chiefs.
Here are how 10 experts rank the Chiefs after the Draft and head of the 2024 NFL season.
Chiefs remain atop most post-2024 NFL Draft power rankings
Unsurprisingly, all 10 of the expert power rankings kept the Chiefs at the No. 1 spot. The key points are that Kansas City retained most of their core players and upgraded with some pieces in the draft and free agency. Reading between the lines, though, is the idea that the rest of the NFL didn't do enough on paper to knock the Chiefs down a peg or two.
That could all change once the teams start to hit the field, though.
Here's what the 10 experts had to say about the Chiefs following the 2024 NFL Draft:
Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News: 1
The Chiefs keep getting it done by retaining their most important pieces and knowing where they need to tweak, keeping Patrick Mahomes most in mind. Getting two speed wide receivers in Marquise Brown and first-round rookie Xavier Worthy is huge. They also addressed offensive line and worked again on restocking the defense and depth. Kansas City remains the team to beat.
Steve Serby, The New York Post: 1
Patrick Mahomes has a new 4.21 toy in Fastest Man WR Xavier Worthy (and deep threat Hollywood Brown) as insurance for a likely Rashee Rice suspension. Just because brother Jason retired doesn’t mean TE Travis Kelce will want to exclusively chase Taylor Swift around the globe. Andy Reid drafted second-rounder Kingsley Suamataia because LT is a concern.
Connor Orr, Sports Illustrated: 1
It’s funny how the conversation has shifted from the Chiefs staving off some kind of decline to a sort of inevitability that they will reach a third consecutive Super Bowl. Despite picking late each year, general manager Brett Veach has done a great job of finding quality starters, be it DE George Karlaftis from a few years back, or WR Xavier Worthy this year. The Chiefs have now sidled up next to the Miami Dolphins in terms of best linear speed wide receiver tandems in the NFL. And OT Kingsley Suamataia could most certainly develop into a quality starter with time and seasoning.
Nate Davis, USA Today Sports: 1
They got the tackle prospect (Kingsley Suamataia) they needed in Round 2. They got the hyperlight receiver (Xavier Worthy), who's a bit of a terrifying luxury (a likely suspension to WR Rashee Rice notwithstanding) in Round 1. And knowing HC Andy Reid and GM Brett Veach, another notable move or two could still be in the offing for a team taking aim at the first-ever Super Bowl three-peat.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: 1
As long as Mahomes is slinging it around, they will be the favorite. The big move of the offseason was making sure Chris Jones was happy and paid.
David Helman, FOX Sports: 1
Pretty easy call to keep the reigning champs right where they left off. The Chiefs pulled off a repeat with the least-explosive offense of the Patrick Mahomes Era, but they've fixed that issue. We'll see how Rashee Rice's legal situation pans out, but the additions of Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy should help bring the fireworks back to Kansas City. It hurts to lose L'Jarius Sneed, but retaining Chris Jones helps offset that loss. The Chiefs have a real-deal shot at an unprecedented three-peat.
Gary Davenport, Maurice Moton and Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report: 1
In three of the past five seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. By just about any objective measure, the Patrick Mahomes/Andy Reid Chiefs are a dynasty.
That the Chiefs were able to win a second straight championship last year is all the more impressive given that Kansas City's vertical passing game was all but nonexistent. The Chiefs averaged 6.9 yards per attempt last year, which was tied for 19th in the league.
Naturally, the wide receiver who just ran the fastest 40-yard dash in combine history fell into Kansas City's lap in Round 1 of the 2024 draft.
Even if Worthy is a slow learner who takes time to acclimate to the NFL, the Chiefs are still the favorites to win Super Bowl LIX. But if Worthy takes off and makes a big first-year dent? The Chiefs offense will be all but unstoppable.
Josh Kendall, The Athletic: 1
The Chiefs have managed to muddle through just fine in the two seasons since trading Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins. In fact, they’ve won two Super Bowls. Still, they seem to have decided a three-peat might be easier with another jet-pack wide receiver. That’s why they traded up for Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who ran the fastest 40-yard dash in NFL combine history (4.21).
The Score: 1
Chiefs fans should feel great about the team's two trades early in the draft. K.C. added this year's fastest receiver in Xavier Worthy (after having already signed speedster Marquise Brown) and addressed its need at offensive tackle by selecting Kingsley Suamataia in Round 2.
Eric Edholm, NFL.com: 1
When Xavier Worthy blazed a record-setting 4.21-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, there was a slew of "Worthy to the Chiefs!" tweets. And what do you know? The NFL let it happen. Worthy, to me, is DeSean Jackson 2.0. I was hoping that the Chiefs would supplement what they added with the Hollywood Brown signing, and they've done just that with the Worthy pick, even if there is some overlap in the two receivers' games. That's fine. Is anyone -- beyond Chiefs opponents -- really grumbling about another deep threat being gifted to Patrick Mahomes? Kansas City also checked off two more boxes by bolstering the O-line and secondary. I have no good reason to drop the defending Super Bowl champions from the top spot.
