You might as well wrap the 2025 NFL free agency period and put a bow on it for the Kansas City Chiefs. Outside of a few minor moves that could come over the next few weeks, their free agency spending seems to have run its course after about six days. They've made plenty of new additions, but they've also taken their share of losses. So it goes in the league's free agency period.

The Chiefs' free-agent strategy is simple. Beyond keeping and acquiring good players, it is about getting the roster as close as possible to ready for Week 1 ahead of the draft. This way, they don't need to feel backed into a corner by any one specific need during the draft. It's how you reach for players instead of taking the best available player at a given pick. 

With eight picks in the 2025 NFL draft, what needs must the Chiefs still address, and where do each of them rank? Let's examine these questions.

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1. Defensive tackle is the Chiefs' most significant and obvious need

We've already written extensively about this position being the team's most significant need heading into the 2025 NFL draft. They missed out on making a big free agent addition there, and their only options to really improve at this point are via trade or the draft. 

After losing both Tershawn Wharton and Derrick Nnadi in free agency, the team needs two styles of players: a big, run-stuffing interior defender and someone a little more nimble. The team has seen the blueprint and what can come with having a dominant interior defensive line like the Philadelphia Eagles had in Super Bowl LIX, so finding someone to pair frequently with Chris Jones will help.

Given where they're picking in the draft and the depth of talent at interior defensive line positions, they'll probably address this need earlier rather than later. 

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2. Edge rusher isn't too far behind for Kansas City

Mike Danna and George Karlaftis have proven to be a solid duo for the Chiefs, but things are slightly bleak after that pair. Felix Anudike-Uzomah could step into a more prominent role as a rotational or starting rusher, but I don't think it's something to bank on. It's unclear what B.J. Thompson's status is after his cardiac arrest incident, which caused him to miss the entire 2025 NFL season. Beyond that, the only edge rusher under contract is Malik Herring. 

The Chiefs could make a few additions here in the draft, and it's not all about 2025. They'll have George Karlaftis's fifth-year option in 2026, but he will be looking for a long-term deal. It's unclear how things will go, given that a talented lot (Trent McDuffie, Bryan Cook, Leo Chenal, Josh Williams, Jaylen Watson, and Isiah Pacheco) from the 2022 NFL draft class will all be slated to hit free agency. Getting out ahead of that situation could strengthen their depth for 2025 and help them avoid problems in 2026. 

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3. Running back could use competitive depth

Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, and Elijah Mitchell are a good start to the 2025 running back room for Kansas City, but that's all it is: A start. 

When you think about how Brett Veach has talked about the running back room, there's a need for balancing a blend of high-end talent and depth. Injuries are frequent at the position, making sustaining an effective running game for a 17-week NFL season and a multi-week postseason challenging. Consider that everyone in the room outside of second-year FB Carson Steele is on a one-year deal, and there's some measure of need to find some long-term stability in the position group. It also just challenges the entire room to elevate their game when a team invests draft capital in a young player at the position. 

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4. Cornerback could still be a need even after the Chiefs signed Kristian Fulton

The Chiefs were racing with the New York Jets and Houston Texans to get their first-round draft picks from 2022 under a long-term contract extension. Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain just topped the market, but Derek Stingley Jr. just pushed things to $30M APY for the top-tier cornerbacks. Now, it's on the Jets and Chiefs to slightly top those numbers for Sauce Gardner and Trent McDuffie. 

Now, there are two ways to read that. It'll make it exceedingly difficult to keep a player like Jaylen Watson, or even perhaps Joshua Williams, opposite McDuffie in 2026. Conversely, paying McDuffie over $30M annually could keep him unsustainable for a budget-conscious Chiefs team. They could take that swing if they see a good player at the bottom of the first round. They could even target a developmental option they like in the middle-to-late rounds of the draft. They could use the depth now, but they'll certainly need it a year from now.

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5. Don't rule out more competition on the left side of the offensive line

Kansas City did go out and sign LT Jaylon Moore in free agency, but that won't necessarily preclude them from taking an offensive tackle in the draft. They need to keep firing there and see if they can't turn up a player with starting potential on the left side. Moore has 12 career starts and is a virtual unknown as a starter. Plus, they need depth at the position because they no longer have Joe Thuney as an emergency option. The question will be about whether they find themselves in a position to take a highly-touted prospect atop the draft or a developmental prospect in the mid-to-late rounds.

Speaking of Thuney, the Chiefs have plenty of competition at the vacated left guard spot. However, you can never have too much competition. Brett Veach should want to add another player to the mix, should the value make sense. It could raise the floor in the competition between Kingsley Suamataia, Mike Caliendo, and others vying for the role. 

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6. The Chiefs could use another deep safety to round out the room

If the Chiefs were to go into Week 1 with the group of players they have at defensive back, they'd probably be able to get by just fine. They've got some young ascending players like Chamarri Conner and Jaden Hicks, combined with some veterans who've been in the system in Bryan Cook and Deon Bush. Thinking long-term, Cook is slated to become a free agent in 2026 alongside several other key draft picks. It'd be wise to think about life without him in a year, potentially drafting a replacement for him to groom. 

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7. Wide receiver is only a need if the Chiefs are worried about the availability of their youngest players 

The Chiefs' wide receiver room could use an infusion of young talent, which is something we find ourselves saying every year. This year, in particular, it has more to do with the fact that we simply don't know what the availability of their top two players at the position will look like. Rashee Rice is coming off a serious knee injury and is facing a potential suspension from the NFL for last offseason's off-field incident. Xavier Worthy also has an off-field situation of his own that the league will monitor closely for violations of the NFL's personal conduct policy. I wouldn't rule out the Chiefs making an addition here, but I don't think they'll be pressed into an early addition. They could use depth to compete and raise the floor at the bottom of the room, knowing that Rice and Worthy will command targets when they're on the field.

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8. Tight end, linebacker, quarterback and everything else

The Chiefs' 90-man offseason roster is pretty set at these positions. If they decide to look ahead, they could invest in a future replacement for Travis Kelce, Leo Chenal, or Drue Tranquill. However, the right player and draft slot must all fall into place. I'm not sure it's a great year to look for a developmental backup quarterback behind Patrick Mahomes, nor do I think they really need it given the moves they've already made. Competition could come at the punter position, but don't expect that until after the draft. 

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