Kansas City Chiefs 2025 NFL Draft Winners and Losers: Josh Simmons, Jalen Royals could push veterans off the roster
The Kansas City Chiefs infused their roster with new, young talent during the 2025 NFL Draft. However, that can be bad news for a handful of Chiefs' veteran players. All seven of K.C.'s draft picks, plus 16 undrafted free agent signings will be coming in fresh and hungry to compete for roster spots. On the […]
The Kansas City Chiefs infused their roster with new, young talent during the 2025 NFL Draft.
However, that can be bad news for a handful of Chiefs' veteran players. All seven of K.C.'s draft picks, plus 16 undrafted free agent signings will be coming in fresh and hungry to compete for roster spots. On the flip side, some current Chiefs players will greatly benefit from the team's new additions.
Below we examine five losers and five winners among K.C.'s roster following this year's draft.
Winner: QB Patrick Mahomes
The last memory we have of Mahomes on the field is him running for his life before he can even complete his drop back to pass. That, and his receivers dropping his throws. However, Mahomes posted a simple emoji on X to show his approval of the selection of offensive tackle Josh Simmons in the first round.
If Simmons is as good as we hope he can be, he'll be protecting Mahomes' blindside for years to come. Mahomes is coming off a season in which he took the most sacks of his career. Simmons isn't the only Chiefs draft pick that will make Mahomes' life easier, as wide receiver Jalen Royals could make a big impact as a rookie. It's been a few years since Mahomes has had quality depth of pass catchers to work with.
Loser: OT Jawaan Taylor
Taylor has been a bit of a polarizing player during his two year stint in K.C. with his inconsistent pass protection and the amount of penalties he racks up. The selection of Simmons and free agent signing of Jaylon Moore has now put some heat on Taylor, especially since he is currently dealing with a knee injury.
The Chiefs can save $20 million by cutting Taylor after the 2025 season. Taylor is going to have to have a career year and play considerably better than Simmons or Moore if he wants to stick around in 2026. UDFAs Esa Pole and Dalton Cooper could also factor in if they impress.
Winner: DT Chris Jones
As usual, Jones was a beast last season, but it didn't come easy. The Chiefs' pass rush took a step back in 2024, and Jones faced constant double and triple teams against opposing offensive lines.
However, K.C. spent a second-round pick on defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott and a third-round pick on defensive end Ashton Gillotte. Both bring pass rushing prowess to the table, which should open things up more for Jones.
Loser: OT Wanya Morris
Morris is another OT who could be impacted negatively by the Simmons pick. As of now he is likely fourth on the depth chart behind Simmons, Moore, and Taylor.
If Taylor is healthy and can hold down the right side, there may not be much opportunity for Morris. Whoever loses the battle for the starting LT job will probably be the swing tackle over Morris.
Winner: DT Mike Pennel
Even though the Chiefs selected Norman-Lott, he's not a nose tackle type of player like Pennel is.
Pennel remains K.C.'s top DT behind Jones against the run, and should still see plenty of work on first and second downs. It would be pretty shocking to see the Chiefs move on from the veteran Pennel, espcially since he's on a affordable one-year deal.
Loser: LB Dru Tranquill
Tranquill has been great for K.C. during his two-year tenure, but will be 30-years-old by the start of the regular season. The Chiefs would save $6 million by cutting him after the 2025 season, putting some pressure on him to continue to perform.
Breathing down his neck will be fifth-round pick LB Jeffrey Bassa, who was probably K.C.'s most surprising selection of the draft. If Bassa impresses as a backup and special teams contributor, it would make it easy to move on from Tranquill in 2026.
Winner: CB Trent McDuffie
As one of the best cornerbacks in the entire league, McDuffie doesn't have to feel threatened by the selection of Nohl Williams in the third round.
In fact, Williams' arrival will allow McDuffie to be more versatile for the Chiefs' secondary, allowing him to play in the slot more and blitz the QB more frequently. K.C. appears to be in great shape at the CB position with McDuffie, Nohl, Jaylen Watson, and Kristian Fulton.
Loser: DE Mike Danna
Danna is yet another possible cut casualty after 2025, as the Chiefs can save $9 million by moving on from him. Gillotte should get his feet wet as a situational pass rusher and special teams contributor as a rookie, then could push for a starting job in 2026. If he impresses, K.C. could be tempted to get Danna off the books and invest elsewhere.
Winner: OL Kingsley Suamataia
The Chiefs did not select a guard during the draft, paving the way for Suamataia to earn the starting LG job. General manager Brett Veach hinted that Suamataia will get first crack, but he'll have to compete with veteran Mike Caliendo. Not having a rookie to also compete with will be a big plus for Suamataia as he looks to resurrect his career after failing at OT.
Loser: TE Jared Wiley
Wiley was a standout during Chiefs training camp last summer, and some believed he could unseat Noah Gray as the No. 2 TE and eventually replace Travis Kelce when he retires. Unfortunately for Wiley, his training camp success didn't translate to the regular season, then he tore his ACL in November.
One of the most intriguing UDFAs K.C. signed was Jake Briningstool, who some had ranked among the top five of all TEs in this year's draft class. If Briningstool stands out and Wiley is slow to bounce back, Wiley could quickly become yesterday's news.
Weighing the potential risks and rewards of Kansas City Chiefs 2025 first-round pick Josh Simmons
Looking at both sides of the coin.
