The Kansas City Chiefs are taking a bit of a different approach to free agency this year. In years past, they’ve prioritized extending their own pending free agents to keep continuity from a championship roster. After a disappointing 6-11 season, they’re going to look to add outside players to the roster to get the team back to that caliber and standard.

“The last few years, we were in a maintenance stage, and now we’re trying to rebuild this thing again,” Chiefs GM Brett Veach told reporters at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.

While big-name free agent signings will certainly be a part of that process, winning on the margins by finding the underrated additions to make during free agency is the way this team can really help itself. With that in mind, here’s a look at nine pending free agents who could turn out to be the hidden gems that Kansas City needs to get the team to Super Bowl LXI.

9 hidden gems for Chiefs in 2026 NFL free agency

Packers TE John FitzPatrick

One of the Chiefs’ most underrated needs for 2026 is to find themselves a blocking tight end. Maybe that takes shape in the draft with the return of an H-Back or fullback-type player to the offense. If not via the draft, FitzPatrick could be a solution. He only has 14 career receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown, but the 6-foot-7 and 262-pound tight end is just 26 years old. He was one of PFF’s most positively graded run and pass blockers at the tight end position in 2025.

Vikings WR Jalen Nailor

If the Chiefs cannot get a Romeo Doubs type in free agency, Nailor might turn out to be the next-best-thing. He has appeared in 35 games with 60 catches, 891 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns over the past two seasons with the Vikings. He had his best year in 2025 despite inconsistent play at quarterback in Minnesota. He consistently gets open against man coverage, with inside/outside flexibility, and he’s a valuable special teams coverage guy.

Panthers DE D.J. Wonnum

The Chiefs need to improve their pass-rush rotation, and Wonnum could be a solution. He’s listed at 6-foot-5 and 258 pounds, boasting plenty of length and bend as a pass rusher. The 28-year-old started 16 total games for the Panthers in 2025, the most in a single NFL season in his career. He recorded 47 total tackles, 22 run stops, four tackles for loss, three sacks, 29 pressures, one fumble recovery, five balls batted, and one interception on the season. He has 30 career sacks over six seasons in the NFL, including two seasons with eight sacks each with the Minnesota Vikings.

Lions DT Roy Lopez

This is not a great free agent class for the interior defensive line, but Lopez feels like he could be one of the players to surprise out of the group. He didn’t start any games in Detroit last season, but as a rotational piece, he managed 14 run stops, one pass batted, four tackles for loss, and two sacks on 425 defensive snaps. He’s got a low center of gravity at 6-foot-2 and 312 pounds and could be an upgrade over Derrick Nnadi.

Giants LB Micah McFadden

McFadden was injured in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, suffering a foot injury that would require Lisfranc surgery. In the two seasons prior, he started 28 total games, with back-to-back seasons over 100 total tackles. During that span, the 6-foot-2 and 232-pound linebacker also had four sacks, five fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, six passes defended, and one interception. He could make sense as a one-year prove-it deal stopgap for the Chiefs to hold them over should they move on from Leo Chenal and cut Tranquill.

Jets S Tony Adams

A former undrafted free agent out of Illinois, the 27-year-old Adams has been a bright spot for the New York Jets since taking over as a starter in 2023. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 203 pounds, Adams appeared in 53 regular-season games, with 36 starts, recording 232 total tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, four interceptions, and 10 passes defended. He’s never played in a playoff game before and feels like someone who could really take the next step in his NFL career playing for a team like the Chiefs.

Dolphins RT Larry Borom

If the Chiefs decide to go out and invest in the right tackle position again after moving on from Jawaan Taylor, Borom makes a lot of sense. He played college football at Mizzou and was a teammate of Nick Bolton. He allowed just two sacks and 15 total pressures on 404 pass-blocking snaps for the Dolphins in 2025, per Pro Football Focus. He’s not the best run-blocker despite his 6-foot-5 and 333-pound frame, but pairing him with Trey Smith has a lot of appeal for combo blocks and the like.

49ers RB Brian Robinson Jr.

If the Chiefs double-dip at the running back position outside of their own free agent pool, Robinson Jr. could be someone on their radar. He played for Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy with the Washington Commanders in 2023 and had the best season in his career with 1,100 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns on 214 touches. The 6-foot-1 and 225-pound running back is just 26 years old and could be a really solid piece in a 1-2 punch in a new-look backfield for Kansas City.

Chargers QB Trey Lance

The Chiefs signed Jake Haener to a reserve/future deal, but they could use more competition at the backup quarterback position. Lance’s career hasn’t exactly gone according to plan, but he’s still just 25 years old. He’s only appeared in 16 games with six career starts, boasting a 2-4 overall record in those starts. The opportunity to learn from Andy Reid and start in Kansas City, should Patrick Mahomes not be ready to play in Week 1, should be appealing to him. Lance has previously trained with Mahomes during the offseason. Mahomes and Lance both work with the same private QB coach, Jeff Christensen, of “Throw It Deep.”

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