Sportsvival is already full force into scouting the 2026 NFL Draft, and Kansas City feels like one of the more fascinating teams in the league right now. The Chiefs have not sat still this offseason. They have retooled major pieces of the roster, added draft capital, and clearly put themselves in position to attack the board aggressively. With the extra first-rounder acquired from the Rams, this is a team that can come away from Round 1 with both a dynamic offensive weapon and a major defensive fix.
Chiefs offseason signings and returns
Kansas City’s most notable additions and returns so far include RB Kenneth Walker, DT Khyiris Tonga, S Alohi Gilman, CB Kader Kohou, RB Emari Demercado, QB Justin Fields, and CB Kaiir Elam. The Chiefs also brought back TE Travis Kelce, WR Tyquan Thornton, LB Jack Cochrane, and LS James Winchester. It is a real mix of upside swings, depth help, and veteran stability, and it shows a front office trying to reload quickly rather than start over.
Chiefs offseason departures
The turnover has been heavy. Kansas City moved on from CB Trent McDuffie in a trade to the Rams, and the secondary also lost CB Jaylen Watson, CB Joshua Williams, and S Bryan Cook. On offense, the Chiefs lost RB Isiah Pacheco, RB Dameon Pierce, WR Marquise Brown, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, and OT Jawaan Taylor. Up front and at linebacker, they also lost EDGE Charles Omenihu, DL Derrick Nnadi, DL Jerry Tillery, LB Leo Chenal, and released Mike Danna. That is a lot of experience and a lot of snaps walking out the door.
Top 3 Chiefs needs
1. Cornerback
Sportsvival sees corner as the biggest issue on the roster. Losing McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, and Joshua Williams in one offseason is a serious hit, even with Kohou and Elam added to the room. Kansas City needed a high-end answer here, and that is a huge reason the No. 29 pick matters so much.
2. Offensive tackle
Jawaan Taylor’s release left tackle as one of the clearest pressure points on the roster. Even if the Chiefs patch the room together, this still feels like a spot that needs long-term investment for a team trying to keep Patrick Mahomes upright and get the offense back to full speed.
3. Defensive line depth
Khyiris Tonga helps, but the Chiefs still lost Mike Danna, Derrick Nnadi, Jerry Tillery, and Charles Omenihu. Sportsvival sees this as a unit that still needs more bodies, more juice, and more rotational answers heading into the middle rounds.
Chiefs first-round picks
No. 9: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Even after adding Kenneth Walker, the Chiefs taking Jeremiyah Love at No. 9 would be a major statement. Love is the kind of explosive talent who changes how a defense has to play Kansas City. Sportsvival likes the idea of pairing another true home-run threat with Mahomes and letting the offense become dangerous in space again. This is not just a luxury pick. It is a pick built around restoring elite explosiveness.
No. 29: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
The extra first-rounder at No. 29 came from the McDuffie trade, and using it on Avieon Terrell makes a ton of sense. Terrell gives Kansas City a needed injection of young talent at corner after all of the departures in the secondary. Sportsvival likes this fit because it gives the Chiefs a chance to walk out of Round 1 with one premium playmaker on offense and one premium answer on defense.
Final take
This feels like a very Chiefs-type reset without being a rebuild. Kansas City added free-agent help, picked up extra draft capital, and now in this Sportsvival projection lands Jeremiyah Love at No. 9 and Avieon Terrell at No. 29. That would give the Chiefs more explosion, more youth, and a much better chance to stabilize a roster that took some real offseason hits. If Kansas City can still attack tackle and defensive line on Day 2, this team could come out of the 2026 draft in a much healthier spot than it entered.