The Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season. And while they’re still a top contender in the NFL, they’ll have to contend without some of the key cornerstones of the franchise over the past five years.
Including wide receiver Tyreek Hill and safety Tyraan Mathieu.
While Hill and Mathieu were undoubtedly the biggest losses, they weren’t the only ones. The Chiefs parted ways with numerous key veterans since last January.
Chiefs’ key offseason losses
- WR Tyreek Hill
- S Tyrann Mathieu
- CB Charvarius Ward
- WR Demarcus Robinson
- OLB Melvin Ingram
- ILB Anthony Hitchens
However, when one piece goes, another piece comes in to fill the space. And whether it have been through the NFL Draft, or free agency, Kansas City made a lot of key additions as well this season.
Chiefs’ key offseason additions
- WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
- WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
- S Justin Reid
- CB Trent McDuffie
- EDGE George Karlaftis
- WR Skyy Moore
The biggest name at wideout to replace the traded Hill is, of course, Smith-Schuster. JuJu had a dominant season with Pittsburgh in 2018 but struggled to repeat that same level of success afterward.
Defensively, Justin Reid is a solid player but isn’t nearly on the same elite level as the Honey Badger. First-round rookies George Karlaftis and Trent McDuffie are both very promising and will have large roles early on, as they look to boost the Chiefs defense, which has played second-fiddle to the high-octane offense for years.
The Chiefs’ defense especially will have their work cut out for them, as the AFC West from top-to-bottom is looking more dangerous and stacked than it has in a decade.
Despite that, it’s hard to bet against a team that’s been to the Super Bowl in two of the last three seasons, winning one. And with one of the greatest coaches of all-time in Andy Reid still at the helm, (and of course, having some guy at quarterback named Patrick Mahomes), the Chiefs will look to make it three Super Bowl appearances in four years in 2022.