After winning Super Bowl LVIII dramatically against the San Francisco 49ers, the Chiefs returned to the NFL’s biggest stage a year later, only to be crushed by the Philadelphia Eagles. The following year, they didn’t even make the playoffs. Now, questions are emerging about whether Patrick Mahomes’ dynasty has come to an end.
Last season, the Chiefs ranked 21st in the NFL in points per game, something that had never happened during Mahomes’ era. Kansas City missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and failed to win the AFC West for the first time since 2016, as the Denver Broncos took the division title.
It’s clear that the Chiefs have everything needed to return to the top, but the reality is that these are no longer the “old years.” The NFL is highly competitive today, starting with their division: the Chargers are favorites, the Broncos are the current AFC champions, and the Raiders have started building a formidable team.
The Chiefs have reinforced their roster with Kenneth Walker III, creating a noticeable impact in the betting markets
Kansas City has made a statement, and the signing will be made official at the start of free agency: they have signed Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to join Patrick Mahomes’ offense on a three-year, $45 million contract, with $28.7 million guaranteed. Last season, Walker exceeded 1,000 rushing yards with the Seattle Seahawks.
Walker’s arrival has had a significant impact for the Chiefs, who are now favorites to win the AFC West and are also the third-favorite AFC team to win the Super Bowl, with +1400 odds, trailing only the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills, according to DraftKings.
And there’s more: the Chiefs have two first-round picks in the upcoming draft, numbers 9 and 29, which could bring another weapon for Patrick Mahomes. There is talk of the spectacular Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate. This shows a clear commitment to giving Andy Reid and his staff a competitive team.
To top it off, the Chiefs also reached a one-year contract extension with tight end and future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce. It was clear that the Chiefs could not afford to waste another year of Patrick Mahomes, who is currently following a disciplined rehabilitation program and hopes to be ready by Week 1 after tearing his left knee ACL in December.
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