Nov 29, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (8) reacts after dropping a pass against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images
The Kansas City Chiefs are back in the Super Bowl and the Feb. 9 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles could be a cause for celebration. With Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and a cast of familiar faces, the Chiefs’ fifth trip to the Super Bowl in the past six years features some names that are synonymous with Kansas City’s rise to become the NFL’s newest dynasty.
Unfortunately, while some Chiefs will be on the roster for years to come, other players could be playing their last game with the team.
With $11.5 million in salary cap room and a roster that could use some improvements, the Chiefs will have to make some difficult decisions while also trimming some of the players who may no longer have a role on the team. In this article, we’ll look at six players who could be playing their last games and what their future looks like if they leave Kansas City this spring.
1. DeAndre Hopkins, WR
The Chiefs’ wide receiver situation is one that could use some improvement heading into next season. Xavier Worthy has had a strong rookie season but severe injuries to Skyy Moore and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown forced the Chiefs to search for reinforcements ahead of last November’s trade deadline.
The Chiefs appeared fortunate to acquire DeAndre Hopkins from the Tennessee Titans but the five-time Pro Bowler didn’t have the impact that many expected. In 10 games with the Chiefs, the 32-year-old has just 41 catches for 437 yards and four touchdowns and hasn’t cleared 40 yards since catching four passes for 90 yards in a Nov. 29 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Hopkins believed there was another act to his career after signing a two-year, $26 million contract with the Tennessee Titans ahead of the 2023 season and he backed it up with 1,057 yards and seven touchdown catches in his first year in Nashville. But this season has been more of the norm recently as the Clemson product has averaged 739 yards over the past four seasons.
A potential Hall of Famer, Hopkins is 16 catches shy of 1,000 for his career and has 12,965 receiving yards and 83 touchdown catches over his 12-year career. But even if a team is looking for a veteran receiver, it appears he’s running out of gas, which should lead the Chiefs to move on this offseason.
2. Nazeeh Johnson, CB
The Chiefs made a bold decision by trading L’Jarius Sneed to the Titans last offseason and the biggest question was how the secondary would perform without him. Trent McDuffie has continued to develop into Kansas City’s top cornerback but the plan was thrown into disarray when Jaylen Watson suffered a season-ending injury.
This threw Nazeeh Johnson into the starting lineup and things went downhill from there. Johnson was the Chiefs’ worst cornerback this season, posting a 52.7 coverage grade according to Pro Football Focus. The 26-year-old also struggled in traditional measures, allowing a 62.7 percent completion rate, a 108.0 passer rating and 1.39 yards per coverage snap.
The low point of Johnson’s season came on the Black Friday win over the Raiders when Johnson allowed a deep gain to Jakobi Meyers. After being benched in favor of Keith Taylor and Joshua Williams, Johnson saw his snaps decline in a win over the Los Angeles Chargers the following week before replacing an injured Chamarri Conner in Week 16.
While Johnson is making a modest salary, there’s no way the Chiefs will bring him back even in a reserve role. It could lead Johnson to battle for a job somewhere next season but it definitely won’t be in Kansas City.
3. Mike Pennel, DT
Pennel is in his second tour with the Chiefs and has performed admirably in a depth role along the defensive line. But with his contract expiring, Pennel could look to gain one final contract to capitalize on what has been a pleasant surprise.
Pennel played with the Chiefs in the 2019 and 2020 seasons but has been used primarily as a reserve. In an 11-year career that began with the Green Bay Packers in 2014, Pennel had just two sacks coming into this season and spent most of last year on the practice squad before collecting six tackles in a Super Bowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Pennel backed it up by posting 25 tackles and a career-high three sacks while starting seven games this season.
The Chiefs could opt to bring Pennel back but it may not be their decision. While Pennel’s told Chiefs insider Peter Sweeney that he wants to end his career in Kansas City, that time could be sooner or later as he approaches his age-34 season. With the possibility that the Chiefs want to find a younger option for depth, Penel’s departure feels like a realistic scenario – especially if the Topeka native wins another Super Bowl ring.
4. D.J. Humphries, LT
Another gamble the Chiefs took last offseason was allowing rookie Kingsley Suamataia and second-year man Wanya Morris to battle for the left tackle during training camp. While Suamataia won the job, he struggled mightily, allowing five quarterback pressures and a 42.0 pass-blocking grade.
The left tackle position has been in flux ever since. While Morris took over he allowed 14 pressures with a 53.8 pass blocking grade over the next five games and prompted the Chiefs to sign D.J. Humphries in November.
The Humphries signing was designed to add a veteran to Mahomes’s blind side but it hasn’t worked out that way. In two games, Humphries allowed a 44.8 overall grade and a 30.5 grade in pass protection before he was inactive for Kansas City’s Christmas Day win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Chiefs finally found an answer by moving Joe Thuney to left tackle but that will be bad news for Humphries. After a few injury-plagued seasons, Humphries will be looking for a new job next year and may need to compete for a job in training camp.
5. Marquise Brown, WR
Before the Chiefs traded for Hopkins, Marquise Brown was supposed to be Kansas City’s answer at the receiver position. One of the fastest players in the NFL, Brown had the speed to fill the void that Tyreek Hill left behind a few years ago and could connect on some deep shots from the arm of Mahomes.
Unfortunately, Brown suffered a clavicle injury on the first play of a preseason game. While he attempted to return, it was too much to overcome and Brown spent most of the year on injured reserve before returning in a Dec. 21 victory over the Houston Texans.
Brown’s presence has helped the Chiefs add a deep threat to the offense but the production hasn’t followed. While Brown has 12 catches in four games, he has yet to top 50 yards in a game and was shut out on two targets in Kansas City’s Divisional Round victory over the Texans.
This could be a matter of defenses knowing what Brown could do if they leave him open. But it could also be a relationship that hasn’t clicked in an effort to revive Brown’s career. With just one career 1,000-yard season, Brown could try again with the Chiefs in 2025 but it’s looking likely he could hit the market again to find a better fit.
6. Trey Smith – RG
Smith was brought in as part of the Chiefs’ overhaul on the offensive line following the loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV. While Smith was considered an offensive tackle prospect entering the 2021 draft, Kansas City moved him to guard and watched him become one of the top players in the NFL.
Smith has posted an offensive grade over 70 in all four seasons with the Chiefs and his run-blocking grade has been over 75 in three of those seasons. While Smith has had double-digit penalties in three of those seasons, it won’t stop desperate teams from throwing the bag at him in free agency.
The pursuit of Smith has already begun and teams like the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings could come calling with a massive amount of cash. While Kansas City would love to have him back, Smith’s price could go through the roof and leave the Chiefs searching for a new guard next season.