The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off a crushing Super Bowl LIX defeat. With hopes of a three-peat dashed, the organization now heads into a pivotal offseason that will play a large part in determining its competitive future.

While several core players remain under contract for 2025, there are some big names set to hit the open market when free agency opens. Kansas City won't be able to afford new deals for each of its impending free agents, opening the door for some change around Arrowhead.

With that in mind, let's look at some of the biggest offseason decisions the Chiefs will be facing in the coming months:

Offensive Line Options After Trey Smith's Free Agency Departure

Trey Smith has been a key factor in Kansas City's offensive line dominance over the last four years. The sixth-round gem immediately slotted in as the team's starting right guard as a rookie and went on to start 79 of 80 games since—becoming one of the Chiefs' most consistent players across three consecutive Super Bowl runs.

While the trio of Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey and Smith have long been a force together, the group appears to be trending toward a split with Smith on the verge of signing a massive contract during his first foray into free agency.

Spotrac estimates Smith will make around $20 million per year on his next deal. Considering he's the top interior offensive lineman and No. 2 overall player on Bleacher Report's free-agent big board, it wouldn't be a shock if he breaks Landon Dickerson's record of $21 million annually and becomes the NFL's highest paid guard.

That type of deal will be close to impossible for the cash-strapped Chiefs to match. With teams like the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings already being linked to Smith, it seems there will no shortage of suitors putting in strong offers for his services.

Kansas City should have a contingency plan in place for this inevitable departure. The team may opt to promote current in-house options such as Mike Caliendo or Hunter Nourzad into a more prominent role.

The plan could also involve signing a more cost-conscious veteran such as Kevin Zeitler, who is coming off an impressive age-34 season with the Detroit Lions and is set to hit the open market for the second straight year, or dipping back into the draft to find another late-round steal like Smith was in 2021.

Regardless, the Chiefs should be more focused on spending big at left tackle after their offensive line was exposed in Super Bowl LIX. Finding a way to be a bit frugal with Smith's replacement will free up some dollars to improve the bookend protection.

Stabilizing Wide Receiver Room

The Chiefs have managed to thrive despite a lack of stability within their receiving corps. Since the departure of Tyreek Hill following the 2021 season, three different wideouts have led the position in receiving yardage.

With Travis Kelce—the team's top-producing pass-catcher in each of the past three seasons—coming off his worst statistical campaign since becoming a starter in his second year, the Chiefs can't continue planning around the aging tight generating the bulk of their passing offense.

Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice are Kansas City's only notable wideouts currently under contract for the 2025 season. Worthy had an impressive rookie campaign and will continue to be a big part of the team's plans going forward. Rice had an excellent rookie season in 2023, but injuries and legal troubles have his status for next season up in the air.

The two veterans that the Chiefs brought in for 2024 were a mixed bag. Marquise Brown has been a fantastic fit when healthy, but he was only available for two regular-season games and the team's Super Bowl run. It remains to be seen if the team can bring him back on another "prove-it" type deal for next season or if another club will make an offer that effectively prices Kansas City out.

DeAndre Hopkins has also generally been a boon since making his Chiefs debut in Week 7. Trading for the five-time Pro Bowler provided Mahomes with the outside receiver the team had been lacking, but Hopkins put up a relatively modest 41-catch, 437-yard, four-touchdown stat line during his 10 regular-season games in Kansas City and was even quieter during the playoffs.

With a market value of over $15 million, Hopkins may be tough to fit onto the books unless he's willing to give his incumbent team a deal in exchange for a chance to continue competing for championships after coming up just short of winning his first Super Bowl ring.

The Chiefs should try to keep at least one of their two proven pass-catchers this offseason, but it remains to be seen if that will be enough to stabilize what has been a revolving door of receivers filtering in and out of Kansas City in recent years.

Identifying Travis Kelce's Heir

It's no secret that Travis Kelce has regressed in recent years. He's no longer the clear-cut No. 1 tight end in the league and can't be relied on for week-in and week-out production the same way he could earlier in his storied career.

With a multitude of successful, high-profile business ventures off the field, it's possible Kelce opts to join his brother Jason in retirement and calls it a career in wake of an ugly Super Bowl LIX defeat. Even if Kelce does officially elect to return—he remains under contract through next season—the Chiefs shouldn't wait another year to find his eventual replacement.

The team has a potential in-house option in Noah Gray, who earned a three-year contract extension back in September. Gray went on to have a career-best campaign, recording 40 catches for 437 yards and five touchdowns while playing 58 percent of Kansas City's offensive snaps.

While Gray is certainly solid, he'll be heading into his fifth NFL season and has a far lower ceiling as a pass-catcher than Kelce. He's not the type of tight end who can carry an offense for years on end and is better in a supporting role.

Jared Wiley, an intriguing fourth-round pick who had his rookie year cut short with injury, is another potential Kelce replacement currently on the roster. Wiley logged 20 percent of the offensive snaps over the first 12 games but caught just one pass for seven yards in those contests. He has the size (6'6", 249 pounds) and athleticism to be a bigger contributor, but it remains to be seen if the 24-year-old will live up to the hype.

With a noticeable dearth of pass-catching tight ends set to hit the open market—there's not a single player at the position to be found on the Bleacher Report's top-50 list of impending free agents—the Chiefs may want to consider taking another mid- to late-round flier on the position in the upcoming draft.

Kelce himself was a third-round selection and it wouldn't be a shock if the position's next great also comes off the board on Day 2. With six tight ends ranking inside the top 55 of the B/R Scouting Department's latest big board, 2025 is shaping up to be a good year to target tight ends in the middle rounds.

Choosing Where to Use Pivotal NFL Draft Picks

The Chiefs may have just six picks in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft but four of them fall within the top 100 and only one is set to come after the fourth round. These are shaping up to be franchise-altering selections, prospects who either immediately contribute to future Super Bowl runs or hinder the club's ability to remain a dynasty if they don't pan out.

Some areas of the roster should be easier to fix up than others this offseason. The secondary has been patched together throughout Kansas City's run of success and that should continue in 2025 following the likely departure of veteran safety Justin Reid. Whether the Chiefs dip into the free-agent pool or go with a rookie replacement, it's hard to imagine the secondary collapsing after so many consistent campaigns.

Other areas won't be as easy to fix. The offensive line clearly needs some major work after giving up endless waves of pressure in Super Bowl LIX.

Kansas City can't afford to whiff on a guard if Trey Smith walks. With a relative lack of inspiring free-agent replacements up for grabs, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach will need to ensure at least one of the team's six picks can fill the void left by Smith's potential departure.

Nick Bolton is also looking expendable after a rough performance in the Super Bowl that included being flagged for a late hit penalty that extended a key early drive for the Eagles.

While the linebacker has made some immense contributions to Kansas City's defense during his four seasons, Pro Football Focus only rated the 24-year-old as league average in 2024. Considering Bolton is likely to garner offers in the $12 million per year range, the Chiefs can save significant cap space by drafting an elite linebacker prospect on Day 2 of the upcoming draft.

Depending on what approach Kansas City's brass takes toward the numerous members of the receiving corps hitting free agency, the team may also need to utilize a relatively early pick to provide Patrick Mahomes with another weapon. The team did well to land Xavier Worthy on Day 1 of the 2024 draft, but questions about Rashee Rice's availability in 2025 and the potential departures of both Marquise Brown and DeAndre Hopkins could lead the club to take another serious look at pass-catching playmakers.

Regardless of which positions they ultimately choose to address and their strategies to maneuver up and down the draft board, the Chiefs' future success will heavily hinge on the young players they come away with in the 2025 draft.