Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs here selected Oregon LB Jeffrey Bassa with the No. 156 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Jeffrey Bassa is a solid modern-day linebacker who has the potential to become a complete player at the next level. He has some experience as a defensive back, which shows in his athletic ability and coverage skills. Also, he has a good frame and a physical demeanor to grow as a run defender.

In coverage, Bassa's speed and fluid hips stand out the most. He can turn and run to help take away post routes when playing Tampa-2 or carry running backs and tight ends on vertical routes. Additionally, he doesn't take the cheese in zone coverage, is good at reading the quarterback's eyes and has the movement skills to tighten throwing windows.

Against the run, the former Duck is physical, takes on blocks with hands and is decent at escaping to help make plays. However, he needs to do a better job of getting on an edge versus offensive linemen instead of taking them on square, and his lack of lower body strength will lead to him conceding ground against stronger linemen.

Bassa's instincts as a run defender are a work in progress, too, as he'll occasionally get caught guessing. But he's shown a high football IQ and can be an every-down contributor with more experience and some time in the weight room. Overall, he can become a starter by his second season in the NFL and could be a good fit as a SAM linebacker.

MEASUREMENTS AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'1"

WEIGHT: 232

HAND: 9⅝"

ARM: 31⅝"

WINGSPAN: 78¾”

40-YARD DASH: 4.63

3-CONE: 7.34

VERTICAL: 38.5"

BROAD: 9'10"

POSITIVES

— Solid size and has room for growth on his frame to add weight.

— Decent eye discipline in zone coverage to locate threats coming into his area, reads the quarterback's eyes well to anticipate throws.

— Fluid hips to turn and run in Tampa-2 or man coverage and has the speed to carry running backs and tight ends on vertical routes.

— Uses hands well in coverage to help force re-routes in zone and stay in phase in man coverage.

— Against the run, he's physical and takes on blocks with his hands.

— Solid at getting off blocks, showing a decent ability to get extension, a nice rip move to escape and the potential to improve when stacking and shedding with added strength.

— Sure tackler, uses good pad level and wraps up.

NEGATIVES

— Especially against zone runs, he can be a little slow to key and diagnose and ends up being late to the spot.

— He looks unsure of when to crash downhill against zone runs, his instincts as a run defender are a work in progress.

— Likes to take on blocks square instead of getting on an edge.

— Lacks some lower body strength to hold his ground against strong offensive linemen in the running game and stay in phase against tight ends who are physical at the top of the route.

— Has a slight hitch when changing directions, allowing separation against shiftier route-runners and impacting his ability to close in coverage.

— In zone coverage, he will get caught staring in the backfield as the middle hook defender and manipulated out of his area by quarterbacks.

NOTES

— Born Sep. 20, 2002

— A 4-star recruit in the 2021 class, per 247Sports

— Injuries: 2024 (Rolled Ankle, was limited but didn't miss any games)

— 2023: Second Team All-Pac 12

— 2024: Honorable Mention All-Big 10

GRADE: 7.5 (Potential Impact Player — 2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 62

POSITION RANK: LB3

PRO COMPARISON: Bobby Okereke

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

The Kansas City Chiefs have asked the NFL to become a fixture on Christmas Day, per Nate Taylor and Daniel Popper of The Athletic.

"When it comes to domestic stand-alone games, the Chiefs have requested that the NFL make them a fixture on Christmas Day, according to a league source. The Chiefs, who have played on Christmas Day the past two seasons, want to be a staple on that holiday, similar to the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day," they noted.

"This year, the NFL will have three games on Christmas Day, the first two streaming on Netflix and the third as part of Amazon Prime's 'Thursday Night Football' package (the holiday falls on a Thursday), an industry source confirmed Tuesday. The news was first reported by John Ourand of Puck."

The Chiefs have played on Christmas Day each of the past two seasons. In 2023, they lost 20-14 at home to the Las Vegas Raiders. In 2024, Kansas City went on the road and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 29-10.

The NFL has played on Christmas Day each of the past five seasons. The league played sporadically on the holiday before then.

It's clear the league wants to continue its Christmas Day presence, no matter when it falls during the week. Last year, December 25 notably fell on a Wednesday, but the league made concessions by having the four teams involved (Chiefs, Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans) play on Saturday, giving them one extra day of rest before the holiday matchups.

Now the league is going back to Christmas Day games again, this time with three matchups (as it did in 2022 and 2023).

The NFL probably wouldn't mind the Chiefs being on Christmas Day games. They remain a big draw given their tremendous success since 2019 (five AFC titles, three Super Bowl wins) and the presence of superstars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

We'll see soon enough if the Chiefs land on Christmas Day again this year with the schedule dropping in May, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see them play there for the third straight season.

Having already added Elijah Mitchell to their backfield in free agency, the Kansas City Chiefs will also be bringing back Kareem Hunt in 2025.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Hunt has agreed to a one-year deal with the Chiefs worth $1.5 million in base salary.

Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz added Hunt's deal can earn an additional $1 million in incentives.

Hunt was signed to the Chiefs practice squad last September after Isiah Pacheco suffered a fractured fibula in a Week 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

It marked Hunt's second stint with the organization. He started his NFL career in Kansas City, spending two seasons with the team from 2017 to '18. The Chiefs released him in November 2018 after TMZ Sports posted surveillance footage showing Hunt in a physical altercation with a woman at a Cleveland hotel earlier in the year.

No charges were filed against Hunt after the woman reportedly stopped cooperating with prosecutors. He was suspended for the first eight games of the 2019 season by the NFL for violating the personal conduct policy. Hunt signed with the Cleveland Browns in February 2019 and spent five seasons with the club.

The Chiefs elevated Hunt to their active roster in Week 3, but his first game action wasn't until the following week against the Los Angeles Chargers. He played well in that game with 69 rushing yards on 14 carries, prompting head coach Andy Reid to make him their No. 1 back until Pacheco returned.

Hunt started eight consecutive games from Weeks 5-13. His 102 rushing yards in Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints marked his first time hitting the century mark in a game since November 2020.

In Kansas City's 30-24 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9, Hunt ran for a season-high 106 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown.

Pacheco returned in Week 13 and was back in the starting lineup the following week. Hunt continued to get regular snaps as the No. 2 back. He was also a key contributor in the playoffs, running for a team-high 64 yards and a touchdown in the AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills.

The Chiefs advanced to the Super Bowl for the third straight year, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles. Hunt had just three carries for nine yards in the game.

Hunt and Mitchell will likely compete in training camp and the preseason to be the primary backup to Pacheco.

Having agreed to a few deals early in the legal tampering period, the Kansas City Chiefs have adjusted contracts for Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones to clear cap space so those new additions can officially sign their pacts.

Per ESPN's Field Yates, Mahomes and Jones restructured their deals to free up $49.5 million in cap space for the reigning AFC champs.

Per Over the Cap, the Chiefs entered Wednesday $19.9 million over the cap. Teams have to be cap compliant before the new league year officially begins at 4 p.m. ET.

The Chiefs wasted little time making moves when the legal tampering period opened Monday. Jaylon Moore agreed to a two-year, $30 million contract that will likely make him their starting left tackle next season.

Veteran cornerback Kristian Fulton got a two-year, $20 million deal, and he could start opposite Trent McDuffie.

Mahomes still has seven years remaining on the 10-year, $450 million extension he signed in 2020. The Chiefs did restructure the deal in 2023 to guarantee him $210.6 million through 2026, which at the time was the richest four-year payout in NFL history.

This is the second consecutive year the Chiefs have restructured Mahomes' deal for cap purposes. They freed up $21.6 million last year.

Jones signed a five-year, $158.8 million extension last offseason that made him the league's highest-paid defensive tackle. The deal was structured to keep his cap hit at just $7.4 million in 2024, but it was set to go up to $34.9 million in 2025 prior to his restructure.

Instead, Jones will count an estimated $12.9 million against the cap next season.

In addition to their free-agent signings, the Chiefs also needed to clear cap room to be able to sign their incoming rookies after the draft in April.

Since there's very little chance of Mahomes or Jones not being on the roster in the near future, the Chiefs pushing some of their money into the future as they try to retool in hopes of making another Super Bowl run in 2025 makes all the sense in the world.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is coming back for the 2025 season, and he explained that part of his motivation is to atone for what he saw as his poor play during the team's Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

"I feel like I owe the guys that I come into that building with a whole lot more effort and focus," he said on Wednesday's episode of his New Heights podcast (h/t Jenna Lemoncelli of the New York Post).

"I just don't know what it was during that game, man. I wasn't at my best. The more that I see clips or watch the film or put myself back in those moments, man, I'm just like, 'What the f--k?'"

While his brother and co-host, Jason, suggested not overanalyzing the film in the aftermath of the loss, Kelce explained it will help motivate him during the upcoming campaign.

"You have to overanalyze. That's the way I find motivation," he said. "That's how I create the beast, that's how I flip the switch."

Kelce finished with four catches for 39 yards and zero touchdowns in the Super Bowl loss to Philadelphia just two weeks after he posted two catches for 19 yards and zero touchdowns in the AFC Championship Game win over the Buffalo Bills.

It was a far cry from the previous two seasons when the future Hall of Famer combined for 15 catches, 174 receiving yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl wins over the Eagles and San Francisco 49ers. 

He also scored a touchdown in the Super Bowl win over San Francisco that ended the 2019 campaign.

It wasn't just the lack of production that stood out in the most recent Super Bowl, as videos circulated of missed blocking assignments and an apparent lack of full effort on some plays as well.

Kelce clearly wasn't happy with his performance and is running things back as a result.

It wouldn't be surprising if the 2025 season is his last, though, as it is the final year on his contract.

"Last year, it didn't end well for us and I feel like there is a responsibility in me to play out the contract that I initially signed, to give Kansas City and the Chiefs organization everything I've got and that's what I'm gonna do, man," Kelce said.

The three-time Super Bowl champion, four-time First-Team All-Pro and 10-time Pro Bowler is one of the best tight ends in history and a lock to reach the Hall of Fame at one point. But he is still driven to bounce back from a poor performance at 35 years old and has his eyes set on next season as he looks to do just that.

After confirming he would be returning to the Kansas City Chiefs for his 13th season in 2025, Travis Kelce explained his decision to continue his career.

On the latest episode of the New Heights podcast (starts at 5:00 mark), Kelce simply said he wants to keep going because "I f--king love playing the game of football."

Kelce told Pat McAfee, who cited it as "source(s)", last week he was returning in 2025 because he's got a bad taste in his mouth with how last season ended and he "can't go out like that!"

I reached out to source(s) on the future of @tkelce..

Source(s) said I'M COMING BACK FOR SURE..

I'm gonna get in the best shape of my life this offseason..

I've got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and I can't go out like that!!!! #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/HqfpdqEjqa

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 27, 2025

Kelce then confirmed the news on the New Heights X account with the help of the famous clip from The Wolf of Wall Street.

From the desk of @tkelce: ITS TIME FOR YEAR 13

Full breakdown on next week’s episode!!! pic.twitter.com/iyUYZmJKk7

— New Heights (@newheightshow) February 27, 2025

Even though Kelce didn't address his future in the immediate aftermath of Kansas City's 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 59, Patrick Mahomes expressed confidence his star tight end was capable of playing if he wanted to keep going.

Patrick Mahomes on Travis Kelce mulling retirement: “He knows he has a lot of football left in him. … It’s just if he wants to put in that grind.” #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/HZQCVPOK9l

— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) February 10, 2025

Kelce, 35, has started to show signs of decline in recent years. He hasn't hit the 1,000-yard mark in each of the past two seasons after surpassing it in seven consecutive years from 2016 to '22.

The 2024 season saw Kelce post his fewest receiving yards (823), yards per reception (8.5) and touchdowns (three) since his rookie year in 2013 when he only played one game due to a knee injury.

Even with some dip in performance, Kelce remains Mahomes' favorite target. The 10-time Pro Bowler led the Chiefs in targets (133), receptions (97) and receiving yards in 2024.

Things are set up for Kelce to potentially have an easier time putting up numbers in 2025. If the Chiefs get Rashee Rice back healthy from the torn LCL that ended his season in Week 4 and continued development from Xavier Worthy, they're skill-position group will look much better than it did it for most of last season.

Kelce may not command as much attention from opposing defenses as he used to, but he's still capable of stepping up in big moments. His best game of the 2024 campaign was in the AFC Divisional Round against the Houston Texans with 117 yards and one touchdown on seven receptions.

The Kansas City Chiefs reportedly aren't just satisfied with applying the franchise tag to guard Trey Smith.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that the Chiefs are continuing to work on a new deal for Smith while also looking to add a veteran running back once free agency begins.

"They continue to work to bring back guard Trey Smith on a new deal after placing the franchise tag on him Thursday," Russini wrote. "They could be in the market to add a veteran running back, as well."

Smith just finished his rookie contract after joining the Chiefs as a sixth-round pick in 2021. He is a one-time Pro Bowler and has been a big piece of a Chiefs offensive line that has helped the franchise win two of the last three Super Bowls.

He is set to make $23.4 million on the franchise tag if he and the Chiefs are unable to come to terms on a long-term agreement. According to OverTheCap, the Chiefs are currently operating at a salary cap deficit, though they will need to be cap compliant by the start of the new league year on March 12.

Some potential free-agent running backs that the Chiefs could target include Aaron Jones, Najee Harris, Nick Chubb and Raheem Mostert. Incumbent starter Isiah Pacheco is entering the final season of his rookie contract.

Travis Kelce confirmed that he'll be returning to the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2025 season on Thursday, via the tight end's New Heights podcast.

From the desk of @tkelce: ITS TIME FOR YEAR 13

Full breakdown on next week’s episode!!! pic.twitter.com/iyUYZmJKk7

— New Heights (@newheightshow) February 27, 2025

Kelce will have a $19.8 million cap hit for the 2025 season, giving the Chiefs roughly $5.8 million in cap space (via Over the Cap).

Kansas City also informed guard Trey Smith that the team plans to use the franchise tag on him, per ESPN's Adam Teicher. The Chiefs are now obligated to offer him a one-year contract worth about $23.4 million, but they can still give him a long-term deal or trade him.

Kansas City took the latter approach with cornerback L'Jarius Sneed during the 2024 offseason, trading him to the Tennessee Titans after placing the franchise tag on him.

That may not be the case with Smith, as NFL Network's Ian Rapoport revealed that the Chiefs "hope to do a long-term deal" with the guard.

Kansas City's current cap situation doesn't give the front office much room to make moves in free agency, as its cap space ranks No. 24 among all NFL teams (via Over the Cap).

There are avenues to gaining some more financial flexibility, though. Spotrac's Michael Ginnitti noted that the Chiefs can open up just over $10 million by converting Kelce's roster bonus to a signing bonus.

While the 35-year-old failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the second consecutive year in 2024, he remained one of the best players at his position. His 823 receiving yards were the fifth-most among tight ends last season.

Travis Kelce hauls in his 76th career receiving TD!

📺: #DENvsKC on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/n9PVwEs1eC

— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024

Kelce's 97 receptions also ranked No. 12 in the NFL and No. 3 among tight ends.

As the Chiefs attempt to bounce back from their 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, their star tight end announced that he'll be returning for his 13th season.

Patrick Mahomes reacted to Travis Kelce's expected return to the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2025 season on social media.

Mahomes posted a meme from The Last Dance docuseries on Thursday, which detailed the final season of the Chicago Bulls' dynasty featuring Michael Jordan.

https://t.co/KvV2XwEUeJ pic.twitter.com/i7fIQCchMs

— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) February 27, 2025

ESPN's Pat McAfee revealed on Thursday that he spoke to a "source(s)" that confirmed the star tight end would be returning for his 13th season in the NFL.

I reached out to source(s) on the future of @tkelce..

Source(s) said I'M COMING BACK FOR SURE..

I'm gonna get in the best shape of my life this offseason..

I've got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and I can't go out like that!!!! #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/HqfpdqEjqa

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 27, 2025

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach previously confirmed that the team was planning for Kelce to return ahead of the 2025 season, according to ESPN's Adam Teicher.

The 10-time Pro Bowl tight end is set to enter the final year of his current contract and will carry a $19.8 million cap hit in 2025, via Spotrac. His deal contains an $11.5 million roster bonus on March 15.

Kelce was initially noncommittal regarding his NFL future following Kansas City's 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. Now, he appears to be targeting a return.

Mahomes and Kelce have already proven themselves as one of the greatest duos in NFL history, winning three championships since they've been teammates starting with the 2017 season.

Since Mahomes took over as the Chiefs' full-time starter in 2018, Kelce amassed 8,251 receiving yards and 55 touchdowns in seven seasons. The signal-caller has also excelled, winning two MVP awards and earning six Pro Bowl nods.

Mahomes and Kelce have connected for 17 touchdowns in the playoffs, which represents the most all-time by a quarterback and receiver duo.

PLAYOFF TRAVIS KELCE IS INEVITABLE 😈

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/CpCdG0J0ln

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 18, 2025

With the star tight end's reported return to help the Chiefs avenge their Super Bowl defeat, Mahomes is already looking forward to what could be their final season as teammates.

The Kansas City Chiefs plan to franchise tag offensive guard Trey Smith for the 2025 season and hope to strike a long-term deal in the future, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The Chiefs hope to do a long-term deal with Trey Smith, and those discussions will continue. But for now, the top guard is off the market. https://t.co/h3S1JU8TDN

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 27, 2025

The 25-year-old Smith has played his entire four-year career for the Chiefs, who selected the former Tennessee Volunteer with a sixth-round choice in the 2021 NFL draft. He has started 67 games over four years, helping the Chiefs win three AFC titles and two Super Bowls. Smith also made his first Pro Bowl this past season.

Smith was one of the NFL's better guards in 2024, so it's no surprise that the Chiefs want to keep him.

Per Pro Football Focus, Smith graded as the 14th-best out of 135 guards. He was notably 10th in run-blocking and didn't allow any sacks.

PFF's Mason Cameron previously wrote that Smith was a franchise tag option.

"Currently touted as PFF’s second-ranked free agent, Trey Smith is slated for a sizable payday. Considering that all offensive line positions are calculated in the franchise-tag figure, we rarely see interior linemen receive the designation. The exclusive franchise tag would land north of $23 million, making Smith the highest-paid interior lineman in the NFL," Cameron began.

"The Chiefs aren’t flush with cap space, making this an outside option that would take some maneuvering to facilitate. But Smith is undoubtedly a player worthy of the investment, having earned a 72.0-plus PFF overall grade in each of his first four seasons."

Sure enough, Smith got the franchise tag, keeping him in town for at least one more season.

The question now is whether the Chiefs can keep Smith in town long-term. Surely, his presence on the offensive line is a huge benefit to superstar franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has benefitted from having one of the game's best O-lines. Smith has played an invaluable role in that regard, so the Chiefs should obviously do all they can to keep him aboard.

In the meantime, the Chiefs have bought themselves some time in hopes of getting that long-term deal done. If Kansas City and Smith strike a deal before July 15 at 4 p.m. ET, the new contract would take the place of a franchise tag. Failing that, Smith is in line to play on the de-facto one-year contract.