The Kansas City Chiefs are no strangers to having to take big swings in the offseason. They did that this spring, adding Kenneth Walker to the roster to help bolster the run game and also adding a lot of defensive talent via the draft.
That's not what we're here to talk about today though. Instead, let's look at some of the underrated moves K.C. made this offseason and the players that could make this team look downright brillant during the first month of the regular season.
4 new additions Chiefs made that will look great in September
Chad O'Shea
The Chiefs brought in Chad O'Shea this offseason to take over as their wide receivers coach. It's not the first time O'Shea has worked in Kansas City, spending three years with them in the 2000s in various roles. He's spent the past few years in Cleveland working as a wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator.
The Chiefs need their wide receivers to be better in 2026. Considering the lack of moves made at the position in the offseason, clearly the team believes this is the right group and that O'Shea can be a difference-maker.
If the Chiefs receivers come out swinging early in the season, O'Shea is going to get a lot of positive attention right away and rightfully so. This could look like an absolutely brilliant move if the Chiefs' starting receivers look like the group we've all hoped they could be in the first month of the season.
Emari Demercado
The running backs have to be better this year and the Chiefs went to work revamping the backfield. Obviously, Kenneth Walker was a smart signing by the organization but Emari Demercado could also end up being looked at as a wise move.
Demercado's addition to this team might not have had fans jumping for joy necessarily but there's potential there for sure. As Arrowhead Addict's own Lyle Graversen pointed out, Demercado is someone the Chiefs could lean on in a pass-protection role, as he's thrived there in the past, especially over Walker, who has not done so hot in that department.
"... when you add to that the fact that Patrick Mahomes is coming off a major knee injury and could be less mobile than prior to the injury, suddenly it isn't hard to see a situation where there will be plenty of passing plays throughout the season where Reid will want the running back that he trusts most in pass protection on the field. At this point, it certainly seems like Demercado is the odds-on favorite to be that back."
This could easily lead to more on-field opportunities for Demercado and if he delivers when he's called upon, this signing might end up looking genius.
Garrett Nussmeier
It was quite the surprise when Garrett Nussmeier fell as far as he did in the draft and even more of a surprise when the Chiefs scooped him up in the final round. Now let's be clear, the hope is that we don't see Nussmeier on the field in a game that matters because it'd mean that something happened to both Patrick Mahomes and Justin Fields.
The reason Nussmeier makes this list is what he can hopefully show to everyone this summer. If Nussmeier plays well in the preseason and can work his way into the QB3 role, that'd be a huge indication of the Chiefs getting an outright steal drafting him where they did.
With the Chiefs continuing to sign veteran backups to sit behind Mahomes every year, having a reliable body there for a few years would be a nice insurance policy to have. Andy Reid could mold Nussmeier into the kind of player he wants for his offense and that'd only benefit Kansas City if Mahomes were forced to miss an extended period of time. Nussmeier showing us that he can be that guy this summer would prove to everyone what a slam dunk of a pick this was.
Khyiris Tonga
Continuing on with the positions the Chiefs needed to revamp, defensive line was most definitely up there. While first-round pick Peter Woods is getting all of the love among the new interior players the Chiefs added upfront, Khyiris Tonga is a name to watch.
Tonga has been a journeyman throughout his NFL career, spending the first five years of his NFL career with four different teams. That experience should help him thrive in Kansas City, as he can be a big boost to this new-look defensive line. If he can show why in the first few games, this signing will go down as a massive win.
Add us as a preferred source on Google