Here is your Kansas City Chiefs Season Preview with everything you need to know ahead of the 2023 season
Kansas City Chiefs Season Preview
Kansas City are the kings of the AFC West, they have won it eight times since 2010 and every year since 2016. Nobody has won back-to-back Super Bowls since the Patriots in 2003 and 2004. The Chiefs have won two of the last four though, so you wouldn’t rule out their chances.
Reid All About It
They will have a new, but familiar offensive coordinator in the shape of Matt Nagy. Nagy was “Senior assistant and quarterbacks coach” in KC last season, so it’s not a huge change. Following a somewhat turbulent 2022 previous offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy joined the Commanders as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. Their 2022 running backs coach Greg Lewis also headed for fresh pastures, joining Baltimore as their wide receivers’ coach. Lewis’ time in Kansas City wasn’t without incident either. Lewis is replaced by former Eagles wide receiver Todd Pinkston; Pinkston spent the last five seasons coaching the wide receivers at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee. APSU play FCS football in the ASUN Conference.
Kansas City added nine free agents on the offseason, including Lamar Jackson, no, not THAT Lamar Jackson. 11 players left in free agency, but they picked up seven newbies in the draft and signed a further 17 rookies who went undrafted.
2023 Schedule
- September 8th 1:20 am (BST) vs. Detroit Lions
- September 17th 6:00 pm @ Jacksonville Jaguars
- September 24th 9:25 pm vs. Chicago Bears
- October 2nd 1:20 am @ New York Jets
- October 8th 9:25 pm @ Minnesota Vikings
- October 13th 1:15 am vs. Denver Broncos
- October 22nd 9:25 pm vs. Los Angeles Chargers
- October 29th 8:25 pm @ Denver Broncos
- November 5th 1:00 pm vs. Miami Dolphins in Deutsche Bank Park Frankfurt
- November 12th Bye Week
- November 21st Philadelphia Eagles
- November 26th 9:25 pm at Las Vegas Raiders
- December 4th 1:20 am at Green Bay Packers
- December 10th 9:25 pm vs. Buffalo Bills
- December 19th 1:15 @ New England Patriots
- December 25th 6:00 pm vs. Las Vegas Raiders
- December 31st 9:25 pm vs Cincinnati Bengals
- January 6th/7th TBC @ Los Angeles Chargers
Coaching Staff
General Manager: Brett Veach
Head Coach: Andy Reid
Offensive Coordinator: Matt Nagy
Defensive Coordinator: Steve Spagnuolo
Special Teams Coordinator: Dave Toub
Players In
Via Trade
None
Free Agents
DE – Matt Dickerson
CB – Lamar Jackson
RT – Jawaan Taylor
LB – Drue Tranquil
WR – Richie James
LT – Donovan Smith
S – Mike Edwards
QB – Blaine Gabbert
Draft Picks
- Round 1. Pick 31 – DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah
- Round 2. Pick 55 – WR Rashee Rice
- Round 3. Pick 92 – T Wanya Morris
- Round 4. Pick 119 – S Chamarri Conner
- Round 5. Pick 166 – LB B.J Thompson
- Round 6. Pick 194 – DT Keondre Coburn
- Round 7. Pick 250 – CB Nic Jones
Players Out
LT – Orlando Brown Jr.
WR – Juju Smith-Schuster
T – Andrew Wylie
S – Juan Thornhill
DT – Khalen Saunders
DE – Frank Clark
WR – Mecole Hardman
FB – Michael Burton
RB – Ronald Jones
WR – Bryan Edwards
DT – Byron Cowart
DE – Carlos Dunlap
DT – Chris Williams
S – Martez Manuel
CB – Montae Braswell
T – Blake Haynes
Projected starters
Offence
QB: Patrick Mahomes
RB: Isiah Pacheco
WR: Marquez Valdes-Scantling & Kadarius Toney & Skyy Moore
TE: Travis Kelce
LT: Donovan Smith
LG: Joe Thuney
C: Creed Humphrey
RG: Trey Smith
RT: Juwaan Taylor
Defense
DE: George Karlaftis & Charles Omenihu
DT: Derrick Nnadi & Chris Jones
LB: Willie Gay & Nick Bolton
CB: Jaylen Watson & L’Jarius Sneed & Trent McDuffie
S: Bryan Cook & Justin Reid
The new offensive line combinations might take a few games to gel. And there are a few injury concerns on the offence but the defense is a talented, young group so they should be able to take some of the pressure off Mahomes and co.
2023 Star Player
Patrick Mahomes – It could be Travis Kelce, but with so many new receiving options, a new offensive line and an inconsistent run game the Chiefs fate rests square on the Super Bowl MVP’s shoulders.
2023 Breakout player
Jody Fortson – If he can stay healthy the 6”4’ tight end will be Mahomes favourite redzone target. He caught nine of his 13 targets in 2022, two of those were touchdowns. His durability has been an issue in his first two seasons in the league but with no Smith-Schuster or Hardman familiar pass catchers will be vital, particularly at the start of the season.
Chiefs Season Preview Expectations
The schedule doesn’t really seem to work for them and there are some significant injury concerns on the offensive side of the ball. Having said that Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid can overcome most things. Since he’s been head coach in Kansas City Reid has won 117 of his 162 games.
Historically the AFC West has flattered to deceive, which is one of the reasons Sean Payton agreed to coach the Broncos. The burgeoning relationship between Payton and Russell Wilson seems far from harmonious though, so the AFC West appears to be at the mercy of the Chiefs again. Brandon Staley’s coaching seemed to regress in 2022 as he all the chatter about his aggressive play calling saw him dial it down. Meanwhile in Las Vegas nobody really knows how injured Jimmy Garoppolo is. Something really dramatic will have to happen to end the Chiefs 7 year reign.