Andy Reid, Chiefs looking to 'fill in some of the blanks' as K.C. retools with multiple top NFL Draft picks Reid also provided an update on Patrick Mahomes and explained the acquisition of Justin Fields
By Tyler Sullivan Mar 31, 2026 at 1:47 pm ET • 4 min read 
PHOENIX -- The Kansas City Chiefs had the NFL in a chokehold for about a half-decade, winning three Super Bowls from 2019 to 2024 and reaching the big game five times over those six years. That includes three straight appearances from 2022 to 2024.
But what goes up must come down.
The 2025 season saw Andy Reid's club hit a wall, enduring a 6-11 campaign that saw them on the outside looking in on the playoffs for the first time since 2014. To add insult to injury (literally), the Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers not only officially ousted Kansas City from playoff contention, but it also saw franchise centerpiece, Patrick Mahomes, suffer a torn ACL.
As Mahomes rehabs, the Chiefs face somewhat of an identity crisis. The core that helped springboard them to five Super Bowls is either aging or already departed. For instance, tight end Travis Kelce is back, but turns 37 during the 2026 season, while Chris Jones will be in his age-32 season. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are down two starting corners, losing both Trent McDuffie (traded to the Rams) and Jaylen Watson (left in free agency) this offseason.
This sets the stage for a pivotal transition period for the franchise, where they'll need to retool the roster around Mahomes for the second phase of his career.
"It's the influx that comes in," Reid said from his table at Tuesday's AFC coaches' breakfast during the NFL Annual Meeting. "What are they? Then, are they willing to step up? Sometimes, when you get rid of some people and all of a sudden you see this life from the person that's behind them, and it's maybe a different picture than you maybe anticipated. I think that's one of the neat things about movement in this league. We've had success with it, so we'll see how it goes. We'll see how we can fill in some of the blanks there."
One of the repercussions of having a down year in 2025 is that Reid finds his team owning a top-10 selection at the 2026 NFL Draft. Kansas City holds the No. 9 overall pick. On top of that, the club gained another first-rounder (No. 29) after dealing McDuffie to Los Angeles. When you pair those picks with K.C. also holding No. 40 overall in the second round, the franchise is now armed with three selections inside the top 50, presenting a prime opportunity to find those central pieces for the wave of Super Bowl contention around Mahomes at the draft.
"It's a position you don't want to be in, but we're there," Reid said of having the allotment of high draft capital as a result of their 2025 season. "Brett Veach does a great job of working at his job. I know he's fired up about it. I've heard all the stories about the draft being this and that, but there are going to be some good players in those spots, and we welcome good players onto the team."
Chiefs 2026 NFL Draft picksOverallRound 1
No. 9
Round 1 (via Rams)
No. 29
Round 2
No. 40
Round 3
No. 74
Round 4
No. 109
Round 5
No. 148
Round 5 (via Rams)
No. 169
Round 5 (compensatory)
No. 176
Round 6 (via Rams)
No. 210
Chiefs seven-round 2026 NFL mock draft: Kansas City bolsters defense with two first-round picks, adds WR Zachary Pereles
Naturally, there's pressure on every organization to hit on the bulk of their draft picks, particularly in the first couple of rounds. That said, it's even more vital for the Chiefs this spring. If they can find their next group of main characters to partner alongside Mahomes, the dynasty could breathe new life.
Andy Reid provides an update on Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes KC • QB • #15 CMP%62.7YDs3587TD22INT11YD/Att7.15 View Profile Of course, one of the first questions Reid faced at the coaches' breakfast was to provide an update on Patrick Mahomes, who is rehabbing a torn ACL he suffered in mid-December. The Chiefs' head coach noted that everything is running smoothly with Mahomes and that he wouldn't be against him being ready for the start of the year, but declined to put a firm timeline around his quarterback.
"He's doing good," Reid said. "It's hard to measure are you ahead of schedule or are you not? I mean, who makes the schedule? And every player is different. I will tell you, though, I would never bet against him. He's always going to put in the time and effort and always push it, but within reason, so he doesn't take steps back. So far, it's all been positive."
Patrick Mahomes just posted this video of him throwing on his IG story! 👀⏰ pic.twitter.com/8d6VYNYx58
— Chiefstalk (@Chiefstalk_) March 25, 2026
Mahomes posted a video in March of himself dropping back and throwing with what appeared to be a compression sleeve on that left leg, so the three-time Super Bowl champion is making strong strides with training camp still months away.
Why Justin Fields is solid insurance for Chiefs
Justin Fields NYJ • QB • #7 CMP%62.7YDs1259TD7INT1YD/Att6.17 View Profile One of the more intriguing moves Kansas City made this offseason was striking a deal with the New York Jets to acquire quarterback Justin Fields. Reid praised the 27-year-old's ability and surmised that he should be able to catch on quickly, as he has familiarity with the offense due to working with former Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy during his rookie season in Chicago.
"Not only do we like him as a player, but he was also in this offense as a rookie with Matt Nagy," Reid said of Fields. "It's not going to be completely foreign to him. Look forward to getting him in here, most of all because he's a good player. If Pat can't go for whatever reason, you got a legitimate guy in there that can play and win games for us."
That familiarity is likely what drew the Chiefs to acquire Fields, especially with Mahomes' status for Week 1 still up in the air. Now, they have a player with a foundation of what they want to do offensively, allowing them to build even higher over the course of the offseason program, where Fields is expected to see the lion's share of reps until Mahomes is cleared.
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