The Kansas City Chiefs are back to the Super Bowl after their last appearance occurring only two seasons ago. This year, the Chiefs are matchup up against a very elite Philadelphia Eagles team that is very tough to beat on both sides of the ball. They are looking to end this trip with a much better end result than the 31-9 beating they took to Tampa Bay. The Chiefs have retooled and in some ways look like a completely different team when compared to the roster they fielded only two years ago. While some of the faces of the franchise like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce still are members of the team, other staples of the 2021 squad that find themselves either on different teams or out of the league entirely. We will break down the major changes that occurred on each side of the ball for Kansas City and if they are coming into this Super Bowl in better or worse shape than they were in 2021.
Offensive Changes
The biggest change to the offense comes in the form of Tyreek Hill no longer being on the team. Since then, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins in a deal that landed the Chiefs hefty draft capital and made their cap situation easier to navigate. With Hill being the number one wide receiver in arguably the best passing attack year after year, many thought that Kansas City’s offense would begin to decline without him. Despite this, Travis Kelce and the rest of the pass catchers on the team have really stepped up through the season, and they have not missed a beat through the air. Some more turnover occurred in the receiver room when the Chiefs were forced to let Bryon Pringle walk in free agency. To fill the wide open hole at the position, Kansas City signed Ju-Ju Smith Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Verdict
While the Chiefs lost one of the top receivers in the game, their offense is still performing at a very high level. On paper, this unit may appear much worse than its 2021 counterpart, however, they are still a team with an elite and very dangerous passing attack.
Defensive Changes
On the defensive side of the ball, the acquisitions far outweigh the losses. In this past offseason, the Chiefs made it a goal to beef up their pass rushers, and they did just that. They selected George Karlaftis with their first pick, and it has paid dividends thus far. Along with Karlaftis, the Cheifs have gone on an incredible run of drafting very talented defensive players in recent drafts, even with their later picks.
Verdict
The defense appears to be in better shape than they were in 2021. While some of their key players have some more age on them when compared to their last Super Bowl appearance, the youth movement that is taking over the defensive unit far outweighs any losses. The defense will be put to the test this week against one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the league in Jalen Hurts. Kansas City will need their pass rushers to be at their best to keep Hurts contained.
