The Kansas City Chiefs' general manager, Brett Veach, speaking to the media at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, February 25, 2025
Getty
The Kansas City Chiefs' general manager, Brett Veach, speaking to the media at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, February 25, 2025
The Kansas City Chiefs became a dynasty thanks in large part to their 2022 NFL Draft class.
They selected several players who would go on to make numerous starts for them over the next four seasons, while playing at a quality level. That gave the Chiefs the youth infusion it needed to win back-to-back Super Bowls in 2022 and 2023.
Fast forward to 2026, and only one member of that class – defensive end George Karlaftis – remains on Kansas City’s roster. Seventh-round cornerback Nazeeh Johnson is a free agent, but there has been no indication that he will return to the Chiefs.
Former Kansas City Chiefs LB Leo Chenal Signs With Washington Commanders
Leo Chenal
GettyLB Leo Chenal
According to a report from NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Chenal agreed to a three-year, $27.75 million contract with the Commanders on Tuesday.
Jordan Schultz
Sources: Former #Chiefs LB Leo Chenal is signing with the #Commanders for 3 years $24.75M.
Chenal, just 25, won two Super Bowls in Kansas City and was a starter for 44 games. A strong addition.
The Chiefs would have liked to retain Chenal, but already have a lot of money tied up in fellow linebackers Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill. Chenal was a third-round pick (103rd overall) by Kansas City. In four seasons he appeared in 65 games with 44 starts, recording 218 total tackles, seven sacks, 26 quarterback pressures, six passes defensed, one interception, and three forced fumbles.
Chenal was also a huge special teams contributor, logging over 1,000 snaps for the unit during his tenure. In Week 10 of the 2024 he was named Special Teams Player of the Week after blocking a game-winning field goal attempt against the Denver Broncos as time expired. He will likely get more playing time at linebacker in Washington than he did in Kansas City.
Chiefs need to have same caliber of draft class in 2026 that they had in 2022
Brett Veach and the Chiefs are making trade calls at running back ahead of roster cuts.
GettyKansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach.
Who knows what the trajectory of the Chiefs would have been had they not hit a home run with the 2022 draft class. Let’s take a look at the players they selected that year, and their new teams:
On one hand, it’s a bit disappointing to not be able to retain more than one of those players. On the other, it’s impressive that so many of them turned out good enough to earn significant paydays from around the league.
The Chiefs find themselves at a crossroads yet again, needing to retool their roster with young and affordable players at key positions. Kansas City has nine selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, including four in the top 100. It will need to hit on several of those picks if it is going to quickly return to being a Super Bowl contender.
After signing free agents such as running back Kenneth Walker, defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga, and safety Alohi Gilman, the Chiefs have flexibility to take the best players available when they hit the clock. They aren’t likely done adding in free agency yet. Some of their top remaining positions of need include defensive line, cornerback, and wide receiver.