🔥 Patrick Mahomes spent years making the impossible look normal — but after Kansas City’s shock six-win season, even the Chiefs may have to admit their superstar quarterback needs more help.
For so long, Mahomes covered cracks with magic. A broken play became a touchdown. A collapsing pocket became a highlight. A thin receiver room became less of a problem because No. 15 could still bend the game to his will.
But last season changed the mood around Kansas City.
The Chiefs lost their grip on the AFC West, watched Sean Payton’s Denver Broncos surge past them, and suddenly looked like a team with very ordinary roster problems.
Now, with Mahomes trying to return to his best after a brutal campaign, ESPN has pointed to two possible trade targets who could help Kansas City rebuild its edge: Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet and New York Giants pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Neither move is currently known to be active, but both ideas make sense for a team that can no longer rely on patience alone.
Travis Kelce remains one of the greatest tight ends of all time, but even the Chiefs know the clock is ticking. He is still a defining figure of the Mahomes era, still a trusted target, still the emotional engine of the offense.
But Kansas City cannot keep asking Kelce to carry the same burden forever.
That is where Cole Kmet comes in.
ESPN’s proposed deal would send a 2027 third-round pick to Chicago, with the Chiefs receiving Kmet and a 2027 fifth-rounder in return.
On paper, it is not the flashiest move. It does not have the blockbuster buzz of a Brandon Aiyuk, A.J. Brown or Kyle Pitts fantasy trade.
But it might be exactly the kind of practical move the Chiefs need.
💪 Kmet would give Andy Reid another real tight end option — not just a backup body.
He can line up in-line, block, catch passes over the middle and help the Chiefs use heavier personnel without becoming predictable.
Noah Gray has had useful moments. Jared Wiley remains a developing piece. But Kmet would bring a more established presence into the room.
For Mahomes, that matters.
The Chiefs’ offense has looked at its best when the middle of the field belongs to him. Kelce built a Hall of Fame-level partnership with Mahomes by finding space, sitting in soft zones and punishing defenses that lost track of him.
Adding Kmet would not replace Kelce.
It would protect him.
It would give the Chiefs more flexibility, more balance and another dependable target when the receiver room feels uncertain.
🔥 That could be crucial if Kansas City wants to rebuild its passing identity.
The Chiefs have been searching for stability around Mahomes for years. The old days of simply overwhelming teams with speed, creativity and Kelce’s brilliance are gone.
Defenses have adjusted. The margin for error has shrunk. Mahomes has had to work harder for everything.
A player like Kmet would not solve every problem, but he would help the offense become less fragile.
He would give Mahomes another safety valve.
He would help the run game through blocking.
He would allow Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy to disguise intentions better in two-tight-end sets.
And most importantly, he would give Kelce a little breathing room as Kansas City tries to extend its competitive window.
⚡ The second ESPN idea is a very different kind of gamble.
Kayvon Thibodeaux would not directly help Mahomes throw touchdowns.
But he could help the Chiefs win games the way they have often won under Steve Spagnuolo — by creating chaos on defense.
The former No. 5 overall pick once looked like a cornerstone for the Giants, especially after recording 11.5 sacks in 2023. But his production has not consistently matched that early promise, and New York’s recent investments in the pass rush have created questions about his long-term role.
That is exactly where smart teams start watching.
If the Giants are not fully committed to Thibodeaux, Kansas City could see an opening.
ESPN’s proposed cost — a 2027 fourth-round pick — makes the idea even more interesting.
🏆 For the Chiefs, Thibodeaux would be an upside swing, not a guaranteed saviour.
That distinction matters.
Kansas City would not need him to become the face of the defense overnight. They would need him to become a dangerous rotational weapon, someone Spagnuolo could deploy in specific situations and develop into a more consistent threat.
Spagnuolo has built a career on finding roles for talented defensive players.
He does not always need perfect stars. He needs traits, effort, flexibility and players who can execute within his system.
Thibodeaux still has the athletic profile that made him a top-five pick. If the Chiefs believe they can unlock even a more reliable version of him, a fourth-round price would be tempting.
A stronger pass rush would also help Mahomes indirectly.
Because when the defense gets stops, pressures quarterbacks and flips field position, the offense does not have to be perfect every week.
💥 That was one of Kansas City’s biggest problems last season.
Mahomes still had flashes of brilliance, but the Chiefs were no longer able to assume he could rescue every bad situation.
The roster around him was not strong enough.
The offense lacked rhythm at times.
The defense needed more consistent edge pressure.
And the team as a whole looked like it had lost the ruthless efficiency that once made it the NFL’s most feared machine.
That is why these ESPN proposals feel less like luxury shopping and more like warning signs.
Kansas City does not need to panic.
Mahomes is still Mahomes. Reid is still Reid. Kelce is still Kelce. The Chiefs are not broken beyond repair.
But last season proved the old formula is no longer automatic.
🌟 Kmet would be the steady move. Thibodeaux would be the explosive one.
Kmet helps the Chiefs control games, protect Kelce, support Mahomes and rebuild the middle of the offense.
Thibodeaux gives the defense another high-ceiling weapon and offers Spagnuolo a chance to turn raw talent into real production.
Together, they represent exactly what Kansas City may need: practical help on one side, upside on the other.
The Chiefs do not have to chase every superstar name.
They do not need to blow up the roster.
But they do need to be honest about what happened last season.
A six-win campaign is not a blip that can be ignored. It is a warning.
🔥 Patrick Mahomes can still be the best quarterback in football.
But even the best quarterback needs structure, support and a roster that does not force him to be superhuman every Sunday.
For years, Mahomes made Kansas City’s flaws disappear.
Now the Chiefs must return the favour.
If Brett Veach wants to help his quarterback reclaim his throne, moves like Cole Kmet and Kayvon Thibodeaux may be exactly the kind of bold-but-realistic swings worth exploring.
Because the Chiefs’ message this offseason should be simple:
Mahomes carried them long enough.
Now it is time to build him a team that can carry the weight too.
