KC Kingdom

Chiefs training camp is less than two weeks away at Missouri Western State University, as Kansas City looks to rebound from a 6-11 season on the back of what should be yet another grueling month up in St. Joseph, MO. Brett Veach and his front office staff made sure to extract nearly every offseason lever they had to bring in more talent and replace the big names walking out the door.

For the first time in years, the Kansas City Chiefs aren't the team to beat in the AFC, at least in the eyes of the media. They're still a force to be reckoned with, but they'll have to reclaim their now-lost spot. Of course, that will be way easier said than done, given that the conference is stacked with talent and some of the usual suspects may have gotten better. Notably, that might be the case with the Cincinnati Bengals. At least, that's how CBS Sports experts feel.

Ranking Josh Allen ahead of Patrick Mahomes undeniably disrespects Chiefs' accomplishments. Oct 16, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) hugs Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) after a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports As the Kansas City Chiefs' offseason continues to near its end, fans couldn't help but notice an eye-catching quarterback ranking.

Well, that was awesome! Despite what has been a truly awful 2026 season for the Kansas City Royals, the belief amongst many fans and certainly the ballclub has never wavered. And that was shown in droves in last night's 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres. The game was a rollercoaster ride of emotions in what was, through four innings, a mostly flawless pitching and defensive performance by Seth Lugo and his teammates behind him.

To say that the 2025 Kansas City Chiefs season was disappointing would be a massive understatement. Andy Reid's team didn't even make the playoffs for the first time with Patrick Mahomes at the helm. Mahomes suffered the first major injury of his career, and it seemed that every single thing that could've gone wrong went wrong. Unlike in previous years, they couldn't even win a close game to save their lives.

There are countless players looking to boast a bounce-back season after a poor 2025 campaign that saw the Kansas City Chiefs miss the playoffs for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era. One of them is right guard Trey Smith, who not only looks to improve the technical and detailed parts of his game but also looks forward to remaining healthy throughout the entire season. ESPN's Bill Barnwell recently released a piece on how many first-round picks each NFL team's best player would fetch.

The Kansas City Chiefs have a clear question mark when it comes to the team's pass-rushing depth heading into the 2026 season. George Karlaftis is expected to take a jump in production after a season marred by injury. However, there is less clarity around who the secondary options will be at the position. This leads us to a recent piece from Bleacher Report that speculates on one potential trade for every team in the league.

As the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline inches closer, the Kansas City Royals should be a big player in a large number of conversations around the league. With an American League-worst 38-59 record, General Manager J.J. Picollo needs to assess who the cornerstone pieces are to build around, and who he'd be willing to let go... for the right price. Much of the Royals' roster falls into the latter part of the category. A sad truth, but a necessary moment for the organization to come to grips with.

The Kansas City Chiefs went to great lengths to revamp their defense this offseason, especially the secondary. Clearly, Steve Spagnuolo and company think they could've done much better than what they showed last season. While that makes perfect sense, coming off their lone losing season under Andy Reid's tenure, the Chiefs may have done a bit too much earlier this summer. And potentially jumped the gun with some minor signings who may not even make the final 53-man roster.

The Kansas City Chiefs have often been disrespected throughout the 2026 offseason, embracing a familiar theme. A 6-11 season where they missed the playoffs will tend to do that for a franchise that has so many haters from past years. Still, there is little reason to fear the rest of the AFC, as conference rivals have continuously failed to best Patrick Mahomes in a game that matters. All of this to say there isn't a clear threat to the Chiefs in the AFC if the roster is at its best.