Kansas City Chiefs

Xavier Loyd

WR

Loyd (6-foot-2, 196 pounds) inks with the Chiefs following a successful tryout at the team's rookie minicamp in late April. He appeared in 13 games with Missouri in 2025 and totaled two catches for 21 yards while handling a depth role. Loyd previously spent time at Illinois State in 2024 and at Kansas State from 2021-23.

Emmett Johnson

RB

The Chiefs almost completely remade their backfield compared to last season, letting Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco walk while retaining the 2025 seventh-round pick Smith, and signing Walker and Demercado before drafting Johnson in the fifth round. Kansas City also signed undrafted free agents Jaydn Ott and EJ Smith. Demercado and Brashard Smith both seem best suited for change-of-pace roles on passing downs, so Johnson could have a clear lane to getting the second-most carries behind Walker. Head coach Andy Reid compared Johnson's skill set to that of former NFL running back LeSean McCoy, who exceeded 1,000 regular-season rushing yards on six occasions.

Patrick Mahomes

QB

Mahomes was present for the team's voluntary workouts in April but was still limited solely to rehabbing his surgically repaired ACL and LCL. He'll now progress to the next step in his rehab, as he'll participate in at least some capacity with his teammates during the team's voluntary offseason workouts. While that's a positive step, coach Andy Reid did acknowledge that Mahomes will remain limited. Both Mahomes and the Chiefs continue to publicly state that the goal is for Mahomes to be ready to suit up in Week 1.

EJ Smith

RB

Smith played four years at Stanford before transferring to Texas A&M for his final two seasons. The running back participated in 24 games for the Aggies, collecting 98 rush attempts for 412 yards and four touchdowns over the span. The Chiefs' offseason signing of Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker means they're set atop the depth chart, and Smith will therefore have to fight with multiple other options in training camp to try and garner a roster spot come final cuts.

Kenneth Walker III

RB

On the heels of being named the most valuable player of Super Bowl LX, Walker inked a lucrative three-year deal to lead Kansas City's backfield this coming season. Edholm notes that Walker earned a reputation as a run-first back during his four-year stint with Seattle, but the 2022 second-rounder -- who logged 31 catches in 17 regular-season games in 2025 -- has reportedly been spending time with QB Patrick Mahomes (who is bouncing back from a December ACL/LCL injury) this offseason in anticipation of a potentially expanded role as a pass catcher. "We've been working on getting connected in the passing game and everything, so that's good," Walker said. "I feel like I'll be used more in the pass game." Either way, as the clear-cut RB1 for his new team, Walker figures to be busy out of the gate this coming season while Mahomes works his way back to form. Competing for complementary work behind Walker will be a pair of newcomers in rookie Emmett Johnson and free agent addition Emari Demercado, as well as 2025 seventh-rounder Brashard Smith.