Kansas City Chiefs could lose five players | NFL News

After a devastating Super Bowl defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Kansas City Chiefs are going through a difficult offseason. The Chiefs had been outplayed in New Orleans, with their sideline in seen disbelief as they did not include Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes struggled to execute his offense.

The Eagles triumphed with a decisive 40-22 victory, regardless of the Chiefs managing two late touchdowns. Post-game, Chiefs newcomer Xavier Worthy provided some telling remarks, hinting at potential departures from the squad.

He expressed gratitude in the direction of his team-mates, acknowledging it is perhaps the final time they play collectively: “I would just like to thank the guys in my room. This might be my last time playing with them.”

“Some of them, it might be their last game. Trades happen. These guys really helped me out a lot, just on my development as a man and as a player in this league.

“This information they gave me to study and keep building my rookie yr, I simply actually admire them for that… I’ve to provide the credit to the fellows on this room, even Trav and Pat.”

Express Sport has identified five players whose futures with the Chiefs seem uncertain as the team looks to rebuild for another shot at the AFC title next year, including Travis Kelce.

In the run-up to Sunday’s game, speculation began to swirl about Kelce’s future in the NFL. The legendary receiver, considered one of the greatest tight ends of all time, is coming off his worst statistical season in the league.

Despite having another year on his contract, Kelce may choose to retire after a year that saw signs of age catching up with him. Observers noted that Kelce seemed slower in his routes this season.

Mahomes addressed the possibility of Kelce’s retirement post-game, while Kelce himself sidestepped questions about his future.

Trey Smith, arguably one of the Chiefs’ best players, is set to become a free agent and could command around $25million per year – a figure the Chiefs may struggle to match.

Kansas City has already awarded significant contracts to three of their offensive linemen – Jawaan Taylor, Joe Thuney and Creed Humphrey – and will likely seek a cheaper option at guard.

Nick Bolton, the Chiefs’ defensive captain and green dot wearer, is another player who will enter the open market and likely request a substantial pay increase.

Kansas City have a reliable substitute in Leo Chenal, who they hope can fill the void left by Bolton, a position that has been undervalued by many teams in recent years.

It’s still uncertain how much the Chiefs will invest in this position and whether they’ll match the inevitable offers for Bolton.

Justin Reid, another key player in the Chiefs’ defence, has played a crucial role under coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Reid, a two-time Super Bowl winner, has spent three years with the team and performed well in their loss to the Eagles.

The safety market, like others, has been undervalued recently, which might enable the Chiefs to retain Reid on a less expensive deal than his worth.

DeAndre Hopkins, one of the top wide receivers of the past decade, appears to be nearing the end of his career after struggling to make a significant impact with the Chiefs since joining midseason.

Despite scoring a touchdown and a two-point conversion in the Super Bowl, Hopkins is unlikely to sign a substantial deal this offseason. He could however return to the Chiefs as a backup player.

This article originally appeared on the Mirror US