The Kansas City Chiefs are heading into one of their most pivotal offseasons in recent memory-and not just because of the unfamiliar feeling of watching the playoffs from home. For the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era, the Chiefs missed the postseason, and that reality is going to shape every decision this front office makes in the coming months.
There’s no sugarcoating it: Kansas City can't just run it back with the same roster. The 2025 campaign exposed holes on both sides of the ball.
Yes, the offense regressed, but the defense had its own issues down the stretch. If the Chiefs want to return to the top of the AFC mountain, they’ll need to spend wisely in free agency, draft well, and-just as importantly-retain the right pieces already in the building.
One of those pieces? Linebacker Leo Chenal.
Chenal may not have had his best season in 2025, but neither did most of the Chiefs' roster. What’s important here is the trajectory.
He’s 25, homegrown, and has developed into a reliable starter since being drafted outside the top 100. That’s the kind of value you don’t just let walk out the door-especially when the price tag isn’t expected to be sky-high.
Spotrac pegs Chenal’s market value at around $4.6 million per year. For a cap-strapped team like Kansas City, that’s a manageable number for a player who brings both defensive stability and special teams value. He’s not a headline-grabber, but he’s the type of dependable, physical presence that championship defenses are built on.
And let’s not forget: this defense has some work to do. While the offense will understandably be a focal point this offseason-particularly after an inconsistent and at times stagnant 2025-the defense can’t be overlooked.
The Chiefs have long relied on their ability to win games on both sides of the ball. That balance slipped last season, and Chenal is one of the players who can help restore it.
In a perfect world, Kansas City would have the flexibility to chase big-name free agents and make splashy moves. But that’s not the reality this offseason.
They’ll need to be smart, strategic, and selective. And re-signing Leo Chenal checks all of those boxes.
He’s affordable. He’s ascending. And he already knows the system.
As the Chiefs look to reset and reload, bringing back Chenal isn’t just a smart move-it’s the kind of foundational decision that could help steady the ship as they aim to get back to contending for another Lombardi Trophy.