Chiefs headlines for Tuesday, January 7
The latest
The New York Jets are beginning to canvas the market for their next general manager.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported have requested to interview Kansas City Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi along with Los Angeles Rams senior personnel executive Ray Farmer. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported Philadelphia Eagles GM Alec Halaby will interview Wednesday.
Borgonzi has been with Kansas City for 16 years and assumed his current role in 2021. Before that, he was the Chiefs director of football operations from 2018-20. The MMQB’s Albert Breer provided a note as it relates to him and New York’s coaching search:
The Jets have submitted a formal request to interview Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi for their GM job, per source. The NYJ brass will be conducting interviews in Florida this week.
Also of note: Borgonzi and Mike Vrabel were together in KC for two years.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 6, 2025
NFL Playoffs Preview 2025: Why Each Team Could Win the Super Bowl | SI
1. Kansas City Chiefs (15–2)
Division finish: First, AFC West
Why they’ll win it all: Because of Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, Travis Kelce and Chris Jones. Because they’re the Chiefs. Because, in the words of one exec, “They have a proven, Super Bowl-contending defense matched with a perennial MVP candidate, and those two factors are a lot for anyone to deal with.” They also seem to have hit their stride in routing the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas.
X-factor: What’s happening at tackle? Jawaan Taylor’s been O.K. but hasn’t lived up to his contract at right tackle. All-everything guard Joe Thuney has filled in admirably at left tackle, but that leaves a hole inside. Meanwhile, veteran D.J. Humphries has been banged up since he arrived, and the growing pains of rookie Kingsley Suamataia and Wanya Morris are what sent the position into flux in the first place. One player who could help manage the issue is Isiah Pacheco, who is dealing with a rib injury and sat out Sunday’s game. Once he’s healthy, he will give the run game some more juice. But one way or the other, how tackle plays out could be a swing factor.
2024 NFL betting – Super Bowl, AFC/NFC Championship odds | ESPN
The NFL playoff picture is set and after 18 weeks, the Detroit Lions (+300) and preseason favorites Kansas City Chiefs (+350) are the NFC and AFC’s top seeds, respectively, giving them a bye during the wild-card round. The Buffalo Bills (+550) and the Baltimore Ravens (+550) are right behind while the Philadelphia Eagles (+650) round out the teams being given better than 10-1 odds to win the Super Bowl.
These five playoff teams pose the biggest threat to a Chiefs three-peat | Yardbarker
Boasting arguably the league’s best backfield duo in Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, the Ravens shouldn’t be overlooked in this year’s playoff race. Baltimore finished with the most total yards (7,224) and were the only team to surpass 7,000 total yards this season. In year’s past, the Ravens primarily relied upon their defense to carry them to victory. This year, however, the Ravens’ electric offense could be the driving force of a Lombardi trophy-clinching run in Baltimore. Fueled by a two-time MVP quarterback and generational running back in Henry, Baltimore will be a tough out for any playoff team and could prevent the Chiefs from reaching the Super Bowl entirely should they cross paths.
2025 NFL Mock Draft: B/R NFL Scouting Dept.’s Post-Regular-Season Picks | Bleacher Report
32. Kansas City Chiefs: OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
The Kansas City Chiefs are rounding into shape at the right time. The team did struggle at points, even though it continually found ways to win. Those earlier struggles point to potential problem areas that need to be addressed, starting with left tackle.
“In what has the potential to be the steal of the draft, the Chiefs would land a possible long-term starter at left tackle with the last pick of the first round thanks to question marks surrounding Josh Simmons’ recovery process from a season-ending knee injury,” Thorn said. “While these concerns are valid until more clarity becomes available during medical checks at the combine, Simmons was B/R’s top-ranked tackle before the injury thanks to shades of former Virginia Tech and current Minnesota Vikings tackle Christian Darrisaw in terms of body type, movement skills and natural power.
“Simmons was dominant during the first part of the season and made it look easy in a way that is rare, especially in this offensive line class. Given the wide-open race for the top tackle prospect, Simmons could be selected higher. Or, the rich could get even richer if Kansas City lands him here.”
Game balls for the Denver Broncos 38-0 win over the Kansas City Chiefs | Mile High Report
Nik Bonitto
The former late second round pick has turned into one of the best edge defenders in the NFL. He punctuated his first Pro Bowl season with a final game that saw him get 3 solo tackles, 2 TFL, 2 QBhits and 2.0 sacks. He finished the season third in sacks with 13.5 and was the only defensive player in the NFL with both a fumble return TD and a pick-6 this season. Nik led the Bronco defense to a franchise record 63 sacks which was 9 more than the second place Ravens. – Joe Mahoney
2025 NFL Mock Draft: Latest First Round Predictions Entering Playoffs | The 33rd Team
Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 245 lbs.
Class: Junior
Fit: The Chiefs aren’t exactly an easy team to go shopping for — but it is worth remembering how they’ve become a two-time defending champion. Kansas City has been willing to find ways to make the wide receiver room work each year, but its investment in the tight end room has been a much more central focus. Travis Kelce is irreplaceable — but that shouldn’t stop the Chiefs from trying to ensure they are as well equipped for the future without him as they possibly can be. That means Colston Loveland, the hybrid flex tight end out of Michigan, could make some sense.
Yes, Kansas City drafted Jared Wiley in last year’s draft. But that shouldn’t prevent Loveland, a much more dynamic and refined receiving threat, from being on their radar.
Around the NFL
Source – Chargers plan to add depth with RB Ezekiel Elliott | ESPN
The Dallas Cowboys waived Elliott earlier this month, a move that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said was “out of respect and appreciation for Zeke and wanting to provide him with an opportunity to pursue any potential playoff participation possible.” The Cowboys drafted Elliott in 2016 and he is the team’s No. 3 all-time leading rusher.
Jaguars fire coach Doug Pederson, keep GM Trent Baalke after 4-13 season | ESPN
Pederson’s firing comes after the team finished 4-13 this season; it has lost 18 of its past 23 games.
“I had the difficult task this morning of informing Doug Pederson of my intention to hire a new head coach to lead the Jacksonville Jaguars,” owner Shad Khan said in a statement. “Doug is an accomplished football man who will undoubtedly enjoy another chapter in his impressive NFL career, and I will be rooting for Doug and his wife Jeannie when that occasion arrives. As much as Doug and I both wish his experience here in Jacksonville would have ended better, I have an obligation first and foremost to serve the best interests of our team and especially our fans, who faithfully support our team and are overdue to be rewarded. In that spirit, the time to summon new leadership is now.
The New York Giants lost Sunday to finish the 2024 NFL season 3-14, giving them the most single-season losses in franchise history. They aren’t undergoing sweeping changes, however, with owner John Mara announcing Monday that head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen will return for a fourth season together in 2025.
“Now that our season is over, we felt it necessary to make this statement,” Mara wrote. “Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll will continue in their respective roles with the organization. As disappointing as the results of the season have been, [co-owner] Steve [Tisch] and I remain confident in the process that Joe and Brian have implemented and their vision for our team. We look forward to the future and achieving the results we all desire.”
Packers WR Christian Watson believed to have suffered torn ACL vs. Bears in Week 18 | NFL.com
Third-year wide receiver Christian Watson is believed to have suffered a torn ACL and some additional damage to his knee during Green Bay’s Week 18 loss to the Chicago Bears, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.
Watson suffered the non-contact knee injury in the first half of Sunday’s game and did not return.
The Packers selected Watson in the second round of the 2022 draft, and he has had an up-and-down career since joining Green Bay.
Watson finished the 2024 season with 29 catches for 620 yards with two touchdowns.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs-Broncos: 5 winners, 5 losers from Week 18 loss
Winners
Wide receiver Nikko Remigio: The good news is that the second-year player led the team in receiving, accounted for nearly half of Carson Wentz’s yards and had the offensive play of the day: a 25-yard, one-handed snag. The bad news? Remigio only caught two of six targets for 48 yards.
Running back Samaje Perine: He had only two touches on Sunday afternoon, but at least one of them reminded us of why he’s on the squad: the veteran converted a fourth down with a 13-yard catch-and-run. Perine will have a key role in the playoff run.
Safety Jaden Hicks: The rookie has solidified himself as part of the team’s future. Five tackles (one for loss) and a batted pass represented a pretty good effort on the day.
Social media to make you think
Steve Spagnuolo is now on his own as the longest-tenured defensive coordinator in the league (2019) https://t.co/FtxXXF39A6
— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) January 6, 2025
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