It has been a wild offseason for the Chiefs, who traded away All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill and lost superstar defensive back Tyrann Mathieu in free agency.
Is this still a team that should be considered the Super Bowl favorite, or are they just another solid team in the AFC?
Let's look at the latest news and notes from offseason workouts in Kansas City, along with the current odds for the Chiefs in the AFC West and in the conference.
Missouri sports betting legislation is shelved indefinitely.
The higher chamber back in May left Springfield without a deal on HB 2502, which would have paved the way for the Show Me State to join the more than 30 other states and D.C. that have already legalized wagering on sports.
The Chiefs, St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues had voiced their support for sports betting to Missouri legislators earlier this year.
Kansas City Chiefs 2022 NFL Odds
2022-2023 Super Bowl: +900
AFC Championship: +450
AFC West: +150
To Make Playoffs: -200
Regular Season Wins: Over 10.5 (-115), Under 10.5 (-105)
*Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook
New Favorite in the AFC
The Chiefs are no longer the favorites to win the AFC despite reaching the conference championship game in four straight seasons.
A big reason is the overall strength of their division and conference, as the entire AFC loaded up this year for a run at the Super Bowl.
All four teams in the AFC West believe they could win the Super Bowl this year and all made significant moves to improve their roster.
The Chiefs will also play one of the toughest schedules in the league this year, but this is still a Super Bowl contender despite the lower odds.
In fact, this is likely the best value you will get on Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs over the next several years.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling Connecting Well With Patrick Mahomes
One of the notable additions the Chiefs made this offseason was signing veteran receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to a big deal. Kansas City desperately needed an influx of speed to their offense after trading Hill to the Dolphins.
But how will “MVS” do with an expanded role?
According to the reports out of OTAs and minicamps, Valdes-Scantling has already shown a strong connection with Mahomes in practice.
While you can't overreact to non-padded practices in June, it's encouraging to see Valdes-Scantling have a strong camp. They will undoubtedly need his speed and athleticism when the regular season rolls around.
Latest Super Bowl Odds
Orlando Brown Jr. Wants Long-Term Extension
The Chiefs slapped the franchise tag on offensive lineman Orlando Brown Jr. before free agency kicked off. That will pay him $16.7 million for the 2022 season.
However, both the Chiefs and Brown would like to get a deal done before the July 15 deadline.
Brown was solid for the Chiefs last year, but the hope is that he can be even better in his second full season at left tackle for Kansas City.
Both sides want to get this done, but they are up against the clock with less than a month before the deadline.
Jerick McKinnon Re-signs With Chiefs
With the loss of Hill, the Chiefs are expected to run the ball a bit more this season. But with Darrel Williams leaving in free agency for the Falcons, the Chiefs needed to add another veteran to their running back room.
Jerick McKinnon played well for the Chiefs in the playoffs, totaling 315 yards in three games. Despite turning 30 in May, he still has a ton of speed and adds some explosion out of the backfield.
It’s unlikely that he overtakes Clyde Edwards-Helaire or Ronald Jones in 2022, but expect him to have a larger role this season.
