Chiefs boost Patrick Mahomes' Super Bowl chances with 13 new players ahead of 2025/26 NFL season

The Kansas City Chiefs are leaving no stone unturned in their bid to recover their status as Super Bowl champions as the Arrowhead Stadium brings in 13 undrafted players following the close of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Andy Reid, Brett Veach and Clark Hunt are keen to avenge the 40-22 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles on February 9 and have already ensured Travis Kelce will stick around for the final year of his contract with the team.

They then continued to back up Patrick Mahomes with offensive options by bringing in Josh Simmons, an offensive tackle from the Ohio State Buckeyes, with their First Round pick and went on to add Jalen Royals (wide receiver) and Brashard Smith (running back).

But the recruitment drive hasn't stopped there as the Chiefs quickly hit the undrafted market, offering deals to 13 players; including $259,000 guaranteed to Dalton Cooper, an offensive linesman from the Oklahoma State Cowboys as per Aaron Wilson.

The contract is also thought to include a $25,000 signing bonus to bring the 6ft5in player to the Arrowhead as the Chiefs look to secure their fourth Super Bowl championship since 2019.

Weighing 315lbs, the 24-year-old began his career as a left tackle with the Texas State Bobcats and appeared in 12 games in the role, allowing just three sacks from nearly 450 plays.

He then moved to the Cowboys and played as a left tackle once again in 2023 and 2024, but suffered an injury that limited him to just eight starts before declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft.

He recorded a 33.5in arm length at the Pro Day and a 4.99 40-yard dash time. He's also capable of a 28-inch vertical jump and a 9ft broad jump. He bench pressed 26 reps at 225 pounds, showing his strength.

Why have the Chiefs targeted the offensive line?

If it wasn't clear throughout the 2025/26 NFL regular season, the Chiefs had a glaring weakness in their offensive line that left Mahomes struggling to bring his best form to the table.

Although he still managed 3928 yards and 26 touchdowns, the pressure he was put under left him vulnerable to a total of 36 sacks and forced him to throw 11 interceptions.

Then in Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome, the Eagles exposed this weakness in crushing fashion by forcing Mahomes to throw two interceptions, including a pick-six, as they sacked him six times too.

The outcome was a Chiefs offense that was completely shut down; and although the score finished 40-22 it was 34-6 before the final quarter began, when Nick Sirianni and his coaching staff opted to give rotational players a chance to get on the field to soak up the occasion.