KCSN Weekly: Free agency frenzy, K-State finds its man, and WBC fun
A weekly look at everything happening across Kansas City sports.
NFL free agency opened with a flurry of movement for the Kansas City Chiefs, the World Baseball Classic delivered several headline moments for Royals players on the international stage, there’s a new sheriff in town for the Wildcats, and college basketball has officially entered the postseason stretch where every possession matters.
Here’s where things stand across Kansas City sports.
Chiefs Check-In: New faces arrive, familiar Super Bowl Champions depart
The Kansas City Chiefs made several moves as the 2026 free agency period opened, bringing in reinforcements while saying goodbye to several notable contributors from recent seasons.
The biggest splash came with the signing of Kenneth Walker III, the reigning Super Bowl LX MVP. Walker brings explosive playmaking ability to a backfield that Kansas City clearly wanted to upgrade after a difficult 2025 season.
The Chiefs also brought back a field stretcher, strengthened the middle of their defense and secondary, signing:
Defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga
Safety Alohi Gilman
Conerback Kader Kohou
Running back Emari Demercado
Wide receiver Tyquan Thornton
The emphasis appears clear: add toughness and stability inside the defense while injecting more explosiveness into the offense.
But the roster also saw significant turnover, particularly from the well-regarded 2022 draft class.
Departures this week included:
Safety Bryan Cook → Cincinnati Bengals
Linebacker Leo Chenal → Washington Commanders
Cornerback Joshua Williams → Tennessee Titans
Cornerback Jaylen Watson → Los Angeles Rams
Running back Isiah Pacheco → Detroit Lions
After a 6–11 season, Kansas City clearly entered this offseason ready to reshape large portions of the roster. The first wave of free agency has brought both fresh optimism and plenty of work still to do, namely along the defensive line’s edge.
Royals Report: Classic moments on the global stage
While Cactus League games continue in Surprise, Arizona, much of the attention surrounding the Kansas City Royals this week has centered on the World Baseball Classic.
First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino delivered one of the tournament’s biggest performances, blasting three home runs against Mexico to make history for Italy.
Right fielder Jac Caglianone also made headlines, launching a home run in Italy’s thrilling 8–6 upset over Team USA.
Despite the loss, the United States National Team advanced to the knockout stage. The American lineup has been led by Bobby Witt Jr., who is hitting .357 with a .500 slugging percentage through pool play.
Meanwhile, starting pitcher Michael Wacha delivered three innings of three-run baseball in the United States’ opening 15–5 win over Brazil before returning to Arizona to rejoin the Royals in Cactus League action.
College Hoops: Postseason pressure
Kansas: Still dancing in Kansas City
Kansas advanced to the upcoming semi-finals of the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament with a 78–73 win over TCU in the field of eight.
Freshman standout Darryn Peterson led the Jayhawks with 24 points, eight rebounds, and three steals in the victory at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
Kansas State: Season ends, new era begins
The season came to a close for Kansas State after a 105–91 loss to TCU in the first round of the Big 12 tournament.
But the bigger news arrived shortly after.
Kansas State announced the hiring of Casey Alexander as its next head coach. Alexander arrives after leading Belmont Bruins to a Missouri Valley regular-season title this season and has produced 10 consecutive 20-win seasons between Belmont and Lipscomb.
Missouri: Waiting for Selection Sunday
Missouri saw its postseason hopes take a hit with a 78–72 loss to Kentucky in the opening round of the SEC tournament.
The defeat extended Missouri’s losing streak to three games and left the Tigers at 20–12 overall and 10–8 in SEC play.
Now, their NCAA Tournament fate rests in the hands of the selection committee.
What to Watch This Week
Chiefs / NFL
The first wave of free agency has passed, but the second and third waves are still unfolding.
Stay tuned to KCSN.com for updates as Kansas City continues filling roster holes.
World Baseball Classic / Royals
Team USA faces Canada tonight at 7 p.m. CT.
Salvador Perez and Maikel Garcia’s Venezuela squad faces Japan tomorrow night.
Earlier that afternoon, Pasquantino and Caglianone’s Italy team will take on Seth Lugo and Puerto Rico.
Kansas City plays seven games this week in Cactus League play, with an off day on Monday and a doubleheader scheduled on Thursday.
College Basketball
Kansas faces No. 5 Houston tonight at 8:30 p.m. CT in the Big 12 tournament.
With a win, KU will face either No. 7 Iowa State or No. 2 Arizona in Saturday’s championship game.
Selection Sunday arrives March 15 at 5 p.m. CT on CBS, revealing the full NCAA Tournament bracket, including Kansas’ seeding and whether Missouri earns a bid.
This week genuinely had a little bit of everything across all Kansas City sports. It looks like we still have a week left of prime entertainment with the NCAA Tournament starting up, the WBC entering the knockout stage, and free agency signings seemingly still trickling in.
We’ll sort through it all again next week.