Lottery Tickets: Five Unsung Chiefs That Could Contribute in 2025
Cost-controlled gems that can help the Chiefs now and in the future
The balancing act that Chiefs GM Brett Veach has done to sustain a championship roster probably doesn’t get appreciated as much as it should. One of the hallmarks of this team has been finding value in free agency, the draft, and undrafted free agency.
The Chiefs will look anywhere and everywhere to massage the roster and make improvements. Whether it’s training camp trades like Charvarius Ward, mid-season signings like Kareem Hunt, or undrafted finds like Tershawn Wharton, this team’s success can point to consistently finding contributors with minimal cost.
There are several top-of-market or near-top-of-market players on the Chiefs roster. Blue chips like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, and Creed Humphrey are getting paid handsomely — and deservedly. To offset that, and continue to have the success they do, the Chiefs have found cost controlled players to help fill the roster. They are one of the best in the league at identifying value players.
Despite being a quality, established roster, the Chiefs have still given themselves some interesting players that could be tremendous value with minimal to no cost. I call them Lottery Tickets: players that cost little to nothing but could payoff significantly for the team.
What is a significant payoff you might ask? For a veteran flyer, it might be active involvement on their side of the ball. For undrafted free agent, it would be a rosterable player for the entirety of their rookie contract — someone that you can’t easily replace on the active roster. It’s like gaining an extra draft pick every year.
Here are five players that are worth paying attention to that could be the next great value for the Chiefs.