Every three or four years, NFL personnel, schemes and coaching staffs change — so teams must be able to adapt to how football is now being played around the league.
We’ve seen this with the Kansas City Chiefs. When quarterback Patrick Mahomes took over in 2018, the team built its offense around speed at wide receiver — and Mahomes’ ability to throw downfield. The Chiefs were consistently getting five players out on routes while offensive tackles were on islands, focused on pass protection.
So when defenses began running more two-high safety coverages to limit explosive plays, Kansas City evolved by becoming less dependent on its speedy receivers, investing more into the offensive line and playing more 12 and 13 personnel to mix in the running game. In 2022 — when that scheme worked best — it largely depended on the play of tight end Travis Kelce.
After the team’s loss in Super Bowl LIX, another evolution could be coming. Kelce is now exiting his prime; he just isn’t as viable as the engine of the passing offense. Younger wide receivers like Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy are now being featured.
How might Kansas City adapt this time?
It occurs to me that the Chiefs might consider becoming more like the Detroit Lions’ offense, which has arguably been the league’s best over the last two years. With their current personnel, I think the Chiefs could run that kind of an offense.
Let’s consider how the Lions do it.
What is the Lions’ offensive scheme?
Detroit’s offense starts and ends with its running game and offensive line. While the Lions mostly play 11 personnel, they still get great run looks, using an athletic, physical offensive line that can run any rushing scheme. Their linemen can easily toggle between approaches, depending on how the opposing defense is playing them. Running back David Montgomery runs between the tackles, while Jahmyr Gibbs is used in space on pitch plays or outside zone runs.
The passing game’s concepts are built from the running game. Detroit calls plenty of under-center play-action that targets the middle of the field, where wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is used on crossers or dig routes from the slot. Wideout Jameson Williams is the burner who wins downfield. Tight end Sam LaPorta runs underneath in the flats and on short drag routes.
Every passing concept uses some vertical stretch, an intermediate route and someone leaking late underneath to give defenses a three-level look. The Lions also use motion to get advantageous matchups and free releases for their receivers.
On third down, Detroit spreads their formations more, using motion and formational stacks to get the same advantages they have on early downs.
How does this match the Chiefs’ personnel?
I first had this idea when thinking about player comparisons for Rice — and St. Brown came to mind. When the Kansas City wide receiver was healthy in 2024, he was dominating on short crossing routes and dig routes from the slot — just like St. Brown does. Rice has showed enough that he could handle being the primary weapon in this kind of offense.
Worthy isn’t a perfect one-to-one match with Williams, but both can operate as burners on downfield post routes. While Worthy might provide more underneath — while Williams is better downfield — I think they could do similar things.
Kelce’s role, however, would need to be adjusted. LaPorta often chips before releasing into underneath zones as a late outlet. While Kelce could do that, he’d have to be more committed to chipping and blocking. If he was, he wouldn’t have to win in the middle of the field. Instead, he could let the scheme — and the timing of his routes — release him underneath. This would give Kelce a lower average depth, but he’d be much more efficient.
In the running game, Kansas City doesn’t have Detroit’s offensive line — but I still think the Chiefs could replicate some of the Lions’ running schemes. If Kinglsey Suamataia is the left guard, Kansas City will have a very athletic, physical trio of interior offensive linemen. Even though Joe Thuney’s pass protection was still very good, his skills as a run blocker decreased as he aged. Suamataia is bigger (and more athletic) than the 2024 Thuney. If he develops, he could absolutely thrive in an outside zone scheme — just like the one the Chiefs’ new left tackle Jaylon Moore played while with the San Francisco 49ers.
What else would the Chiefs need?
Running back
The Lions’ style of offense requires a top-notch running back who can establish a threat with explosive runs — something Gibbs can do because he has the speed to take a well-blocked 5-yard run and turn it into to 25 yards. The Chiefs just don’t have anyone who can do that; they barely even have a starting running back. Getting a dynamic back would be a top priority to make this kind of offense work in Kansas City.
An X wide receiver
After the Super Bowl, I wrote that the Chiefs need a one-on-one receiver who could win while isolated and against man coverage. But after considering it further, that may have been an exaggeration — especially if they adopt this kind of attack. Rice can be the featured player in a passing offense — and Worthy can do more.
Kansas City would still need an X receiver — someone who can block, catch slant routes and backside digs and be a solid third option in the offense. The Lions have used Josh Reynolds and Tim Patrick in this role. This player would not have to be a star, but could be counted upon for 400-600 yards each season. The Chiefs could find that kind of player in the draft’s third or fourth round.
Tackles who do more in the running game
This is one area where Kansas City would need real help. Their tackles cannot do the work that Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker do for the Lions — and in the short term, it’s probably impossible for the Chiefs to acquire that kind of player. While I believe the interior of the offensive line could do well in this kind of offense, it would need more physical run-blocking tackles. Moore could provide some of that, but I’d worry about Jawaan Taylor’s ability in this kind of scheme. If the Chiefs wanted to evolve into this style of offense over the next 3-4 years, they would need to draft a right tackle who could be effective in it — even if it doesn’t have immediate benefits this season.
