The Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) head into Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1) riding a two-game win streak. It hasn’t been pretty across the board, but let’s get into the heart of it: The defensive line. Kansas City’s front was shaky through the first two weeks, but the last two outings told a different story. And the reason for that turnaround?

It starts and pretty much ends with defensive tackle Chris Jones and defensive end George Karlaftis. Jones continues to prove why he’s one of the league’s premier interior disruptors. According to ESPN’s player-level metrics, he ranks among the top defensive tackles in pass-rush win rate at 16% through four games.

On the edge, Karlaftis has emerged as one of the breakout pass rushers of 2025. He’s already one of just a handful of players with 20+ pressures through Week 4 and sits fifth in the NFL in true pressure rate (14.8%).

Head coach Andy Reid summed it up best: “Even though he might not get home, he’s always around, and he just keeps getting better. He’s got a little bit of the diehard battery deal in him, so he keeps on going.”

The issue, though, is depth. Beyond Jones and Karlaftis, the production falls off fast. Per the league’s official site, no other Chiefs lineman has more than six quarterback pressures this season. That leaves defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo searching for a third option. Yes, someone who can collapse the pocket from the inside or win consistently off the edge.

Because the signs are clear: ESPN’s trench metrics through Week 4 show the Chiefs with a team PRWR of 37% (ranked 21st). It’s not bottom-tier, sure. But it’s not elite either. The silver lining heading into Week 5, though? Well, the Chiefs managed to create pressure on 14 of Lamar Jackson’s 27 dropbacks (51.9%) in Week 4. And the team recorded multiple pressures and sacks (3 per ESPN).

Long story short: The Chiefs’ defense is getting better and the season progresses, but the team surely needs some depth heading deeper into the season with Trevor Lawrence lining up next. Meanwhile, the Chiefs also needed help on the offensive side of the ball. But as things stand, they’ve put a rest on the trade rumors.

Tyreek Hill was never coming to the Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes‘ wide receiver unit wasn’t exactly elite heading into the season, especially with Rashee Rice serving a six-week suspension. Things got even trickier when second-year receiver Xavier Worthy went down with an injury. Naturally, questions arose about whether Kansas City might look to add a wideout.

And somehow Tyreek Hill emerged as a top name in the conversation for a potential reunion. Of course, the 8x Pro-Bowler is out for the rest of the season, but even before his knee injury, the Chiefs reportedly had no plans to trade for Hill.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that, “While fantasy managers and fans dreams up reunion scenarios, I’m told Hill was never considered a real option in Kansas City, even as the Chiefs stumbled out of the gate.” In fact, the Chiefs are fully invested in Rice, who is expected to join the receiving corps in a couple of weeks. A close source to Russini informed her that Rice is “better than any trade we could make. … People don’t realize how good he is.”

Given that the wideout was injured last season and is set to miss the next couple of games more this year, it’s easy to see why many haven’t fully appreciated just how talented he is. But despite the setbacks, the front office remains confident, expecting Rice to return with full momentum once he’s back on the field. As for Hill? Unfortunately, his season is over.

Meanwhile, check out why Patrick Mahomes is scrambling more this season, and for how long can he keep this up, in our latest video!