A month ago, the NFL vibes were different. A total chaos, as the teams had their eyes set on the Lombardi. Fast forward to now and the chaos persists. Not for the Lombardi, of course, the teams are out there, guns blazing, trying to snag the best talent before their rivals do this offseason. Think of it as the “Game of Thrones” of sports; alliances are formed, betrayals are commonplace, and everyone is vying for the ultimate prize.

The Chiefs and the Browns are no strangers to this. Oh no, we aren’t talking about Myles Garrett’s trade drama. The buzz is that the Browns are reportedly releasing the veteran safety, Juan Thornhill. Yep, the same guy who entered pro football with the Chiefs, won a couple of Super Bowl titles and left them. Now, the rumor says, can the Chiefs re-sign their ex-safety?

Well, the odds are low, but who doesn’t like a plot twist? However, there are certain barriers to this reunion. You see, after his rookie contract with the Chiefs was done, the team decided to walk him in the free agency. As a result of that, the Browns offered him a 3-year $21M deal back in the 2023 season.

Sure, the team believed that he’d lock down their revamped secondary. But nope, things didn’t actually go as planned. His calf injuries came out of the syllabus and plagued his seasons, limiting him to 11 games each year. Now, considering his injury issues, it’s unlikely any team’s gonna offer him a multi-year contract in 2025.

But let’s be honest—dude’s got two Super Bowl rings. With that kind of resume, some team’s definitely gonna throw him a one-year deal. I mean, he’s only 29—he’s still got plenty of gas left in the tank. But the Chiefs? Umm, let’s just say, that reunion seems a distant dream right about now. The team already has a bunch of options. For starters, Bryan Cook is still the number 1 safety option in the 2025 season.

Additionally, Jaden Hicks is about to see a lot more action, and honestly, it just makes sense. I mean, the guy’s just in his sophomore year in the NFL. Plus, they’ve got Chamarri Conner, who’s probably way better off stepping into a full-time safety role instead of trying to make it work as a slot corner.

Sure, the Chiefs are known for bringing back someone who knows their system. But they’ve to face the tight salary cap. On top of that, they’ve already built their safety room and appear well-stocked—of course, without Justin Reid.

Justin Reid’s out of the Chiefs’ safety room

Talk about Justin Reid. Ever since the Texans drafted him back in 2018 NFL draft, the six-year veteran has been making waves in the secondary. The Chiefs signed him on a three-year deal after his rookie contract was over with the Texans. In his second season with the Kansas City team, the guy recorded 95 combined tackles (74 solo and 21 assists) and notched career high 11 interceptions.

Fast forward to his final season of the deal—Reid picked up right where he left off. He started 16 games in the regular season and recorded 87 combined tackles (61 solo), nine pass deflections, and two interceptions. BUT! With this season, it’s the pack-up for Reid from the Chiefs’ locker room. The 28-year-0ld is now hitting the free agency in 2025. And according to FOX, he’s in the top 5 best free agent DBs.

“Reid is one of the strongest leaders in the Kansas City locker room, which is likely why other teams will pay him a little extra to bring those intangibles to their city,” Fox wrote. “Statistically, he is about as consistent as can be. He rarely misses games, and he always seems to put up 80 or more tackles a season. He’s 27 and should help a team looking to ascend to playoff contention.” Well, no doubt, Reid has been a true difference maker for the team.

In his last three seasons with the team, the guy just missed 2 regular season games. And his overall-record with the Kansas City team? Ridiculous. The guy tackles like there’s no tomorrow. He recorded 265 total tackles, four sacks, and 12 stuffs in his three seasons with the Chiefs. One of the reasons why the team has been ranked a top-10 defense twice.

But what about his future? Sure, the Chiefs would be eager to resign him in the free agency. However, the other teams like the Commanders are expected to give a surprise visit. And who knows if we’re gonna see Justin Reid play for another team in the 2025 season? As for the Chiefs, well, let’s just say, they’re tackling certain offseason concerns this year.