Tasked with some tough decisions last offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs prioritized guard Trey Smith and traded away veteran offensive lineman Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears for a future pick, as they looked to shed salary.
Kansas
Kansas’ Brady Ballinger joins K-Nation
MANHATTAN (KSNT) – Kansas baseball’s Brady Ballinger joins this week’s episode of K-Nation.
Ballinger caught up with K-Nation’s Kole Emplit to talk the season thus far, winning the Sunflower Showdown series, and much more.
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In Game 2 against K-State, Ballinger was the hero with a go-ahead three run home run for Kansas in the ninth inning as the Jayhawks would go on to win 10-8.
“I’ve had a good season, but that was the best moment so far,” Ballinger said.
Ballinger and the Jayhawks will travel to Wichita on Tuesday, April 28, to take on the Shockers.
For more sports news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
Kansas
Two more tornadoes confirmed in Kansas City metro from Thursday storms
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – The National Weather Service confirmed Saturday that two EF-0 tornadoes struck the Kansas City metro on Thursday night.
Tornado #1: Nashua Neighborhood, Kansas City
The NWS says the first tornado touched down at around 8:55 p.m. Thursday, east of Highway 169 in Kansas City’s Nashua Neighborhood, dissipating just 5 minutes later around 9 p.m.
The EF-0 twister packed peak winds of 85 mph and carved a nearly 2-mile path at about 75 yards wide.
The tornado produced sporadic tree damage near Main St. to Oak Trfwy., then strengthened as it moved east toward Charlotte St., where it caused extensive tree damage between 113th and 115th St.
According to the NWS, the twister continued northeast through Tracy and Virginia Ave., where several trees fell onto vehicles and homes.
The tornado weakened as it tracked northeast toward Cunningham Dr. and Wooldand Ave., finally dissipating after damaging trees at a home north of Cookingham Dr.
Tornado #2: Clay County/Clinton County Border
The NWS adds that the second EF-0 tornado touched down just after 9:10 p.m. Thursday near 200th St. on the Clay County side of the Clinton/Clay County border, ending around 9:15 p.m.
It had peak winds of 75 mph, a 1.5-mile path and a width of about 50 yards.
The twister produced minor tree damage along 200th St. before moving northeast toward 204th St., where several trees were visibly snapped near their tops near Owl Creek, according to the NWS.
It then damaged trees and power poles along 204th St., and metal debris was scattered onto trees and property at a home along the road.
The tornado tracked north of the road, damaging additional trees before dissipating west of Fightmaster Rd.
Note: Investigators observed minor tree and limb damage southeast of the tornado track, but determined it was caused by straight-line winds – not the tornado itself – based on the northeast-facing direction of the damage.
How Do These Compare?
The NWS rates tornadoes on the Enhanced Fujita Scale based on estimated peak wind speeds:
| Rating | Peak Winds |
|---|---|
| EF-0 | 65-85 mph |
| EF-1 | 86-100 mph |
| EF-2 | 111-135 mph |
| EF-3 | 136-165 mph |
| EF-4 | 166-200 mph |
| EF-5 | 201+ mph |
Thursday’s Kansas City tornadoes were among the weakest on the scale. For context:
- The tornado that struck Enid, Oklahoma, on Thursday was rated an EF-4
- The 2022 Andover, Kansas, tornado was rated an EF-3
- The devastating 2011 Joplin, Missouri, tornado was rated an EF-5
Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.
Kansas
Kansas City Chiefs may have landed the most athletic UDFA ever — and the rest of the NFL could regret passing on him
The Kansas City Chiefs landed perhaps the most athletic undrafted free agent ever in Cincinnati WR Jeff Caldwell. If he can unlock his game under new WRs coach Chad O’Shea, the rest of the NFL is going to be kicking themselves.
© Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Kansas City Chiefs have already begun finalizing the first iteration of their 90-man offseason roster with multiple undrafted free agent deals following the 2026 NFL Draft. They managed quite the haul during the draft, but they’re now in the process of supplementing it and filling gaps on the roster.
One of the players they brought in, Cincinnati WR Jeff Caldwell, is a prospect that I would’ve been ready to take at pick No. 109 based on the sheer athletic upside. At 6-foot-5 and 216 pounds, he’s one of the freakiest athletes in this class. The fact that he didn’t get drafted and landed with the Chiefs should keep opposing NFL teams up at night.
Chiefs WR Jeff Caldwell might be the most athletic UDFA of all time
It’s not hyperbole when I say that Cincinnati WR Jeff Caldwell may be the most athletic undrafted free agent in NFL history. His performance at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine resulted in a 98.9 A to Z Sports Athletic Composite. He recorded 97th percentile scores in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and broad jump.
To contextualize just how athletic Caldwell is, look at the 23-year-old’s measurables next to those of all-time greats like Julio Jones and Calvin Johnson. Andy Reid might say, “This man is a couple of cheeseburgers away from greatness.”
Caldwell is underdeveloped physically, but only slightly. His size and length, combined with his speed and explosiveness, are incredibly rare. His 1.48s 10-yard split at the combine was faster than Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy’s (1.49s).
Chad O’Shea has to help Caldwell put it all together in Kansas City
Caldwell is still unlocking new layers to his game. He was a player on the rise during his four-year career at Lindenwood, which ultimately led to his transfer to the Bearcats. Caldwell recorded 32 receptions for 478 yards and six touchdowns with Cincinnati in 2025. Some elements of his game were elevated, while others fell a bit flat.
The details of being a polished NFL receiver need work. He struggled with drops in 2025. Play strength and contact were problems, which isn’t something you’d expect at his size. His release packages were sometimes flat. Receiver coaches will tell you that he takes too many steps to get in and out of his breaks. They’ll also get on him when it comes to letting the ball into his frame.
Ultimately, this is the exact type of player that the Chiefs brought O’Shea in to develop. And if they can manage that over the next few seasons, the NFL will have a whole lot of regrets.
Kansas
The pick from the Joe Thuney trade has already been spent
Thuney was looking for an extension, and the Chiefs had quite a few that they’d recently handed out or were looking to, leading to a departure after two straight first-team All-Pro seasons.
With the 2026 NFL Draft upon us, let’s revisit the Thuney trade and what the Chiefs got in return.
Original terms of the Joe Thuney trade
- Kansas City Chiefs receive: 2026 fourth-round pick (No. 125)
- Chicago Bears receive: LG Joe Thuney
What did the Chiefs do with the pick from the Joe Thuney trade?
Kansas City ultimately used the fourth-round pick it acquired to trade up with the New England Patriots from No. 95 to No. 85 in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, taking cornerback Nohl Williams at the spot.
The Patriots now have the No. 125 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
How did the Chiefs fare in the Joe Thuney trade?
The loss of Thuney came after some questionable moves from the Chiefs, which included paying Jawaan Taylor and Jaylon Moore significant money at tackle to fix their problems there.
So far, neither has panned out, with Taylor heading elsewhere this offseason. The Chiefs were already in a tough position financially after recent extensions for Chris Jones, George Karlaftis, Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Nick Bolton, and others, and had to make a decision.
They ultimately picked the younger Smith over Thuney, who fetched only a fourth-round pick on the open market. But, the reality is, Kansas City gave up quite a productive and durable player, and now it is still figuring out its offensive line.
Was the trade a poor move on its own? Maybe not with the financial situation Kansas City was in. But then again, they’re the ones who put themselves in that situation, costing them a quality player who had another strong season in 2025.
How did Joe Thuney play in 2025 for the Chicago Bears?
Thuney was huge for the Bears last season, earning first-team All-Pro honors for the third-straight year, while making his fourth-straight Pro Bowl appearance.
He remained durable for the entire year, playing 17 games for the third straight year. That’s been a key part of his entire career, be it in New England, with Kansas City, or in Chicago.
With a strong interior offensive line, the Bears saw their run game take key steps, while their offense as a whole matured into one of the better groups in the NFL.
He’s set to be on the second year of a two-year, $35 million extension that he signed with Chicago after the trade happened last offseason.
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