KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs ended the season with an 18-16 loss to Pittsburgh in the divisional round of the playoffs. Here is a look at the season and what’s next:

Grade: B+

Season summary: A year after the Chiefs broke an eight-game playoff losing streak, they cleared another franchise barrier in 2016 by winning their first AFC West championship since 2010. The road was often difficult for the Chiefs, who started the season 2-2 with an often unproductive offense and hit bottom with a 43-14 loss to the Steelers in Week 4. But, as coach Andy Reid's teams often do, the Chiefs found themselves after their early season bye and finished by winning 10 of their last 12 games to end the regular season at 12-4. The Chiefs swept their AFC West rivals for the first time since 1995, and the two wins against the Raiders, who also finished 12-4, were crucial because they determined the division winner. The Chiefs didn’t have two of their best players -- running back Jamaal Charles and linebacker Justin Houston -- for much of the season. Rookie Tyreek Hill, a fifth-round draft pick, gave the Chiefs many of the big plays they might have received from Charles. He led the Chiefs in touchdowns with 12, including three on special teams. No other Kansas City player had more than five. Tight end Travis Kelce also set career highs with 85 catches and 1,125 yards. On defense, Dee Ford emerged in Houston's absence to collect 10 sacks in the first nine games, but he was shut out the rest of the way. Safety Eric Berry was the Chiefs' best defensive player. He had a pick-six and a pick-two (on an Atlanta attempt for two points after a touchdown) to give the Chiefs an important one-point win late in the season. But the Chiefs couldn’t advance in the postseason beyond their opening game.

Biggest draft need: Inside linebacker. The Chiefs need to find the eventual replacement for longtime starter Derrick Johnson, who has been an effective player against both the run and the pass for years. But Johnson will turn 35 next season and will be coming off a torn Achilles tendon that ended his 2016 season in early December. Johnson might return as an effective player for another season or two, but it’s time for the Chiefs to prepare for life without him.

Key offseason questions

Has quarterback Alex Smith taken the Chiefs as far as he can? Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Is it time to replace Alex Smith? The Chiefs have given no indication they’re ready to move on from their starting quarterback of four seasons. But Smith, who turns 33 in May, might have taken the Chiefs as far as he can. He had a career low for a full season with 15 touchdown passes in 2016 as his passing in the red zone was particularly subpar. End-zone interceptions against the Buccaneers and Titans were the key plays in games that wound up as two-point losses. The Chiefs signed veteran Nick Foles last summer. He was drafted by Andy Reid when he coached the Eagles. Foles, who threw 27 touchdown passes with two interceptions for the Eagles in 2013, might be able to take the Chiefs to a place that Smith couldn’t. He might better help the Chiefs maximize what they get from their receivers, including Jeremy Maclin, who had a down season.

Can the Chiefs find a way to keep Berry? The veteran safety had one of his best NFL seasons. He ignited a fourth-quarter comeback in November against the Panthers with an interception and a spectacular return for a touchdown that included two spin moves on his way to the end zone. He was again a key figure in a win against the Falcons in December with his two interception returns. He is also their leader in the locker room. Everyone listens when Berry, a cancer survivor, speaks. He was the player who got in cornerback Marcus Peters' face on the sideline with some clear advice after Peters inexplicably punted the ball into the stands and picked up a penalty after a fourth-quarter fumble recovery against the Panthers. The Chiefs could make Berry the franchise player again, as he was in 2016. It’s going to cost them more than the $10.8 million it did last year, but Berry would be worth the franchise-player cost to the Chiefs in 2017 if he plays and leads like he did this season.

Should the Chiefs retain Charles? Charles was, for a long period, among the best running backs in the league. But he hasn’t been since Oct. 11, 2015, when he tore the ACL in his right knee in a game against Chicago. He played in just three games this season as a part-time player with 40 rushing yards and a touchdown before soreness in the knee ended his season. Charles turned 30 in December, and there’s no guarantee he will ever return as the player he was before the latest knee injury (he tore the ACL in his left knee in 2011). Charles, between salary and bonuses, is scheduled to cost the Chiefs $7 million in 2017. The Chiefs would absorb no cap charge for Charles if they release him. Charles was so good in his day that it’s worth seeing whether he can get back to his previous level of play. But it’s not worth $7 million. The Chiefs need to see whether Charles would take a reduced contract that includes incentives. Such a deal would give both sides some security.