The Kansas City Chiefs have the difficult task of figuring out which pending free agents to pay in the coming months and which to let walk. There are numerous key players who are due for new contracts and it’s certain that next year’s team won’t look the same as this one.

From Justin Reid to Trey Smith to Nick Bolton and more, the Chiefs have their fair share of guys who will either re-sign or wind up putting on a different uniform in 2025.

The NFL’s franchise tag window opens on Tuesday. While some fans will want the organization to tag one of those players, the decision actually couldn’t be easier for Kansas City. Based on cap projections for what the tag price will be at each position, the Chiefs simply can’t afford to tag anyone.

Chiefs Can’t Afford to Franchise Tag Any Pending Free Agent

According to Over the Cap, which puts out measured cap predictions for each position, the potential franchise tag price for a linebacker is north of $27 million, an offensive lineman over $25 million, and a safety just shy of $20 million.

With respect to Reid, Smith, and Bolton, that’s simply an untenable cost. Before factoring in any potential contract restructuring, the Chiefs have around $15 million in cap space to play with. Keeping just one of those players on the tag would wind up pushing Kansas City past the edge, and that makes the franchise tag conversation an easy one to have.

In all likelihood, the organization will agree to an extension with at least one of these players. That’d let general manager Brett Veach convert some money to a signing bonus and push the heavy cap hit farther down the line, though it’s clear that not everyone can get paid.

Should Travis Kelce ultimately choose to retire, more money will free up. Either way, it’s clear that the 2025 roster won’t be the same as that from 2024. Not everyone will be back and it’s up to Veach to determine who to let walk and who to keep.

Falling short of the three-peat has far-reaching implications. Who exactly it’ll impact remains to be seen, though fans should feel confident that there won’t be a franchise tag applied to any current Chief.