Terrible? Disaster? Hot mess? However you want to describe the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2025 season, the verdict is overwhelmingly negative. Kansas City missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and posted its first losing record since 2012 (before head coach Andy Reid arrived).
The Chiefs’ disappointing record was only part of the story. Patrick Mahomes was lost for the season in Week 15 with a torn ACL and LCL, putting a dark bow on an already difficult year. The silver lining: Mahomes is expected to be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season.
That sets up a fascinating offseason for K.C. They head into a new league year dead last in cap space (before making any moves), yet hold a top-10 draft pick for the first time since 2013. Add in sweeping changes to the coaching staff, and this is an organization at a genuine crossroads.
The path back to dominance runs through the next three months. NFL teams rebuild through two avenues: free agency and the draft. The Chiefs will need to maximize both if they hope to return to the postseason and, eventually, the Super Bowl. Their most pressing needs include finding a long-term answer at running back, shoring up the defensive line, bolstering the secondary, and adding weapons at receiver. These won’t be the only areas that require attention, but they’re the ones that can’t wait.
It’s a tall order. Unless general manager Brett Veach pulls a rabbit out of his hat, not every need will be properly met, but more unlikely things have happened in Kansas City. With the offseason now underway, let’s take stock of what the Chiefs are working with, the key dates ahead, and what it will take to get this team back to the playoffs and beyond.
LOOKING AT THE CHIEFS 2026 CAP SPACE
Cap Space (per Over The Cap): -$11.3M (28th in the NFL)
In the offseason, only the Top 51 highest cap hits count towards the salary cap. This allows teams to sign up to 90 players and remain cap compliant.
Effective Cap Space (per Over The Cap): -$18.8M (30th in the NFL)
Effective Cap Space is the cap space a team will have after signing at least 51 players and its projected rookie class to its roster.
Dead Cap Space (per Over The Cap): $216K (32nd in the NFL (low is good))
KEY CHIEFS FREE AGENTS
Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA)
Travis Kelce (TE), Marquise Brown (WR), Charles Omenihu (EDGE), Kareem Hunt (RB), Bryan Cook (S), Leo Chenal (LB), Jaylen Watson (CB), Isaiah Pacheco (RB), Gardner Minshew (QB), Tyquan Thornton (WR), Jack Cochrane (LB), Nazeeh Johnson (S), Jerry Tillery (DT), James Winchester (LS), Derrick Nnadi (DT), JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR), Robert Tonyan (TE), Mike Pennel (DT), Deon Bush (S), Joshua Williams (CB)
Restricted Free Agents (RFA)
Mike Caliendo (OG), Keontay Ingram (RB)
Exclusive Rights Free Agents (ERFA)
Cole Christiansen (LB), Eric Scott (CB), Nikko Remigio (WR), Matt Araiza (P)
PRE-FREE AGENCY ROSTER MOVES
PROPOSED ROSTER CUTS
| Player | Position | $ Saved | Dead $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jawaan Taylor | OT | $20M | $7.4M |
| Kristian Fulton | DB | $5M | $8M |
| Drue Tranquill | LB | $6M | $1.5M |
| Mike Danna | DE | $8.9M | $2.2M |
Net Savings for the Chiefs: $39.9M
Not many surprises here. Jawaan Taylor is a fine right tackle, but paying him north of $27 million is hard to justify given his production and tendency to take penalties. Kristian Fulton flashed some encouraging signs down the stretch, but it likely won’t be enough to bring him back.
Drue Tranquill is the toughest call on this list. He’s been a reliable player the last three years, but the Chiefs need to get younger at linebacker. Mike Danna is likely the easiest decision on this list. He’s given Kansas City plenty of quality snaps over the years, but his time with the team appears to be up.
RESTRUCTURED CONTRACTS
| Player | Position | $ Converted | $ Saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Bolton | LB | $11.5M | $5.M |
| Chris Jones | DL | $6M | $4M |
| Trey Smith | OL | $6M | $4M |
| Creed Humphrey | OL | $12M | $8M |
| George Karlaftis | DL | $8M | $6.4M |
Net Savings for the Chiefs: $28.2M
After restructuring Patrick Mahomes’ contract to the maximum level for 2026 earlier this offseason, the Chiefs should take a more conservative approach with everyone else.
Simple restructures are essentially a way for teams to loan themselves cap space, converting a player’s current year base salary and other bonus money into a signing bonus. Every player listed here ( if not all) should still be on the roster in 2027 and potentially 2028, which makes kicking some of that money down the road a more manageable decision.
The one player worth singling out is Nick Bolton. He’s a divisive figure among Chiefs fans, and the team could move on from him next year with just $4.25M in dead money if they chose to. That said, Steve Spagnuolo’s admiration for Bolton is well-known, and a release feels unlikely, though not impossible. The more probable outcome is that the Chiefs either leave his contract untouched this year or revisit it with a reasonable short-term extension sometime next offseason.
CONTRACT EXTENSIONS
| Player | Position | Years | Total $ | Guaranteed $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trent McDuffie | CB | 4 | $122M | $45M |
- CB Trent McDuffie: 4 years, $122M total money, $45M guaranteed new money
What happens with Trent McDuffie this offseason is anyone’s guess. There’s a reasonable case for trading him for a top-50 pick, keeping him on his fifth-year option, or extending him outright. For the purposes of this exercise, I went with the latter.
The cornerback market is currently anchored by Sauce Gardner’s $30.1M AAV deal, and the Chiefs would likely need to slightly exceed that to get something done. Is that the move I’d personally make? Probably not, but it’s hard to justify moving on from a blue-chip player when the roster has this many holes. Then again, cornerback is one of the few positions Kansas City has consistently developed from within in recent years, which could make McDuffie more expendable.
PROPOSED RE-SIGNINGS FOR THE CHIEFS
ERFA Tenders (1 year, $1.075M to each)
- LB Cole Christiansen
- CB Eric Scott
- WR Nikko Remigio
- P Matt Araiza
Smaller Free Agent Re-Signings
- QB Gardner Minshew: 1 year, $2M
- LS James Winchester: 1 year, $1.5M
- OG Mike Caliendo: 1 year, $1.3M
Larger Free Agent Re-Signings
- TE Travis Kelce: 1 year, $10M
- WR Tyquan Thornton: 1 year, $5M
- LB Leo Chenal: 3 years, $21M ($14M guaranteed), $5M 2026 cap hit
The ERFAs aren’t worth dwelling on since their contracts are small and non-guaranteed.
Gardner Minshew avoided a torn ACL, which means he can participate fully in the offseason program and, if needed, step in as a starter for the first few games of the season. Mike Caliendo is also a restricted free agent, but his tender exceeds $3M. The more likely outcome is that the Chiefs decline to tender him and bring him back on a more team-friendly deal. James Winchester has been a reliable long-snapper and should be brought back.
Ultimately, I don’t think Travis Kelce wants his career to end on a sour note, and I expect him to return on a reasonable deal. Though this is purely a guess at the time of writing. Tyquan Thornton flashed real productivity in limited snaps in 2025, making him worth bringing back at a moderate price.
Leo Chenal is something of a projection, but he’s a legitimately strong linebacker who has been more valuable to this defense than most people realize. Whatever coordinator lands him in free agency is going to be very, very fortunate.
PROPOSED FA SIGNINGS
- RB Travis Etienne Jr. (Jaguars): 3 years, $36M ($23M guaranteed), $7M 2026 cap hit
- DE Boye Mafe (Seahawks): 3 year, $49M ($30M guaranteed), $7M 2026 cap hit
- TE Isaiah Likely (Ravens): 3 year, $28M ($18M guaranteed), $5M 2026 cap hit
- S Alohi Gilman (Ravens): 3 years, $20M ($12M guaranteed), $4M 2026 cap hit
- DE Derek Barnett (Texans): 1 year, $5M
- DT David Onyemata (Falcons): 1 year, $3.75M
- CB James Pierre (Steelers): 1 year, $3.5M
After clearing enough cap space through restructures and cuts, the Chiefs should have room to sign a couple of mid-tier free agents. Don’t expect any blockbuster deals (nothing north of $20 million per year), but there should be enough to land a few meaningful starters.
If you polled 1,000 Chiefs fans on the team’s biggest offseason need, running back would likely come out on top, and understandably so. Travis Etienne is no superstar, but he would give the Chiefs something they’ve sorely lacked: genuine backfield speed. According to Pro Football Focus, he recorded 26 runs of 10 or more yards last regular season, more than the entire Chiefs running back room combined (23). At the right price, he could be a smart investment.
That same poll would likely put pass rush second on the list. Boye Mafe would be an immediate upgrade over every defensive lineman the Chiefs fielded last season, outside of Chris Jones and George Karlaftis. We know the team is intrigued by him, given the rumors that they targeted him at last season’s trade deadline. Derek Barnett and David Onyemata round out the defensive line additions as quality depth signings for a unit that has never been particularly deep under Steve Spagnuolo.
Regardless of whether Kelce returns, the Chiefs would be wise to add some talent to the tight end room. Noah Gray simply isn’t a long-term answer as a TE1. Isaiah Likely has always had the tools, but hasn’t quite put it all together. A foot injury and a down year from Lamar Jackson may help explain his dip in production in 2025, though signing him would still be somewhat of a risk for Kansas City.
In the secondary, if the Chiefs decide against paying Bryan Cook on a second contract, Alohi Gilman offers a cheaper alternative at safety without a significant drop-off. If Kansas City wants to go bargain hunting at cornerback, James Pierre could be a sneaky-good addition at a minimal cap hit.
2026 NFL Draft
I used the PFF Mock Draft Simulator to perform this mock draft. No trades.
Round 1, Pick 9: Carnell Tate, Wide Receiver, Ohio State
The Chiefs have invested heavily at wide receiver in recent years, including a first-round pick on Xavier Worthy in 2024, but this depth chart is riddled with question marks. Rashee Rice’s status is so questionable that he may not be on the roster by the time this article is published, let alone Week 1. Worthy’s durability will always be a concern. Tyquan Thornton and Jalen Royals also shouldn’t be relied up on as anything more than depth.
Enter Carnell Tate. For every fan who has watched a big, physical wide receiver carve up KC’s secondary, Tate is the answer to that frustration on the offensive side of the ball. Many scouts have drawn comparisons to Tee Higgins, and he’s considered pro-ready enough that he shouldn’t need to be eased into the offense.
Round 2, Pick 40: Gabe Jacas, Defensive End, Illinois
If the Chiefs don’t come away from this draft with at least 1-2 defensive lineman on Days 1 and 2, there may be a revolt in Chiefs Kingdom. Gabe Jacas checks a lot of the boxes Kansas City tends to prioritize at defensive end: he’s big and powerful, plays with a high motor, and was highly productive at Illinois. His run defense needs development, but he brings legitimate pass-rush upside and would be a solid get at pick 40.
Round 3, Pick 74: Domonique Orange, Defensive Tackle, Iowa State
As mentioned earlier, the defensive line has been an anchor dragging this team down, and that won’t change without a real investment. Domonique Orange is primarily a run-stopping defensive tackle, but that’s exactly the kind of player this roster needs. The Chiefs simply cannot keep trotting out Derrick Nnadi and Mike Pennel on early downs (no offense to either player). Adding a stout run defender keeps opposing offenses out of manageable third-and-short situations, which in turn creates better conditions for the pass rush.
Round 4, Pick 109: Taurean York, Linebacker, Texas A&M
Tauren York is undersized, but he’s instinctive, technically sound, and an excellent blitzer. If Kansas City can look past the size concerns, he could be worth an early Day 3 investment.
Round 5, Pick 146: Mike Washington Jr., Running Back, Arkansas
No matter what the Chiefs do in free agency at running back, they should still target the position in the draft. Mike Washington profiles as a powerful runner with enough speed to be a genuine complement to Travis Etienne, giving the offense a thunder-and-lightning dynamic that could be particularly useful on short-yardage downs. His pass protection needs work, but that’s a coachable skill.
Round 5, Pick 176: Tacario Davis, Cornerback, Washington
With Joshua Williams likely headed for free agency, drafting a tall boundary cornerback to fill that void makes natural sense. It helps that the Chiefs have also shown a clear affinity for cornerbacks out of Washington, so this pick would fit the bill in more ways than one.
Final Roster (heading into the preseason)
Important note: NFL teams are permitted to have up to 90 players on the roster during the offseason. This roster projection is incomplete as the remaining slots will be filled mostly with rookie undrafted free agents and other depth signings.
Denotes an in-house re-signing
Denotes a free agent signing
Denotes a draft pick
Quarterback (4): Patrick Mahomes, Gardner Minshew, Jake Haener, Chris Oladokun
Running Back (4): Travis Etienne Jr., Mike Washington Jr., Brashard Smith, ShunDerrick Powell
Wide Receiver (8): Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Carnell Tate, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Royals, Nikko Remigio, Andrew Armstrong, Jimmy Holiday
Tight End (5): Travis Kelce, Isaiah Likely, Noah Gray, Jared Wiley, Jake Briningstool, Tre Watson
Offensive Tackle (6): Josh Simmons, Jaylon Moore, Wanya Morris, Chu Godrick, Esa Pole, Matt Waletzko
Interior Offensive Line (6): Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Kingsley Suamataia, Mike Caliendo, CJ Hanson, Hunter Nourzard
Defensive End (6): George Karlaftis, Boye Mafe, Gabe Jacas, Derek Barnett, Ashton Gillotte, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Ethan Downs
Defensive Tackle (6): Chris Jones, Omarr Norman-Lott, David Onyemata, Domonique Orange, Zacch Pickens, Marcus Harris
Linebacker (9): Nick Bolton, Leo Chenal, Taurean York, Jeffrey Bassa, Cooper McDonald, Cole Christiansen, Brandon George, Tyreke Smith, Kam Arnold
Cornerback (7): Trent McDuffie, Nohl Williams, James Pierre, Tacario Davis, Christian Roland-Wallace, Melvin Smith, Kevin Knowles, Eric Scott
Safety (5): Jaden Hicks, Alohi Gilman, Chamarri Conner, Mike Edwards, Tanner McCalister
Special Teams (3): Harrison Butker, Matt Araiza, James Winchester
Projected Remaining 2026 Cap Space: $5.1M
Conclusion
Based on projected contracts and the rookie class, the Chiefs would have roughly $5M in remaining cap space, which is sufficient to add a free agent or two during the late summer months.
While many of these specific moves won’t happen (there’s a reason I’m not in the front office), this exercise illustrates potential paths for the team’s offseason. The outlined approach would bolster both lines of scrimmage, inject youth at skill positions, and add explosiveness to the offense in the run and pass game.
However, roster changes alone won’t guarantee a return to the Super Bowl. The Chiefs must continue to overhaul their offensive scheme, which they have started to do by making massive changes to the coaching staff. They also need to develop their young defensive line talent from the 2025 draft, Omarr Norman-Lott and Ashton Gillotte, and ensure the offensive tackle situation is under control.
While Brett Veach has forgotten more about football than I ever hope to learn, this article serves to preview the offseason landscape, evaluate current assets, and explore potential improvements as the Chiefs pursue another title. Their success will depend not just on personnel moves, but on recapturing their explosive offensive identity from years past.
