The Kansas City Chiefs are facing a lot of changes this offseason, with the biggest being the effort to overcome their 6-11 record this year. Jesse Newell of The Athletic boiled these changes down to five questions, and they address all the key issues.
1 How will they shuffle cap space?
The Chiefs are currently $54 million over the cap, according to Newell, but restructuring the deal of quarterback Patrick Mahomes to eliminate his $78 million cap hit will solve most of this problem. Defensive tackle Chris Jones is another restructure candidate with a $44.9 million cap hit, and cutting tackle Jawaan Taylor and releasing defensive end Mike Danna will save $20 million and $9 million, respectively. There are smaller cuts to be made that might save more money, but those are more problematic given that they involve productive players who make less money.
2 Which unrestricted free agents will the Chiefs bring back?
The three players Newell focused on were linebacker Leo Chenal, cornerback Jaylen Watson and safety Bryan Cook. The Chiefs will be lucky to retain one of these players, Newell says, and he chose Chenal because he wants to come back, which could result in a bit of a hometown discount.
3 Which positions should the Chiefs target in free agency?
Running back and defensive line depth, according to Newell, and this is the one question that’s the focus of the fan base. The names available in free agency include running backs Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker III, Rico Dowdle and Travis Etienne, and coach Andy Reid has acknowledged that the running game needs to become more explosive. Is this the year he actually does something about it, though?
4 What will they do with one of their stars?
This question could be extended to multiple players, but Newell chose cornerback Trent McDuffie, who is under contract for one more season at $13 million. McDuffie is homegrown and just 25, which makes him a candidate for an extension on most teams, but given the Chiefs’ ability to develop defensive backs and the players who are waiting in the wings, it’s widely considered more likely that Kansas City trades McDuffie for more draft capital.
5 How should the Chiefs use their rare draft asset?
The Chiefs haven’t had a top ten pick in the draft since 2017, and this question is another focal point for the fan base. Newell thinks it would be hard for the Chiefs to go against the grain and select anything other than a receiver or defensive lineman, but this question is really a total wild card that’s impossible to predict.