The Kansas City Chiefs have an estimated cap space of minus-$58.4 million and need to restructure contracts and/or make cuts.
The Kansas City Chiefs have a lot to do with not a lot of funds to do so unless they restructure some contracts or make some tough cuts this offseason.
The biggest priorities seem to be on the defensive side of the ball and adding an edge rusher definitely needs to be done either through free agency or the draft, but Kansas City’s defense was quite good minus the success rate of their pass-rush. The Chiefs allowed fewer than 20 points per game (19.3, sixth in National Football League) and their 301.5 yards allowed per game was 10th in the NFL.
There should be more concern regarding the offense. For a receiving room that features a lot of playmakers and was perceived as the best it has been since star quarterback Patrick Mahomes was drafted in 2017, injuries and drops severely hindered the success of the team in 2025.
Maybe more importantly, the offensive line underwent some changes that affected Mahomes and the rest of the offense. Rookie left tackle Josh Simmons was great when he was on the field, center Creed Humphrey is the best in the business and guard Trey Smith is a premier lineman. Issues arise with left guard Kingsley Suamataia and even more with right tackle Jawaan Taylor.
Suamataia is young and took over for legendary guard Joe Thuney who was traded to the Chicago Bears, and he wasn’t terrible. There were many guards who were worse than him, so we can cut him some slack. But Taylor is a different story.
At 28-years-old, Taylor is a prime cut candidate and seems like a lock to be let go by Kansas City this offseason. He was graded as the ninth-worst tackle out of 89 qualified players according to Pro Football Focus (PFF) and ESPN’s Aaron Schatz predicts Taylor won’t be in a Chiefs uniform anymore.
“The Chiefs will cut Taylor, which would save them $20 million on the cap even if Taylor is cut before the June 1 mark,” Schatz wrote Monday. “He was seventh in pass block win rate for tackles this season, but the Chiefs can't live with his expensive contract or his predilection for earning penalties.”
That amount of money for a team that desperately needs salary cap relief would drastically change what the Chiefs can do in free agency. This move seems like a no-brainer, and making the move would likely prompt Kansas City to address his departure in the draft.
“With a rare top-10 pick, the Chiefs could replace right tackle Jawaan Taylor with a prospect like Francis Mauigoa (Miami),” ESPN’s Jordan Reid wrote Monday.
Adding the top prospect at offensive tackle would give the Chiefs a young and powerful tackle duo to protect Mahomes for potentially the rest of his career if Kansas City played their cards right.