Money hasn't been much of an issue for the Kansas City Chiefs in recent years — winning tends to mask a whole lot in the NFL.
From a $450 million extension to Patrick Mahomes in 2020, to a new $158.75 million deal to longtime defensive star Chris Jones in 2024, the Chiefs have rewarded their top homegrown stars for their years of Super Bowl-level contributions, also typically adding a top free agent or two each offseason.
However, the 2026 offseason is likely set to be new territory for Kansas City. Missing the playoffs already meant the team would have a higher draft pick than usual, but Mahomes' torn ACL alters the Chiefs' 2026 season outlook as well.
With a cap sheet that's looking loaded, not only are the Chiefs in a rough spot due to their quarterback's injury, but they'll have a lot of financial decisions to make this spring.
Here's a breakdown of the Chiefs' cap situation heading into the 2026 offseason.
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Chiefs salary cap 2026
According to Spotrac, the Chiefs are projected to be over the salary 2026 cap by just under $35 million ($-34,969,029), with their cap space for 2026 ranking 31st among 32 NFL teams. Only the Dallas Cowboys are projected to be further over the cap ($36.6 million), and the Chiefs' projection is also only accounting for the 37 projected rostered players, not the full team of 52 players.
Patrick Mahomes' contract is what takes up a huge amount of their projected 2026 cap space — which is why a reworked deal, with him earning his money in some other fashion, could be a likely route for the Chiefs to take. Per Spotrac, Mahomes carries a projected cap hit of $78.2 million in 2026, which trails only the Cleveland Browns' Deshaun Watson ($80.7 million) across the NFL.
The past three seasons, Mahomes has carried cap hits of $35.8 million, $37.1 million and $37 million, per Spotrac. If Kansas City can rework the structure of his contract to limit the 2026 impact, it could help improve their financial situation this offseason.
Still, Mahomes isn't the only player who Kansas City owes a lot of money to in 2026. Chris Jones has a projected 2026 cap hit of $44.85 million, which is fairly expensive for a defensive tackle that is 31 years old and has posted just four sacks in 2025. Jones is another player who could have his contract re-worked this offseason.
Jawaan Taylor, Trey Smith, Nick Bolton, Jaylon Moore, Creed Humphrey and George Karlaftis make up the rest of the players that the Chiefs are currently set to owe at least $15 million next year.
Here's a full look at the top 15 contracts on the Chiefs' 2026 cap sheet, per Spotrac. Notably, just two offensive skill position players barely crack the top-15: Noah Gray and Xavier Worthy.
| Player | Position | 2026 Age | Cap Hit | Percentage of Cap Total |
| Patrick Mahomes | QB | 31 | $78,213,888 | 25.7% |
| Chris Jones | DL | 32 | $44,850,000 | 14.74% |
| Jawaan Taylor | RT | 29 | $27,391,667 | 9.0% |
| Trey Smith | G | 27 | $24,250,000 | 7.97% |
| Nick Bolton | LB | 26 | $19,250,000 | 6.27% |
| Jaylon Moore | RT | 29 | $18,745,000 | 6.10% |
| Creed Humphrey | C | 27 | $18,100,000 | 5.95% |
| George Karlaftis | DE | 29 | $15,150,000 | 4.98% |
| Trent McDuffie | CB | 26 | $13,632,000 | 4.48% |
| Kristian Fulton | CB | 28 | $13,000,000 | 4.27% |
| Michael Danna | DE | 29 | $11,166,667 | 3.67% |
| Drue Tranquill | LB | 31 | $7,500,000 | 2.44% |
| Harrison Butker | K | 31 | $7,305,000 | 2.38% |
| Noah Gray | TE | 27 | $7,000,000 | 2.28% |
| Xavier Worthy | WR | 23 | $3,760,981 | 1.22% |
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Chiefs free agents 2026
- TE Travos Kelce
- WR Marquise Brown
- DE Charles Omenihu
- LB Jack Cochrane
- CB Nazeeh Johnson
- DL Jerry Tillery
- LS James Winchester
- RB Kareem Hunt
- S Bryan Cook
- WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
- DL Derrick Nnadi
- LB Leo Chenal
- S Deon Bush
- TE Robert Tonyan Jr.
- QB Gardner Minshew
- DE Janarius Robinson
- WR Tyquan Thornton
- CB Joshua Williams
- RB Isiah Pacheco
- CB Jaylen Watson
- G Mike Caliendo (RFA)
- RB Keaontay Ingram (RFA)
- P Matt Araiza (ERFA)
- CB Eric Scott Jr. (ERFA)
- WR Nikko Remigio (ERFA)
All of the Chiefs' projected cap space troubles are also without accounting for their upcoming free agents, who they'll have to decide if they're bringing back for 2026.
Kansas City has a total of 25 free agents this offseason, 20 of whom are unrestricted free agents. By far, the most notable of the bunch is tight end Travis Kelce, who also may retire.
However, wide receivers Hollywood Brown, Tyquan Thornton and JuJu Smith-Schuster are set to depart from an already-underperforming receiver core, while running backs Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco, plus backup quarterback Gardner Minshew, will also hit the open market.
Is Travis Kelce retiring?
Perhaps the biggest storyline of the Chiefs' offseason, outside of salary cap concerns and Mahomes' ACL recovery, is Travis Kelce's potential retirement. After flirting with the possibility last spring, then deciding to return, the tight end is again expected to ponder about his future.
Kelce has not officially announced his retirement, or plans to return, but he stated he wants to wait before free agency opens in March to allow the Chiefs time to plan for the next season.
“All that will be at the end of the season and I won’t be thinking about it until then," Kelce said.
Travis Kelce on his potential retirement after this season 🗣️
— SleeperChiefs (@SleeperChiefsKC) November 21, 2025
“All that will be at the end of the season and I won’t be thinking about it until then”
Full answer ⬇️ via | @Chiefs #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/By3hDJzcHC
If Kelce does retire, Noah Gray would be in line to become the new TE1 for the Chiefs, but there would be a void to fill in terms of pass-catching production.
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Will Patrick Mahomes be ready for 2026 season?
It's currently unknown whether Patrick Mahomes' ACL will heal in time for the 2026 NFL season. At the very least, he'll be cutting it close, one way or another.
Per NFL.com, the Chiefs are "optimistic" Mahomes could be back early next season, perhaps even by the time Kansas City plays Week 1. The team's vice president of sports medicine and performance, Rick Burkholder, said Mahomes' surgery went well, but every player's recovery from ACL/LCL surgery is different.
A nine-month recovery, around the average for the injury, would put Mahomes on track for a September 2025 return. But players have also taken 10-plus months to come back from an ACL tear, if not a full year.
"Every player is different. Every sport is different. Every position is different," Burkholder said, per NFL.com. "(Mahomes) is so in tune to what he does, he does it a little quicker. Ballpark on this is nine months, but it could be a month or two more, a month or two less."
Mahomes' recovery throughout the offseason will be worth monitoring. If he progresses well, there's a chance he can be ready for Week 1 next season. If not, the Chiefs will have to start another quarterback until he's ready.
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