Chiefs To Sign S Alohi Gilman, Re-Sign WR Tyquan Thornton
Bryan Cook departed for the Bengals today, and the Chiefs have a host of secondary holes to fill. One of them will come from Baltimore. Alohi Gilman is signing with the Chiefs, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets.
Kansas City is giving the former Charger a three-year, $24.75MM deal that includes $15MM fully guaranteed. Kansas City is also bringing back wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, veteran insider Jordan Schultz tweets. Thornton is coming back on a two-year, $11MM deal, per Schultz.
Among a glut of starter-level safeties hitting the market Monday, Gilman played out a Chargers-designed contract in Baltimore. The Ravens traded Odafe Oweh in a deal that brought Gilman to Maryland. Although Day 3 picks were exchanged in that swap, Oweh fetched a monster Commanders deal today while Gilman will be tied to a midlevel Chiefs pact. That could represent a nice value play for Kansas City, which saw Cook land a three-year, $40.25MM Cincinnati accord.
Gilman will join fellow former Charger defenders Drue Tranquill and Kristian Fulton in Kansas City (though, the latter is a clear-cut release candidate). Entering an age-29 season, Gilman is a seventh-year veteran who has started for the past three seasons. The Chargers turned to the former sixth-round pick in 2023, and a solid contract year led to a two-year, $10.13MM deal as a 2024 free agent. Gilman started all 28 games he played on that contract, jumping into the Ravens’ lineup immediately after the October trade.
Cook started for three seasons in Kansas City, but he follows Justin Reid, Tyrann Mathieu and Juan Thornhill as one-contract Chiefs safeties in recent years. The Chiefs also lost three corners — Trent McDuffie (traded), Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams — in recent days. Moves to replace that trio will be needed, though Fulton, Chamarri Conner and Nohl Williams remain on the roster.
Thornton played a bigger role early in the season, with Rashee Rice on the shelf due to a suspension. Xavier Worthy also missed early-season time due to a shoulder injury. A Patriots second-round washout, Thornton made some notable contributions as a deep threat for Patrick Mahomes. Thornton averaged a whopping 23.1 yards per catch last season, catching 19 passes for a career-high 438 yards and three touchdowns.
The Chiefs have Marquise Brown unsigned while Rice’s future is murky due to domestic violence allegations surfacing. Rice is also in a contract year, while Worthy is signed through 2027. JuJu Smith-Schuster joins Brown as a free agent, and 2025 fourth-rounder Jalen Royals did not see much action as a rookie.
NFL Announces 2026 Compensatory Picks
The NFL has awarded compensatory draft picks for teams in the 2026 draft. Based on an add/subtract formula that covers the 2025 free agency period, comp picks span from Round 3 to Round 7. The higher picks go to the teams that endured the most significant free agent losses.
This year, the NFL awarded 33 comp picks. The comp pick formula assigns picks to franchises who suffered the largest net losses, so teams that signed multiple free agents have a lesser chance of receiving picks.
Sorted by round and by team, here are the league’s 2026 compensatory selections:
By round:
Round 3: Vikings (No. 97), Eagles (98), Steelers (99), Jaguars (100, from Lions*)
Round 4: 49ers (No. 133), Raiders (134), Steelers (135), Saints (136), Eagles (137), 49ers (138), 49ers (139), Jets (140)
Round 5: Ravens (No. 173), Ravens (174), Raiders (175), Chiefs (176), Cowboys (177), Eagles (178), Jets (179), Cowboys (180), Lions (181)
Round 6: Steelers (No. 214), Eagles (215), Steelers (216)
Round 7: Colts (No. 249), Ravens (250), Rams (251), Rams (252), Ravens (253), Colts (254), Packers (255), Bronc0s (256), Broncos (257)
By team:
- Baltimore Ravens: 4
- Philadelphia Eagles: 4
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 4
- San Francisco 49ers: 3
- Dallas Cowboys: 2
- Denver Broncos: 2
- Indianapolis Colts: 2
- Las Vegas Raiders: 2
- Los Angeles Rams: 2
- New York Jets: 2
- Detroit Lions: 1
- Green Bay Packers: 1
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 1
- Kansas City Chiefs: 1
- Minnesota Vikings: 1
- New Orleans Saints: 1
* = awarded for Lions DC Aaron Glenn becoming Jets’ HC
The Bears lost a minority executive to a GM role, with Ian Cunningham taking over in Atlanta. But the NFL will not award Chicago two third-round picks for that hire because the Falcons have Matt Ryan positioned as their president of football. Although Cunningham — Chicago’s assistant GM for four years — holds plenty of organizational say, Ryan is atop its front office hierarchy. The Bears disagree with the NFL’s ruling, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo.
Bears GM Ryan Poles confirmed (via ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin) the team spoke with the NFL about the matter, but the league did not rule in the team’s favor. Had this decision gone the Bears’ way, they would have received third-round picks in the 2026 and ’27 drafts.
Chiefs To Re-Sign Travis Kelce
4:30pm: A deal has now been finalized, Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero reports. This will be a one-year pact with a base value of $12MM, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Kelce can earn up to $15MM in 2026.
10:31am: Travis Kelce has long said he could not envision himself in another NFL uniform. Despite a rumor that indicated a potentially shocking late-career address change was possible, the career-long Chief does not look to be going anywhere.
Set to return for a 14th season, Kelce is indeed expected to do so with the Chiefs, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. While no deal is official yet, teams interested in potentially poaching the superstar tight end may need to stand down.
Sunday’s report indicated Kelce was likely to speak with other teams as a free agent. Kelce, 36, had played out his contract — one agreed to in 2020 and modified to include a raise in 2024 — and joined his brother as a late-career free agent. Jason Kelce finished his career on multiple Eagles one-year contracts.
The other future Hall of Fame Kelce may be in line for a one-year Chiefs accord. SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets a one-year pact is expected. A contract worth up to $15MM is viewed as the potential compensation, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who indicates no deal has been finalized. Russini, though, continues to report Kelce is exploring the market and has not finalized a return to Kansas City. This could be a negotiating tactic, as Kelce had previously left little mystery about his desire to stay.
Kelce is one of the greatest players in Chiefs history, being a cornerstone piece of five Super Bowl teams and three champions. The Chiefs landed Kelce in the 2013 third round, and after he missed most of his rookie season due to microfracture knee surgery, the Cincinnati alum showed star potential alongside Alex Smith. The Kelce-Tyreek Hill tandem hit another gear when Patrick Mahomes took over in 2018, and Kelce smashed the NFL record for most 1,000-yard receiving seasons by a tight end. Kelce’s seven, a streak started with Smith at the helm, are three more than any other tight end.
Rumors about a Kelce retirement swirled after a Chiefs 6-11 season. The franchise’s worst record in Kelce’s tenure did not move the gregarious tight end/world-famous fiancé to walk away. Despite some untimely drops last season, Kelce improved on his 2024 step backward by totaling 76 receptions for 851 yards and five touchdowns. Although Mahomes did not play in the Chiefs’ final three games due to ACL and LCL tears, Kelce upped his yards-per-catch average to 11.2 — his first mark past 11 since a first-team All-Pro 2022 season.
The Chiefs had extended Kelce in 2016 and then in 2020. The 2020 deal briefly stood as the game’s top TE contract, before George Kittle‘s first 49ers re-up, and Kelce certainly has not been paid in accordance with the value he has provided the Chiefs. Kansas City did give him a $4MM raise after Super Bowl LVIII, making him the game’s highest-paid tight end once again. Kelce not maximizing his value has helped the Chiefs, though it has also played a role in no tight end being tied to a $20MM-per-year deal — as the wideout market is now past $40MM AAV.
Kelce was the lead factor in the Chiefs overcoming a shaky post-Hill receiving situation en route to 2022 and 2023 Super Bowl wins, and he helped Mahomes and Co. to the threepeat precipice — as the first two-time champ to reach a Super Bowl the following season — though did not play especially well against the Eagles. Vowing not to end his career after that blowout loss, Kelce looks set to make a similar pledge after the Chiefs endured a Super Bowl LIX hangover. While the Chiefs’ 2026 roster will look different, their core three performers — Mahomes, Kelce and Chris Jones — are prepared for at least one more year together.
Kelce’s return stands to help a Chiefs team that has still run into trouble staffing its receiver posts. While Xavier Worthy‘s rookie contract runs through 2027, Rashee Rice has battled injuries and a suspension. And an ugly accusation of domestic violence by his ex-girlfriend could put the talented wideout in the NFL’s crosshairs once again. The Chiefs, who also have Marquise Brown unsigned for 2026, are at least poised to have Kelce anchoring at least one more Mahomes-piloted pass attack.
Chiefs To Sign DT Khyiris Tonga
Khyiris Tonga will be on the move for the fourth offseason in a row in 2026. The veteran defensive tackle is heading to Kansas City.
Tonga and the Chiefs have agreed to a three-year, $21MM deal, Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report. The pact will include $14MM in guarantees.
A former seventh-round pick, Tonga has struggled to find a home in the NFL. He got into 15 games as a rookie with the Bears in 2021, but he was waived at the end of the 2022 preseason. Following a brief stop on Atlanta’s practice squad, he joined the Vikings, where he spent the next two seasons.
After getting into 13 games with the Cardinals in 2024, Tonga inked a one-year deal with the Patriots last offseason. He ended up playing a relatively important depth role behind Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, with Tonga ultimately garnering eight starts. Pro Football Focus was impressed with his performance, grading him 38th among 127 qualifying interior defenders. The Patriots also got a bit creative with Tonga’s usage, occasionally using him as a fullback.
In Kansas City, Tonga will have an opportunity to carve out a long-term role. At the moment, he’ll likely be penciled in next to Chris Jones in the starting lineup. This move may also signal that the Chiefs aren’t planning to retain veteran defensive tackles Derrick Nnadi and Mike Pennel.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
49ers Open To Trading Trent Williams; Chiefs On Radar For LT?
In 2021, the Chiefs were believed to have finished second in the Trent Williams free agency sweepstakes. As Williams again navigates a contract situation with the 49ers, San Francisco’s two-time Super Bowl opponent may have a second chance at the future Hall of Fame tackle.
The 49ers are now believed to be open to trading Williams, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, should his latest contract situation not be resolved. The Chiefs are viewed by many around the league as the team most eager to make an addition, per Sportsboom.com’s Jason La Canfora.
Although Kansas City pursued Williams in 2021, it would be a bit strange to see the club revisit the decorated left tackle considering it used a first-round pick on Josh Simmons last year. The Chiefs did release RT Jawaan Taylor, but ex-49er Jaylon Moore looms as an option to succeed him. A scenario in which Simmons slides to RT could be in play, should the Chiefs make another Williams run. But the 49ers will certainly hold out hope they can work out another deal here. One season remains on Williams’ reworked contract.
Williams, 37, is due to carry a $38.84MM cap number in 2026. He and the 49ers managed to resolve a contract issue in 2024, when Williams staged a holdout after a run of first-team All-Pro accolades. The 49ers rewarded the perennial Pro Bowler with a guarantee influx, but the contract calls for a $10MM option bonus to be paid by March 20. That gives the 49ers a deadline here.
John Lynch said recently the team and Williams were on the same page, but this latest report seems to indicate negotiations are not in a great place. An extension would lower Williams’ cap number, and he has discussed potentially playing until age 40. Williams will turn 38 this year and has continued to burnish one of the great LT resumes in NFL history. A release was floated as a possible outcome when this matter surfaced in February — and the Chiefs may be lurking in that scenario — but the 49ers would try to move on via trade first.
The Chiefs drafted Simmons 32nd overall and saw him win the starting job in Week 1, settling an issue that hindered the 2024 team. But the Ohio State product left the team midway through the season for personal reasons. Simmons returned after that hiatus but ended the season on IR with a wrist injury. He will still be expected to be Kansas City’s LT starter in 2026, but this Williams rumor does add some confusion to that plan.
Travis Kelce Expected To Play In 2026; TE Likely To Talk To Other Teams
Two months since the end of a disappointing Chiefs season, future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce has not announced whether he will return in 2026. The 11-time Pro Bowler is expected to play a 14th season, however, according to Dianna Russini and Jesse Newell of The Athletic.
Kelce has spent his entire career in Kansas City, where he has established himself as an all-time great and helped the team to three Super Bowl titles. Shockingly, though, the 36-year-old pending free agent is not a lock to re-sign with the Chiefs, Russini and Newell report. The belief is that Kelce’s camp will talk to other clubs.
Kelce indicated in November that he would decide his future before the new league year, which begins Wednesday. Until now, the assumption was that Kelce would either re-up with the Chiefs or retire.
With moving elsewhere looking like a potential option, Kelce could jump to the top of the free agent tight end market. Kyle Pitts had been on track to lead the way until the Falcons placed the franchise tag on him. Isaiah Likely, Dallas Goedert, Chig Okonkwo, Cade Otton and Jonnu Smith are among notables still without contracts, but all of their resumes pale in comparison to Kelce’s.
Despite his age, Kelce continued as one of the NFL’s most productive tight ends during a 17-game campaign in 2025. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder ranked fourth at the position in yards (851) and sixth in catches (76), and he added five touchdowns. With 13,002 career yards, Kelce is 45 away from passing Jason Witten for second all-time among tight ends. He is third at the position in receptions (1,080) and fifth in TDs (82).
Since the Chiefs stole him in the third round of the 2013 draft, Kelce has played for one head coach (Andy Reid) and teamed with two starting quarterbacks. After working with Alex Smith for the first half-decade of his career, Kelce and future Hall of Fame signal-caller Patrick Mahomes began forming a legendary duo in 2018. Eight years later, their partnership may be coming to an end.
2026 NFL Trades
The modern NFL features four clear trade windows. Early March, the draft, the late-August 53-man roster-setting date and the November deadline reside as the primary points trades occur around the league. As the NFL resides in window No. 1 for 2026, it is a good time to check in on what has already transpired on the market.
Excluding pick-for-pick trades, here are the moves NFL teams have made thus far in 2026:
February 26
- Titans trade DT T’Vondre Sweat to Jets for DE Jermaine Johnson
March 2
- Browns to acquire OL Tytus Howard from Texans for No. 141
- Texans to obtain RB David Montgomery from Lions for OL Juice Scruggs, No. 128, 2027 seventh-round pick
March 4
- Rams to acquire CB Trent McDuffie from Chiefs for Nos. 29, 168, 210, 2027 third-round pick
March 5
- Bills to add WR D.J. Moore, No. 165 from Bears in exchange for No. 60
March 6
- Bears to acquire C Garrett Bradbury from Patriots for 2027 fifth-round pick
- Ravens to land OLB Maxx Crosby from Raiders for No. 14, 2027 first-round pick
Ravens nixed trade March 10, failing Crosby on a physical
March 7
- Packers to add LB Zaire Franklin from Colts for DT Colby Wooden
March 8
- Raiders to obtain CB Taron Johnson, No. 228 from Bills for No. 182
March 9
- Jets to acquire S Minkah Fitzpatrick from Dolphins for No. 238
- Cowboys to land OLB Rashan Gary from Packers for 2027 fourth-round pick
- Steelers to add WR Michael Pittman Jr., No. 230 from Colts for No. 214
March 10
- Jets to acquire QB Geno Smith, No. 228 from Raiders for No. 182
- Texans to obtain P Kai Kroeger, 2028 seventh-round pick from Saints for 2028 sixth-rounder
March 11
- Titans to add DL Solomon Thomas, No. 225 from Cowboys for No. 218
- 49ers to acquire DT Osa Odighizuwa from Cowboys for No. 92
March 16
- Chiefs to acquire QB Justin Fields, 2026 seventh-round pick to Jets for 2027 sixth-rounder
March 17
- Broncos to land WR Jaylen Waddle, No. 111 from Dolphins for Nos. 30, 94, 130
March 18
- Eagles to obtain QB Andy Dalton from Panthers for 2027 seventh-round pick
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/7/26
Here are Saturday’s tender decisions:
RFAs
Non-tendered:
- Broncos: DL Matt Henningsen
- Chiefs: OL Mike Caliendo
Henningsen played a rotational role on defense in 2024 and ’25 for Denver. Caliendo, meanwhile, totaled 42 appearances and seven starts across three years in Kansas City. Both players are now on course to reach free agency next week unless they elect to re-sign with their respective teams in the immediate future.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/7/26
Saturday’s lone minor move in the NFL:
Kansas City Chiefs
- Re-signed: LS James Winchester
Winchester has been in place with Kansas City since 2015, and his career will stretch into at least a 12th campaign. He has agreed to a one-year deal for the offseason year in a row. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the pact is worth $1.75MM and is fully guaranteed. That ensures Winchester, who will turn 36 this summer and has yet to miss a game in his career, will remain the league’s highest-paid long snapper.
FA Notes: Pierce, Pats, Walker, Seahawks, Etienne, Jags, Broncos, Chiefs, Robinson, Giants, Titans, Cowboys
Prepared to make Stefon Diggs a one-and-done, the Patriots continue to be linked to A.J. Brown. The Eagles standout could be the team’s No. 1 option at receiver, but if the defending AFC champions are unable to strike a deal, MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian indicates a pivot to Alec Pierce could be in the cards.
Ranked as PFR’s No. 2 overall free agent, Pierce’s market will be competitive. Guregian points to a $25-$30MM-per-year number being required to close that deal. Pierce is the league’s two-time reigning yards-per-catch leader, topping 1,000 yards last season despite the Colts losing Daniel Jones in Week 13. We heard earlier this week Pierce would land at least $20MM per year. The Colts prioritized Jones via the transition tag, putting them at risk of losing Pierce on Monday.
Had the Colts made an effort to lock down Pierce before last season, Essentiallysports.com’s Tony Pauline notes the view at the Combine was he would have cost maybe half the AAV he is expected to command next week. Not much extension buzz existed last summer; that could be costly for the Colts soon. Pierce is preparing to hit free agency; he can officially begin talking to interested teams at 11am CT Monday.
Here is the latest coming out of the free agent market:
- Kenneth Walker making it past the tag deadline unattached makes him the top RB option this year. The Super Bowl LX MVP should be able to land a deal in the $12-$16MM-AAV neighborhood, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. That would vault him into top-five territory at the position. The Giants have been tied to a Walker pursuit, with the Seahawks potentially ready to stand down after showing interest in retaining their four-year starter.
- If Walker scores a deal in that range, Breer estimates Travis Etienne winding up in the $10MM-per-year realm. The Jaguars are likely to let Etienne walk, with CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adding the team is prepared to move forward with 2025 fourth-rounder Bhayshul Tuten.
- The Broncos, who were set to pursue Breece Hall before his franchise tag, are a logical suitor for the longtime Jags starter, according to Jones. Walker could be on Denver’s radar as well, Jones adds, noting the Chiefs — who are believed to be interested in RB help (with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt unsigned) — are likely to be priced out of the Walker market. Kansas City does not believe Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love will be available at No. 9, per Jones, potentially pointing to an RB signing next week. Denver is looking for an RB to replace J.K. Dobbins alongside RJ Harvey, and it looks like the team is prepared to devote more resources to this position this offseason — with Russell Wilson finally off the books.
- Wan’Dale Robinson–Titans connections continue, but SNY’s Connor Hughes notes the Giants are still in on their homegrown slot receiver. That said, Tennessee is viewed as a very interested party for Robinson, whom Hughes pegs as more likely to leave New York than stay. A Nashville trek would reunite the 5-foot-8 WR with new Titans OC Brian Daboll. The Titans have been tied to a receiver pursuit for some time, as they are flush with cap space and expected to release Calvin Ridley. The Robinson market is expected to come in around $15MM per year, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan adds. With the Giants giving Darius Slayton a $12MM-AAV deal in 2025, how much will they be willing to spend here? Raanan views Robinson’s price tag as being a bit too steep for Big Blue.
- Two of Christian Parker‘s former charges may be on the Cowboys‘ radar. We heard Nakobe Dean‘s name connected to Dallas, which needs linebacker help, and the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins notes the team is in on the Eagles LB starter. The Cowboys are also interested in P.J. Locke, who has been an off-and-on starter at safety in Denver. Locke played under Parker previously, beginning as a starter under the new Dallas DC (after replacing Kareem Jackson in 2023).