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Chiefs Could Make WR Addition?

By | at May 16, 2026 9:28 pm

As spring practices take place around the league, teams will evaluate their rosters before pursuing free agent moves. The Chiefs could find themselves aiming for veteran reinforcements with respect to at least one position, though.

During an appearance on SportsCenter (h/t Bleacher Report), ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler named the Chiefs as candidate to bring in a receiver via free agency. Plenty of experienced wideouts are still on the market deep into the offseason, something which will no doubt remain the case through to training camp. The receiver position has been a talking point throughout the spring for Kansas City.

Efficiency in the passing game was a 2025 issue before and after Patrick Mahomes‘ ACL tear, while Marquise Brown departed in free agency. In spite of that, no veteran additions were made by general manager Brett Veach during the early stages of the offseason. Kansas City then waited until the fifth round of the draft to select a wideout (Cyrus Allen). He will look to carve out a role this summer alongside the likes of Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton. 

Stefon Diggs, DeAndre Hopkins, Keenan Allen and Tyreek Hill are unsigned at this time. Hill spent his first six seasons in Kansas City, and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid did not rule out a reunion earlier this spring. Nevertheless, a tepid market currently exists for Hill, whose Dolphins tenure ended with an expected release. The 32-year-old is recovering from a major knee injury which ended his 2025 campaign. Hopkins was briefly with the Chiefs after arriving via trade in 2024, and he too would be a familiar option to consider.

Kansas City currently has less cap space than every NFL team but the Dolphins. With roughly $6MM in available funds, a big-ticket addition will not be feasible at the WR position or any other. Of course, a signing for any veteran still on the market at this point will come on a one-year deal which is low on guaranteed money. The Chiefs’ OTAs will take place in late May with minicamp soon to follow. Depending on how those practices unfold, the possibility of additional pass catching help being sought out will be something to monitor.

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Each NFL Franchise’s Richest RB Contract

By | at May 14, 2026 10:57 pm

Running back value has become a divisive topic in the modern NFL, and teams’ histories with these investments reveal a large gap in their respective approaches to RB contracts. Following our installments covering the highest-paid quarterback, wide receiver and off-ball linebacker in each team’s history, here are the most lucrative deals — ranked by guaranteed money — for running backs in each franchise’s history (the list excludes rookie contracts).

Unlike the QB and WR markets, some teams’ top RB deals occurred decades ago. This list covers contracts agreed to across four different decades.

Arizona Cardinals

Jeremiyah Love‘s rookie contract brings the highest guarantee ($53MM) in RB history, but for veteran accords, Conner’s second Arizona pact is the organizational standard

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

LeSean McCoy‘s March 2015 extension included more guaranteed at signing ($18.25MM), but Cook’s brought a rolling guarantee structure that eclipsed that package in total

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Matt Forte; July 16, 2012: Four years, $30.4MM ($17.1MM guaranteed)

D’Andre Swift‘s 2024 agreement included more guaranteed at signing ($14MM), but Forte’s guarantee package remains the Chicago standard

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Corey Dillon; May 11, 2001: Five years, $26MM ($10.5MM guaranteed)

The Bengals more than doubled Dillon’s AAV number in 2020 for Joe Mixon (four years, $48MM) but only guaranteed $10MM of that pact

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

  • Barry Sanders; July 21, 1997: Six years, $33.5MM ($11.5MM guaranteed)

David Montgomery‘s two Lions deals topped the Hall of Famer in AAV, but neither surpassed $11MM guaranteed; Jahmyr Gibbs is tied to the highest RB guarantee in franchise history ($17.85MM) but got there via a rookie deal 

Green Bay Packers

Josh Jacobs‘ 2024 pact edges Jones in AAV but fell short of his predecessor’s deal in guarantees

Houston Texans

  • Arian Foster; March 5, 2012: Five years, $43.5MM ($20.75MM guaranteed)

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Leonard Fournette received a $27.15MM guarantee — still in the top 10 in RB history — but it came on a rookie contract

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders sweetened Jacobs’ franchise tag agreement; Ashton Jeanty‘s 2025 rookie slot deal included $35.9MM guaranteed

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Adrian Peterson; September 10, 2011: Six years, $86.28MM ($36MM guaranteed)

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Barkley’s rookie slot deal included $31.19MM guaranteed — fourth all time among all RB contracts — while Devin Singletary‘s $9.5MM represents the franchise’s high-water mark on a multiyear deal

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Bell’s second franchise tag (2018) covered $14.54MM, but the RB became the first tagged player this century to skip a season; Jaylen Warren‘s 2025 extension brought the highest Steelers RB guarantee ($7.1MM) on a multiyear deal

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

  • Clinton Portis; March 1, 2004: Eight years, $50.52MM ($13MM guaranteed)

Information from OverTheCap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post

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Travis Kelce Informed Chiefs Of 2026 Plans Following Week 18

By | at May 7, 2026 8:56 am

Once the Chiefs’ season ended, attention turned to the question of Travis Kelce‘s future. It appeared uncertain for a time if he would suit up for the 2026 campaign, but the team had a good indication of his intentions right away.

“We played our last game of the season in Vegas last year, and when we got back we have player meetings and exit interviews,” general manager Brett Veach said during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show (video link). “It was a cool deal where Trav came in and he basically said ‘I’m going to take a few weeks off here, but I’m not going out like this, let’s stay in touch and let’s figure something out.’

“While free agency and there was still some questions in the air on whether or not he’d return, we knew basically the day after our last game. He made it known to [head] coach [Andy] Reid and to me that there was no way he was going out like this.”

The possibility of Kelce speaking with other teams was raised shortly before the start of free agency, although another Kansas City contract was ultimately worked out. The three-time Super Bowl champion is owed $12MM fully guaranteed in 2026, and his latest deal is designed for a post-June 1 release to end his decorated career. Kelce will once again be counted on to serve as a key figure in the passing game this season with the Chiefs aiming for a return to full health from quarterback Patrick Mahomes and a rebound from 2025’s team performance.

Retirement has increasingly become a talking point for Kelce, 36, in recent years. The four-time All-Pro has remained durable through the latter stages of his career, although 2025 marked the third consecutive season in which he recorded less than 1,000 yards. Greater efficiency on offense will be a goal for Kansas City moving forward, and Kelce – whose yards per reception average rebounded to 11.2 last season – is in line to continue handling a starter’s workload for at least one more year.

Questions about Kelce’s future beyond 2026 will no doubt be asked as next season unfolds. If he maintains a similar level of communication with the team at the end of the campaign, though, the Chiefs will have clarity regarding his status without a lengthy waiting period taking place.

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Chiefs Viewed Rueben Bain Jr. As First-Round Fallback Option

By | at May 6, 2026 12:00 pm

Fearing the Saints would select Mansoor Delane eighth overall, the Chiefs traded up from nine to six to land the highest-rated cornerback in this year’s draft. If the Chiefs stayed at No. 9, and had someone else taken Delane before then, they would have considered former Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. as a Plan B option, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.

It was known that the Chiefs were among the teams with an affinity for Bain entering the draft. Expectations were Bain would come off the board in the top 10 on the heels of a particularly brilliant season in 2025. Bain earned consensus All-America honors after tallying 83 pressures, 54 tackles, 15.5 TFL and 9.5 sacks over 16 games in his final year with the Hurricanes. He nevertheless dropped to pick 15, where Tampa Bay scooped him up. It came as a surprise to the Buccaneers that Bain was still available when they were on the clock.

The Chiefs had a second first-rounder (No. 29), but Bain was long gone by then. They used that choice on ex-Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods before addressing their need along the edge in the second round. With the 40th overall pick, the Chiefs took former Oklahoma defensive end R Mason Thomas. Although Thomas was not as productive as Bain in college, he still held his own at that level. Thomas combined for 63 pressures, 22 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks over the past two seasons, and he picked up a first-team All-SEC nod in 2025.

Upgrading the pass rush was a clear need for the Chiefs entering the draft, making their interest in Bain and their selection of Thomas unsurprising. After tying for 26th in sacks last year, the Chiefs will bank on Thomas to help improve that ranking next season. But had someone else drafted Delane, it could have been Bain – not Thomas – complementing George Karlaftis and Chris Jones in 2026.

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NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/5/26

By | at May 5, 2026 6:57 pm

Today’s mid- to late-round rookie signings from the 2026 NFL Draft:

Denver Broncos

Kansas City Chiefs

The Broncos have secured the signature of Mr. Irrelevant who received a $122K signing bonus, per Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post. Johnson joins a crowded backfield in Kansas City, where he’ll work for reps behind free agent addition — and Super Bowl LX MVP — Kenneth Walker, all the time competing against another free agent signing in Emari Demercado and last year’s draft pick, Brashard Smith.

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Kenneth Walker Knew He Would Leave Seahawks In Free Agency

By | at May 5, 2026 6:41 pm

Although running back Kenneth Walker posted his second 1,000-yard regular season and then took home Super Bowl LX MVP honors, the Seahawks did not re-sign the four-year veteran in free agency. Walker ended up joining the Chiefs on a three-year, $43.05MM deal when the negotiating period opened March 9. Leaving Seattle did not come as a surprise to Walker, who told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that he saw it coming months ago.

“I would say probably, if I’m being honest, probably like sometime during the season,” Walker said. “You know, things ain’t working out how I was expecting to, and that’s all right. It worked out for the team. So sometime during the season and then we get to free agency, pretty much knowing like you weren’t gonna be there no more.”

As the Seahawks were preparing to face the Patriots in the Super Bowl, general manager John Schneider said he “would love” to keep Walker. The 25-year-old went on to further boost his stock with a 135-yard performance against the Pats, helping the Seahawks to a 29-13 romp.

Walker made it known after the Super Bowl that he hoped to stay in Seattle, but it is unclear if the reigning champions even made him an offer. Without a long-term deal, the Seahawks still could have attempted to retain Walker for another year via the $14.29MM franchise tag (as the Jets did with Breece Hall) or the $11.32MM transition tag. They deemed those prices too rich, though, and allowed their former second-round pick to walk away for a significant raise.

Walker now sits fourth among RBs in total value, average salary ($14.35MM) and guarantees ($28.7MM). The Chiefs expect him to boost a running game that ranked a lackluster 25th in the league last year. Meanwhile, several weeks after Walker left, the Seahawks spent a first-rounder on his replacement, Jadarian Price. As the 32nd pick in the draft, Price’s fully guaranteed rookie deal will check in at approximately $16.73MM over four years.

With the regular season still four months away, Price, free agent addition Emanuel Wilson, George Holani and Kenny McIntosh are among the Seahawks’ healthy backfield options. They also have Zach Charbonnet, who shared snaps with Walker over the previous three years, but his status for the start of 2026 is uncertain after he tore his ACL in the divisional round.

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Patrick Mahomes Expected To Participate In Chiefs’ OTAs

By | at May 5, 2026 10:33 am

MAY 5: During an appearance on SiriusXM radio (audio link), Chiefs GM Brett Veach confirmed Mahomes is “way ahead of schedule.” Nevertheless, he added the team will proceed with caution once training camp – and thus contact practices – begins.

MAY 2: The Chiefs will begin their organized team activities later this month. Patrick Mahomes has progressed in his injury recovery to the point he is expected to take part.

“He is in a good position to be able to do some things,” head coach Andy Reid said (via ESPN’s Nate Taylor). “Phase 2 [of the offseason program], remember, there’s no contact and there’s no offense versus defense. It’s Phase 3 that you get into that… He’s in a position where he can do everything, I think.”

Mahomes suffered ACL and MCL tears late in the 2025 season, setting him up for a lengthy rehab process and leading to questions about his Week 1 availability for next year. Even limited participation in spring practices would obviously be an encouraging sign, though. Kansas City’s OTAs will take place from May 26-28 along with June 1-3.

That will be followed by mandatory minicamp; contact practices will not commence until training camp in July. By that point, the Chiefs will no doubt have a clearer picture of Mahomes’ rehab status. The team will presumably proceed with caution over the coming weeks, with trade acquisition Justin Fields a candidate to handle first-team reps. Kansas City also has Chris Oladokun and seventh-round rookie Garrett Nussmeier on the QB depth chart.

Mahomes’ deal was once again restructured this offseason, and he remains under contract through 2031. The three-time Super Bowl MVP will play a key role in the Chiefs’ efforts to return to the playoffs in 2026 after Kansas City’s underwhelming showing this past campaign. A clean bill of health will of course be critical to the team’s short- and long-term outlook. As Kansas City’s offseason programs unfold, the involvement of Mahomes will remain a story to follow closely.

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Chiefs Waive QB Jake Haener, Two Others

By | at May 4, 2026 11:32 am

With rookie minicamps and tryouts taking place, many teams around the league will see roster turnover across the coming days. The Chiefs have made a number of moves.

Kansas City added three players to the roster on Monday, per a team announcement. Three more were waived in corresponding moves. Quarterback Jake Haener, along with defensive tackle Zacch Pickens and undrafted rookie Ethan Hurkett have been let go.

Haener entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the Saints in 2024. He made eight appearances and one start as a rookie but did not see any regular-season action in 2025. In January, Haener was offered a futures deal from New Orleans but joined the Chiefs instead. Kansas City has since traded for Justin Fields, though, adding to the team’s QB depth while Patrick Mahomes continues to recover from ACL and MCL tears.

Pickens was taken in the third round of the 2023 draft by the Bears. He spent two seasons in Chicago but failed to survive roster cuts this past summer. That resulted in a practice squad deal with Kansas City, and Pickens made three appearances for the Chiefs in 2025. Hurkett went undrafted last month, and he was among the 20 players Kansas City signed shortly after the draft concluded.

With the roster spots created by those three departures, the Chiefs have signed receiver Xavier Loyd, defensive back Marlen Sewell and offensive tackle Kahlil Benson. Those rookies will join the others still in place for Kansas City in competing for a role during spring practices.

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2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker

By | at May 1, 2026 11:00 pm

May 1 marked the deadline for teams to decide on fifth-year options on 2023 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of performance- and usage-based benchmarks:

  • Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
  • One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
  • Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th top salaries at their position:
    • At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
    • A 75% snap average across all three seasons
    • At least 50% in each of first three seasons
  • Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position

PFR’s Offseason Outlook series examined each of these decisions in-depth. Twenty-two options were exercised this year. Here is how each team with an option decision proceeded with 2023 first-round contracts:

  1. QB Bryce Young, Panthers ($25.9MM): Exercised
  2. QB C.J. Stroud, Texans ($25.9MM): Exercised
  3. DE Will Anderson Jr., Texans ($21.51MM): Exercised
  4. QB Anthony Richardson, Colts ($22.48MM): Declined
  5. CB Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks ($21.16MM): Exercised
  6. LT Paris Johnson Jr., Cardinals ($19.07MM): Exercised
  7. DE Tyree Wilson, Saints ($14.48MM): Declined
  8. RB Bijan Robinson, Falcons ($11.32MM): Exercised
  9. DT Jalen Carter, Eagles ($27.13MM): Exercised
  10. RT Darnell Wright, Bears ($19.07MM): Exercised
  11. G Peter Skoronski, Titans ($19.07MM): Exercised
  12. RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions ($14.29MM): Exercised
  13. LB Lukas Van Ness, Packers ($13.75MM): Exercised
  14. LT Broderick Jones, Steelers ($19.07MM): Declined
  15. DE Will McDonald, Jets ($13.75MM): Exercised
  16. CB Emmanuel Forbes, Rams ($12.63MM): Declined
  17. CB Christian Gonzalez, Patriots ($18.12MM): Exercised
  18. LB Jack Campbell, Lions ($21.93MM): Declined
  19. DL Calijah Kancey, Buccaneers ($14.48MM): Exercised
  20. WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks ($23.85MM): Exercised
  21. WR Quentin Johnston, Chargers ($18MM): Exercised
  22. WR Zay Flowers, Ravens ($27.3MM): Exercised
  23. WR Jordan Addison, Vikings ($18MM): Exercised
  24. CB Deonte Banks, Giants ($12.63MM): Declined
  25. TE Dalton Kincaid, Bills ($8.16MM): Exercised
  26. DT Mazi Smith, Jets ($13.93MM): Declined
  27. RT Anton Harrison, Jaguars ($19.07MM): Exercised
  28. DE Myles Murphy, Bengals ($14.48MM): Declined
  29. DT Bryan Bresee, Saints ($13.93MM): Exercised
  30. LB Nolan Smith, Eagles ($13.75MM): Exercised
  31. DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Chiefs ($14.48MM): Declined
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Chiefs Add 20 UDFA Rookies

By | at May 1, 2026 10:11 pm

In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Chiefs found themselves drafting in the top 10 for the first time since they selected Patrick Mahomes out of Texas Tech at No. 10 overall in 2017. They took advantage with their three selections in the first 40 picks, adding heavily to the defense before shifting focus to the other side of the ball on Day 3. After only ending up with seven rookie additions from the draft, Kansas City let loose with contract offers, adding these 20 undrafted free agent rookies:

After adding a few on offense at the end of the draft, Kansas City continued to add some weapons in undrafted free agency. Ott showed a ton of potential as a sophomore two years ago, when he attended the same school De Jesus transferred to for 2025. He led the Golden Bears with 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground in 2023, but his production and efficiency hit a nosedive the next year. Despite starting 10 games, his production fell to 385 rushing yards and four touchdowns. After transferring to Norman, his production continued to freefall as his usage dwindled nearly down to nothing. There are questions about his toughness and ability to play through minor injuries, but the height of his production showed a dynamic, one-cut rusher with NFL potential.

Caldwell is raw and didn’t dominate at the same level after transferring from Lindenwood to Cincinnati, but a 6-foot-5 frame with a 4.31-second 40-yard dash put him on the map for the NFL with projections that he could have been a fifth- or sixth-rounder. The Chiefs get the developmental project post-draft, though, and could come away much better because of it. It’s probably not a great sign that Gyllenborg didn’t produce much in five years at Wyoming, but scouts see some extremely promising physical tools that boast plenty of potential to work in the league.

On the defensive front, Anthony comes to Kansas City after notching 12.5 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss in his last two years starting for the Blue Devils. He has a decent set of moves to disrupt the offenses he faces but will need to add weight and clean up his game to stick at the next level. Bissainthe’s level of play rose with each of his four years at Miami — three as a starter — as he developed his game all over the field. He hasn’t proven to be especially strong in any one area, but he’s a hard hitter who has shown a knack for improvement in the face of each challenge.

In the secondary, the Chiefs landed two promising safeties who had strong chances of getting drafted; Singleton was even projected to go in the fifth or sixth round. Showing up all over the stat sheet, Singleton could establish a role as a nickelback if the depth chart stacks up just right. Nwankpa had a really strong senior year with the Hawkeyes, but his future may be as a standout special teamer. At cornerback, Phillips was a player Kansas City coveted. In order to secure his signature, the Chiefs gave Phillips an undrafted free agent contract with $247,500 in guaranteed money, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

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