What is Arrowhead Pride Premier? Arrowhead Pride Premier is our tri-weekly newsletter, one that provides analysis and exclusive insights directly from Arrowhead Stadium, delivered straight to your inbox. Below is a preview of the latest edition.* Click here for the last preview.

The Chiefs aren’t in “cap hell,” but there’s work to do to keep it that way

By Jared Sapp

The weeks between the Super Bowl officially closing the season and the NFL Scouting Combine opening the offseason are primed for hot takes as outlets struggle to find relevant content.

A popular take circulating around social media since the three-peat dream officially died is that the Chiefs are now in the dreaded “salary cap hell.”

Various contract sites show the Chiefs to be between about $4 million to as little as $900,000 below 2025’s estimated $275 million salary limit. The thesis of the clickbait industry is that the Chiefs face major problems because just five players – Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, Joe Thuney, Jawaan Taylor and Travis Kelce – currently combine for about $175 million in salary cap hits. In theory, this would leave 48 players scrambling for the other $100 million – about a fifth of which is currently earmarked for Creed Humphrey and Drue Tranquill.

If you are reading this, you are probably familiar with the restructures the Chiefs have done in the past – and will continue to do this spring – to maintain cap flexibility. Likely scenarios will be spelled out later this week on the Arrowhead Pride main site. Kansas City has a top-heavy roster, and potential extensions for Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis may soon compound that problem.

The Chiefs face an offseason of change. Whether they can continue to thrive near the cap limit depends on their ability to replicate what has made them successful from a roster standpoint.

What else is in this edition?

• Jared details three ways for the Chiefs to stay out of what has been described as “cap hell.”
• Pete maps out what the next month or two looks like for the Chiefs in terms of important dates.

The Editors Show

Here is a preview of last’s week’s Editors Show featuring Pete Sweeney and John Dixon.

As mentioned, AP Premier subscribers receive a link in the weekly newsletter to the entire hour-long video podcast.

What else is included in a subscription?

During the offseason, we provide a weekly update on Wednesday, with additional coverage on major events, such as NFL free agency and the draft. During the season, You can expect 3 weekly newsletters.

• In our game preview newsletter on Thursdays, Pete shares his three thoughts heading into the game, Rocky Magaña highlights a pivotal matchup to watch — and John Dixon shares some background on one of the upcoming game’s biggest storylines.
• In our post-game newsletter, Pete shares his three thoughts stemming from each performance, Ron Kopp delivers his very first look at the film...