Arrowhead Pride
Brett Veach will need to do some heavy lifting to get Kansas City back on top.
On Wednesday, we learned that the NFL’s salary cap for the 2025 season will be set between $277.5 million and $281.5 million. The limit will increase by at least $22 million from 2024. Most contract reporting websites had previously assumed a $275 million figure for the coming season.
The Kansas City Chiefs were likely thrilled with the news. At Arrowhead Pride, we now estimate the team’s cap space will be between $4.8 and $8.8 million. While a clearer picture of the team’s finances will emerge at the start of the league year on March 12, the Chiefs will need to clear some cap space in order to make improvements to the team.
Let’s look at some likely paths for general manager Brett Veach to create salary cap space — and a major consideration that may limit the team’s activity in free agency. As always, the salary cap should not be confused with the team budget; we have no way of knowing what internal spending parameters Veach may have to work around.
Simply put, the Chiefs are unlikely to create salary cap room by cutting players. The only two players the team would see a windfall by moving on from are likely future Pro Football Hall of Fame selections who should not end their careers anywhere else.
Tight end Travis Kelce has confirmed that he is considering retirement, which would also have the effect of negating the 35-year-old’s scheduled $17.3 million salary off of the books. Kelce would leave behind a small dead money hit for a previously paid prorated bonus charge.
The Chiefs could clear $16 million by moving on from guard Joe Thuney. However, after previous restructures to his contract, he would leave behind almost $11 million in dead money. Assuming Thuney slides back to left guard when he retakes the field, $16 million is actually a bargain in the current offensive line market for his services.
While some of the team’s 2022 draft selections have seen mandatory raises for 2025, players like linebacker Leo Chenal and cornerback Joshua Williams are unlikely to factor into offseason salary cap considerations.
As in the past, most of Veach’s work will come via restructuring existing contracts. League-wide, all eyes are on quarterback Patrick Mahomes — and his $66.3 million cap number.
The Chiefs will certainly take steps to lower Mahomes’ cap hit, probably well before a $32.5 million roster bonus becomes due on May 5. If the Chiefs were to push every dollar possible into the future, they could lower the star’s cap hit by as much as $39 million. While the team may not be that aggressive, another restructure is probably coming.
When Mahomes and the Chiefs agreed to a new contract structure in 2023 to increase his cash flow, it was reported that the parties intended to revisit the deal entirely after the 2026 season. Heading into 2025, however,...
