Total Pro Sports
The Kansas City Chiefs are in a tough spot. After missing out on making Super Bowl history, they now face a crucial offseason with major decisions ahead. With nearly two dozen free agents, a tight salary cap, and a roster needing upgrades, GM Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid must make some big calls- starting with Travis Kelce’s future.
Travis Kelce remains a key leader for the Chiefs, but his production in 2024 was his lowest since his rookie season. While he’s still under contract for another year, the biggest question is whether he will return and at what cost. His base salary for 2025 is just $4.5 million, but with roster bonuses, his cap hit balloons to $19.8 million. The Chiefs need financial flexibility, and restructuring his contract could help.
Reid and Veach seem to have slightly different perspectives. Reid suggested Kelce take time off to decide his future, while Veach was more confident that he’d be back. If Kelce wants to chase another ring, he may need to take a pay cut to free up cap space for reinforcements. The emergence of Noah Gray and the return of wide receiver Rashee Rice also mean the Chiefs have options in the passing game.
#Chiefs GM Brett Veach told me Travis Kelce “was battling with a pretty big illness” before the Super Bowl. But the team doesn’t believe that loss to the #Eagles will be Kelce’s last game. At age 35, “I think that Travis is excited to come back.”
Full interview on The Insiders: pic.twitter.com/aJrFtsW6Dw
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 26, 2025
It sounds extreme, but the Chiefs made a bold move in 2022 by trading Tyreek Hill, and it worked. Jones, a dominant defensive tackle, will be 31 at the start of next season and carries a massive cap hit. Trading him would clear nearly $11 million in cap space, though the Chiefs would still have to eat $24 million in dead money.
Jones’s production dropped in 2024- his five sacks were his lowest since his rookie season. He struggled in the Super Bowl loss, and the Chiefs’ defense, while strong, needs to start preparing for the future. Moving him now, while he still has trade value, could net Kansas City valuable draft picks. Those assets would help the team extend key young defenders like Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis.
Also Read: Chiefs TE Travis Kelce “Leaning” Towards One Direction Amid Retirement Decision
Protecting Patrick Mahomes has to be the top priority. Mahomes was sacked a career-high 36 times in 2024, plus six more times in the Super Bowl- more than in any game of his career. The Chiefs have patched the left tackle position with temporary solutions since letting Orlando Brown Jr. walk in 2023, but that approach has failed.
Joe Thuney, an All-Pro guard, was...
