Kansas City’s 2025 season ended at 6-11, the franchise’s first losing record since 2012 and a nine-win drop from their 15-2 campaign in 2024. The Chiefs went 1-9 in one-score games after going 11-0 the year before, and Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 15 against the Chargers. A dynasty that had reached three consecutive Super Bowls missed the playoffs entirely, ending a 10-year postseason streak.
The Anchor Returns
Jan 4, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA;Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) warms up before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Before the free-agency window opened, Kansas City secured its most important piece: Travis Kelce agreed to return for a 14th season on a one-year deal worth $12 million with a maximum value of $15 million. Kelce announced the decision on his podcast just ahead of becoming an unrestricted free agent. On March 16, the team extended him further with a four-year structure that included a $40 million dummy year designed to manage the salary cap.
The Super Bowl MVP Arrives
Feb 9, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (right) and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell pose with the MVP trophy during the Super Bowl LX winning head coach and most valuable player press conference at Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The headline signing came on March 9: Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III agreed to a three-year deal worth $43.05 million with $28.7 million fully guaranteed. Walker had rushed for 135 yards on 27 carries and added 26 receiving yards in Seattle’s 29-13 victory over the Patriots, becoming the first running back to win Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis in Super Bowl XXXII. His $14.35 million average annual salary nearly matched the 2026 running back franchise tag of $14.293 million, which the Seahawks chose not to apply.
Secondary Gutted
Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The offseason started with losses. Kansas City traded All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams on March 4, then lost cornerback Jaylen Watson to the same team on a three-year, $51 million free-agent deal. To fill the void, the Chiefs signed safety Alohi Gilman to a three-year, $24.75 million contract with $15 million guaranteed and added versatile cornerback Kader Kohou. The defensive overhaul left Nohl Williams and Kristian Fulton as the projected starting corners.
Cap Engineering
Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor (74) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Releasing right tackle Jawaan Taylor freed $20 million in cap space at the cost of $7.39 million in dead money. Cutting defensive end Mike Danna created nearly $9 million more. Those moves gave Kansas City the financial room to sign Walker, Kelce, Gilman, and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga, who agreed to a three-year deal worth up to $21 million. As of mid-March, the Chiefs’ remaining cap space sat at approximately $7.5 million per Over The Cap.
Depth Additions
Feb 5, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; Tyquan Thornton on the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Beyond the marquee signings, Kansas City added receiver Tyquan Thornton on a two-year, $14 million deal, signed running back Emari Demercado for depth behind Walker, and acquired quarterback Justin Fields from the Jets for a 2027 sixth-round pick, covering $3 million of his $10 million salary. The Fields trade gives the Chiefs a backup plan behind Mahomes, who is recovering from the ACL tear. Each move filled a specific roster hole without requiring a bidding war.
The Departures
Nov 23, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Hollywood Brown (5) reacts after a catch against the Indianapolis Colts in the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Free agency cuts both ways. Hollywood Brown left for Philadelphia on a one-year deal worth up to $6.5 million. Edge rusher Charles Omenihu signed with Washington for one year at $4 million with a max value of $7 million. Running back Dameon Pierce and defensive lineman Derrick Nnadi also departed. The Chiefs are expected to receive compensatory draft picks in 2027 based on the net loss of high-level unrestricted free agents.
What Walker Changes
Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Walker’s arrival transforms an offense that ranked among the league’s least explosive in 2025. In three postseason games with Seattle, he rushed for 313 yards and recorded 100-plus scrimmage yards in each contest, leading all players in postseason rushing and total scrimmage yards (417) while scoring four touchdowns. Pairing him with a healthy Mahomes gives Kansas City a dimension it lacked during the collapse.
What Could Break
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle van Noy (53) hands an intercepted ball off to safety Alohi Gilman (12) who runs it back for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 15 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. The Bengals were shut out, 24-0.
Depth-chart battles will determine whether Gilman, Kohou, and the young cornerbacks can replace the production of McDuffie and Watson. The approximately $7.5 million in remaining cap space leaves thin margins for midseason emergencies. The Chris Jones anchor contract from 2024—five years, $158.75 million—still shapes every dollar available. One major injury to a cornerstone player tests whether Kansas City left enough financial flexibility to respond.
The Bet
Feb 4, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) speaks to the media at the San Jose Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The Chiefs didn’t try to replace their entire 2025 roster in one March window. They targeted a franchise running back, retained their iconic tight end, and rebuilt defensive depth through mid-tier signings and cap engineering. The open question is whether Walker and Kelce can anchor a turnaround while the secondary develops. Kansas City is betting that the 6-11 collapse was a product of bad luck in close games and a catastrophic quarterback injury, not structural decay. The cap space left over and the 2027 draft capital from compensatory picks will determine whether that bet pays off.
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Sources:
SI.com, “Kansas City 2026 Free-Agency Roster Tracker: Latest Updates, Signings,” March 7, 2026
ESPN, “Source: Super Bowl MVP Walker, DT Tonga to sign with Chiefs,” March 8, 2026
ESPN, “Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III named MVP of Super Bowl LX,” February 8, 2026
ESPN, “Chiefs 2026 free agency tracker: Offseason moves, signings,” March 9, 2026
Arrowhead Addict, “Chiefs free agency tracker 2026: Signings, departures, cap,” March 5, 2026
Bolavip, “Chiefs CB depth chart updated after losing Jaylen Watson, Trent McDuffie to Rams,” March 8, 2026
