The first move to shape the Chiefs’ offseason came in a trade.
The next several should arrive in a different setting.
The NFL free agency period opens Wednesday, with the legal tampering window to precede it by 48 hours.
It’s going to be a busy week in the NFL starting Monday, in other words — and in Kansas City specifically, where the Chiefs have nearly two dozen unrestricted free agents ready to hit the open market.
Will they be back? That’s the first part of the free-agency formula — a determination on how to assess what’s already been in the building. Those determinations are not just about the player. They’re about price. They’re about the depth chart and positional priority. And when it comes to the Chiefs, they’re most of all about salary cap space.
All of that comes into play in the forthcoming analysis, which, in the end, points in one direction:
There should be a lot of turnover to the Chiefs’ roster this month.
Here’s the guide for the Chiefs’ unrestricted free-agent class. (Note that Mike Caliendo (OL), Keaontay Ingram (RB) and Cole Christiansen (LB) are restricted free agents, and Nikko Remigio (WR) and Matt Araiza (P) are exclusive-rights free agents.)
Travis Kelce, tight end
What the Chiefs should do: Offer a 1-year deal, but at a cheaper number than past years.
The explanation: The biggest one first — but the decision is Travis Kelce’s to make first. Does he even want to play in 2026?
There’s more to that question than there was a year ago. Kelce doesn’t have a contract. His cap charge has been at least 6.7% each of the past three seasons. It would be really tough for the Chiefs to allot that amount of their limited space to a 37-year-old tight end, even a Hall of Fame 37-year-old tight end who led his team in catches, yards and touchdowns last year. If he wants to return, the Chiefs ideally could cut in half his $19.8 million cap number from last season.
Jaylen Watson, cornerback
What the Chiefs should do: Let him test the market.
The explanation: After the Chiefs traded cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Rams this week, they have a need they didn’t have a week earlier. Jaylen Watson knows the system. So why not bring Watson back at a cheaper number than what McDuffie would have cost? Well, it depends on exactly how much cheaper that cost would be — because there’s something important to consider with him. Watson will turn 28 years old in the opening month of the season. He’s going to demand at least a 3-year deal, if not longer, and paying a cornerback into his 30s is the opposite direction the Chiefs should seek. They don’t want to engage in a bidding war to retain him.
Bryan Cook, safety
What the Chiefs should do: Gauge his market.
The explanation: Bryan Cook was terrific last season — after a pedestrian first three years in the NFL. The departure of Justin Reid shoved Cook into the leadership role, and he thrived in it. Cook is likely to get paid, with a safety market that has paid more handsomely in recent years, which should have the Chiefs looking elsewhere.
After Trent McDuffie’s departure, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to have some leadership in the defensive-back room. As it stands, the only returning player in the secondary not on a rookie deal is Kristian Fulton. Cook falls into the monitor-and-react bucket — the Chiefs shouldn’t prioritize overspending at safety, but if his market doesn’t develop as he hopes, they can swoop in at a lower cost.
Isiah Pacheco, running back
What the Chiefs should do: Let him walk.
The explanation: A seventh-round draft pick, he served as the lead running back for two Super Bowl championships and another AFC title. But it’s time to move on. Pacheco doesn’t have enough explosiveness. He tallied only 13 carries of 10-plus yards in the last two seasons combined — that’s despite facing the second-fewest light boxes in the NFL among the 49 qualified rushers, per Next Gen Stats. His running conditions were extremely favorable. His results were not.
Kareem Hunt, running back
What the Chiefs should do: Offer a 1-year deal at vet minimum.
The explanation: It’s not that Kareem Hunt has much left in the tank. It’s certainly not that you want him occupying a major role on a team in need of serious help in the backfield. It’s that he fills a very specific role so well. Hunt was the most effective short-yardage back in football last season — more effective than the Tush Push.
On third and fourth downs last season, Hunt converted 34 of 40 short-yardage runs (1-2 yards to go) into first downs. That’s literally double any other running back. As a result, the Chiefs led the NFL in first-down conversion percentage on third- and fourth-down short-yardage runs. Is that worth a prominent role in the backfield? No. But is it worth the veteran minimum (at about $1.3 million) if they can supplement it with more explosive talent? Yes.
Hollywood Brown, wide receiver
What the Chiefs should do: Let him walk.
The explanation: Brown had a more productive season than some probably realize. He actually led the team’s wide receivers in yards and first downs and ranked second to Tyquan Thornton in downfield catches. But he will be 29 years old, and while he certainly has more football left, the Chiefs need to freshen up the receiver room.
Leo Chenal, linebacker
What the Chiefs should do: Gauge his market.
The explanation: That’s going to be difficult to do. Chenal was a bit of a Swiss army knife for the Chiefs, which means not every team in need of some linebacker help would use him the same way. Maybe a 3-4 defense sees him as an outside backer who can rush the passer and gives him a fuller plate and fatter paycheck. In the end, Chenal has been good in his role, particularly in assisting the run defense, but the Chiefs can’t afford to stretch a cap-strapped budget for someone who’s on the field just half the defensive snaps — if it indeed would require stretching the budget. That’s not to say he won’t be missed. Several decisions will be driven by dollars, not by need. This is one of them.
Tyquan Thornton, wide receiver
What the Chiefs should do: Offer a short-term contract.
The explanation: His role greatly diminished in the second half of the season — when he only once saw a 30% snap share after Week 8 — yet Thornton still tied for 21st in the NFL in downfield receptions. It’s an area in which the Chiefs need to improve, not subtract.
It’s puzzling the Chiefs couldn’t find a reason to keep him on the field when he quite evidently was providing them one. Thornton would likely have some questions about his planned role before he picks a team in free agency. It will be interesting to see how robust his market will be — and if anyone is willing to offer more than a short-term deal.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, wide receiver
What the Chiefs should do: Let him walk.
The explanation: There’s some value in having a veteran in the receiver room, but even after having Smith-Schuster’s voice part of the mix, the Chiefs still felt it necessary to change their wide receivers coach and seek accountability by bringing back Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator. Smith-Schuster finished second among the team’s wide receivers in snaps, yet he produced only 345 yards and one touchdown. He turns 30 in November.
Charles Omenihu, edge rusher
What the Chiefs should do: Let him walk.
The explanation: The Chiefs’ biggest priority this offseason is improving the pass rush, which finished 19th in pressure rate despite having the third-highest blitz rate. Improving means moving on from last year’s group. Omenihu’s get-off time slowed this year, per NGS, and while he still has something left, the Chiefs should be adding at this spot and giving Ashton Gillotte the rotational snaps.
Joshua Williams, cornerback
What the Chiefs should do: Let him walk.
The explanation: The loss will have a much greater impact to the special teams than the defensive unit. Williams has been a key member of that group, but he played just 17 defensive snaps last year.
Derrick Nnadi, defensive tackle
What the Chiefs should do: Let him walk.
The explanation: He had a better 2025 than 2024, recording eight defensive stops, but it’s another spot in which the Chiefs need higher-level impact.
Gardner Minshew, quarterback
What the Chiefs should do: Let him walk.
The explanation: The health of the top quarterback is already a question. The Chiefs don’t need to worry about their primary backup, too. Minshew avoided the most serious knee injury in his only start, a Week 16 start at Tennessee, but the Chiefs need someone with a completely clean bill of health — that’s not just for the season but for offseason programming, which the QB2 will presumably have to lead.
Nazeeh Johnson, cornerback
What the Chiefs should do: Offer a 1-year deal.
The explanation: It shouldn’t cost much. The Chiefs had plans for Johnson to be part of the cornerback rotation before his preseason injury. They’ll need depth at cornerback after the McDuffie trade and with Watson entering free agency. They can find better options to start games, but given that Johnson also plays special teams, if he’s healthy, he can provide that contribution while serving as depth for the defense — as long as it indeed comes at a cheap price.
Mike Pennel, defensive tackle
What the Chiefs should do: Let him walk.
The explanation: Mike Pennel is an exceptional NFL story — from undrafted to 12 seasons in the league. He’s a two-time Super Bowl champion. But he’ll be 35 in May, and the Chiefs need to get younger on the defensive line.
Robert Tonyan, tight end
What the Chiefs should do: Let him walk.
The explanation: This isn’t really about Tonyan, who impressed in training camp before failing to do much of anything in the regular season. It’s about the style of backup tight end the Chiefs should pursue. They have talked about needing to be more explosive in the running game. One thing that might help? A third tight end whose strength comes as a blocker.
Jack Cochrane, linebacker
What the Chiefs should do: Offer a 1-year deal at minimum salary.
The explanation: The three special-teams penalties — in the span of a month, including two on Monday night in Jacksonville — made Cochrane and outlet for the ire in a frustrating season, but he provides cheap depth at linebacker in addition to his roles on special teams, which improved as the year progressed. He made four special-teams tackles in the season finale alone. But the main point here is the price. It should be low.
Dameon Pierce, running back
What the Chiefs should do: Keep in touch.
The explanation: The Chiefs acquired Pierce in the middle of the season after the Texans released him. He only saw snaps in Week 18 in Las Vegas. He would provide training camp depth in case of injury — if he doesn’t get better guaranteed money elsewhere — but he shouldn’t be one of the top-3 backs on the depth chart when camp begins. He should offer insurance and a flier.
Mike Edwards, safety
What the Chiefs should do: Let him walk.
The explanation: He’s a great veteran in the room, but Edwards has been released three times in the past two years. He still has the instincts, but soon to be 30, his speed becomes a problem when trying to cover.
Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle
What the Chiefs should do: Let him walk.
The explanation: It’s hard to believe Tillery played 374 defensive snaps last season, because it didn’t show in the impact. He had just 1 1/2 sacks and was credited with just eight solo tackles. It’s going to sound repetitive, but the Chiefs need to get better on the defensive line.
Deon Bush, safety
What the Chiefs should do: Let him walk.
The explanation: He’ll be coming off a torn achilles tendon suffered during the preseason, and entering his age-33 season.
Janarius Robinson, edge
What the Chiefs should do: Let him walk.
The explanation: While he was on the team a year, Robinson did not actually get on the field for a snap.