KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off the ideal end to a season, finishing up their Super Bowl parade celebration nearly a week ago.
The team is $3,507,734 over the league salary cap per projections by Overthecap.com.
This is after the Chiefs decision to not offer Tyreek Hill an extension. His cap number with the Dolphins this year is set at $31.2 million in 2023.
The Chiefs need to create more cap space for the 2023 season or for long term extension planning and cap carry over for the 2024 season.
Here are the decisions the team would likely need to make.
1. Release or restructure Frank Clark
Cap Number: $28.6 million
Cap Savings: $19.6 million
Clark unfortunately doesn't provide enough as a full-time pass rusher to warrant this level of compensation.
His production and impact on a team is near the veteran minimum line with incentives.
The tank is nearing empty on what his body can physically allow him to do in the league once he gets past 25 to 30 snaps a game. He would benefit from a reduced role.
2. Extending or trading Chris Jones
Cap Number: $27.041 million
Cap Savings: $20 million
Jones is the most important player on the Chiefs defense at this time.
Their pass rush is determined by how many double teams he gets and how many of them he is able to fight through in a game.
That isn't fair to him, but that is the reality of the current pass rushing roster.
Jones provides the organization one of their most valuable chips to add on draft capital, the return though may not be enough to warrant the move.
The loss of Jones on the Chiefs pass rush though could be felt for years to come.
The Chiefs are at a key crossroads with Jones, he is inching close to 30, but is still one of the most valuable players on their overall roster.
He is due one of the top defensive tackle contracts on the market.
3. Converting Patrick Mahomes roster bonus
Cap Number: $46.793 million
Roster Bonus: $34.400 million
The Chiefs and Mahomes' representatives have it built in to his contract that the team is able to convert a portion, or all of his roster bonus, into a signing bonus that spreads over the next five years of the contract.
Last year, the Chiefs elected not to exercise that option.
Worst case, if the Chiefs converted all of the roster bonus, it would add an additional $6.8 million to the next five seasons of Mahomes current cap numbers, which ranges from $44 million to $59 million depending on the season through 2031, when he would turn 36.
This scenario is likely a break glass in case of emergency situation.
4. Restructure Joe Thuney's base salary
Cap Number: $22,116,250
Base Salary: $15,000,000
The Chiefs have done this before, but the team is capable of taking a portion of Joe Thuney's $15 million dollar base salary and converting it into a bonus.
His contract runs through the 2025 season, so the base could be spread over three seasons.
His base salary must be a minimum of $1,165,000 for the 2023 season with his years accrued in the league.
Kansas City could offer him an extension as well to lower the cap number.
5. Restructure Travis Kelce's base salary
Cap Number: $14,801,944
Base Salary: $11,250,000
Kelce's contract runs through the 2025 season. His base salary will be $11.250 million this season.
The team can turn around a portion of it into a bonus as well with his consent.
His veteran minimum would also have to be a $1,165,000 base.
The Chiefs could also offer him an extension that lowers his cap number for 2023.
6. Releasing Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Cap Number: $11 million
Cap Savings: $7 million
Valdes-Scantling provided the Chiefs additional speed to their wide receiver room to pair with Mecole Hardman after Tyreek Hill was traded.
He struggled to build a good chemistry with Mahomes through the season and has a bad habit of body catching passes.
The first-year Kansas City wide receiver also didn't routinely use his size and arm length to his advantage in catching passes until the AFC Championship game, when he showcased all of his potential against the Bengals.
His play was arguably one of the biggest reasons the Chiefs made it to the Super Bowl.
A release of Valdes-Scantling would likely be to help pay the cost for Smith-Schuster, or another starting veteran's cap number for the 2023 season.
7. Releasing Harrison Butker
Cap Number: $5.128 million
Cap Savings: $2.971 million
This isn't a move I would personally make to find cap relief.
Butker is one of the most powerful kickers in the league and when the mechanics are right, he is one of the more accurate kickers in the league.
Far too often, Butker gets blamed for sins that aren't all his — he just makes the most money among that group and can handle the criticism.
A move like this should only be made if a team needed to fit in their rookie contracts which should not be the case.
8. Trading Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Cap number: $3,443,229
Trade savings: $2,085,670
The Chiefs gain nothing financially by releasing Edwards-Helaire.
The only relief they could find before June 1 would be to trade Edwards-Helaire and allow him a new opportunity.
That will likely be determined by how much the organization wants to re-sign Jerick McKinnon and pair him with Isiah Pacheco in his second season.
The Chiefs are in a good position overall to make some additions to their roster, extend some of their key performers and have really good long term cap health overall.
After the 2023 season, the Chiefs are expected to have more than $80 million or more in cap space for the next three seasons.
—
