The Kansas City Chiefs are heading into an offseason that feels less like a victory lap and more like a high-stakes chess match. After years of contending - and winning - at the highest level, the bill is finally coming due.
The salary cap is tight, the roster has some real needs, and the front office is staring down a series of tough decisions. One of the biggest?
What to do with cornerback Trent McDuffie.
Let’s start with the obvious: McDuffie is a high-level player. Since being drafted 21st overall in 2022 - after the Chiefs traded up to get him - he’s done everything asked of him and then some. He’s versatile, capable of playing outside or in the slot, holds his own against the run, and brings a level of professionalism that fits the Chiefs’ locker room culture to a tee.
This isn’t the kind of player teams typically look to move on from. But this isn’t a typical offseason in Kansas City.
The Cap Crunch Is Real
The Chiefs enter the offseason more than $54 million over the cap. That’s not a typo - and it’s not a small fix.
There are moves that can help: cutting players like Jawaan Taylor, Mike Danna, Drue Tranquill, and Noah Gray could free up nearly $40 million. Restructuring Patrick Mahomes’ deal could save another $44 million.
In theory, those moves could swing the Chiefs into the black, giving them around $28 million in cap space.
But that money disappears quickly. The rookie draft pool will cost around $12.7 million.
A veteran running back in free agency might cost anywhere from $5-10 million. Suddenly, you’re looking at maybe $5-10 million left to fill out the rest of the roster.
That’s not a lot of wiggle room for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
McDuffie: The Cap-Saving Chip
Enter McDuffie - not as a problem, but as a potential solution.
He’s set to earn $13.6 million in guaranteed salary next season. That number is perfectly reasonable for a corner of his caliber, but in the context of Kansas City’s cap situation, it’s a significant chunk of space.
Trading McDuffie would clear that full amount without leaving any dead money behind. That’s a clean $13 million-plus off the books - money that could be immediately reinvested into areas of greater need.
Think edge rusher. The Chiefs could target someone like Boye Mafe or Dre’Mont Jones, players who would likely command a salary in the $10-15 million range. They’re not McDuffie-level talents, but they’d bring juice to a defensive front that could use some reinforcements.
It’s Not Just About the Money
Trading McDuffie isn’t just a cap-clearing move - it’s also about what the Chiefs could get back in return.
Look back at the 2022 draft. That class was foundational for Kansas City’s recent run.
McDuffie, George Karlaftis, Bryan Cook, Leo Chenal, Jaylen Watson, and Isiah Pacheco - all core contributors. And that class was made possible by a bold move: trading Tyreek Hill to Miami for five draft picks, including a first-, second-, and fourth-rounder.
That infusion of picks gave GM Brett Veach the flexibility to move around the board and build a young, cost-controlled core. It’s time for another round of that.
Most of those 2022 contributors are either nearing the end of their rookie deals or about to get expensive. The Chiefs need to reload.
A McDuffie trade could net them an early second-round pick, maybe more, depending on the market. That’s the kind of capital that gives Veach options.
The Market for McDuffie
There’s always some uncertainty when it comes to trade value, but McDuffie should be a coveted asset. He’s been primarily used on the outside the past two seasons, though he arguably thrives best in the slot.
At 5'11", 195 pounds, he’s not the biggest corner, and that may impact how some teams value him. But make no mistake - he’s a top-tier player, and there’s always a market for that.
The Other Option: Keep Him and Pay Up
Of course, the Chiefs could keep McDuffie. They could play out his fifth-year option in 2026 or even extend him long-term - a deal that would likely fall in the neighborhood of DaRon Bland’s recent four-year, $90 million extension.
But that route comes with trade-offs. To make it work, Kansas City would almost certainly have to restructure Chris Jones’ contract, pushing significant cap hits into 2027 and 2028 - when Jones will be 33 and 34. It’s doable, but it limits the team’s flexibility in free agency and could hamstring future roster-building efforts.
A Dynasty at a Crossroads
This is the cost of chasing - and winning - championships. The Chiefs pushed their chips in to make a run at a three-peat.
They kept veterans like Chris Jones instead of letting them walk and reloading with youth. It was the right call at the time.
But now, the financial reality is setting in.
Trading McDuffie would be a tough pill to swallow. He’s the kind of player you want in your building. But he’s also the kind of asset that can help the Chiefs reset the books and reload the roster - not just for 2026, but for the next wave of contention.
The Chiefs’ offseason starts with McDuffie. What they decide to do with him will shape everything else.
Keep him, and you’re committing to a tighter cap and fewer resources to address other needs. Move him, and you open up space and picks - but lose a top-tier corner in the process.
There’s no easy answer here. But if the goal is to keep the dynasty alive, the smart - if painful - move might be to say goodbye to one of the team’s most reliable defenders.