The Kansas City Chiefs are facing a potential shake-up in their secondary as they head into the 2026 season. With contract situations looming for key players, the Chiefs' defense could see some significant changes.
At the forefront is All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, who is entering his fifth-year option season. McDuffie has established himself as one of the premier cornerbacks in the league, and securing him for the long haul could require an annual commitment in the ballpark of $25 to $30 million. Talks between McDuffie’s camp and Chiefs general manager Brett Veach took place last offseason, but no agreement was reached.
During the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Veach confirmed plans to meet with McDuffie’s representatives again. “We’ve had a lot of dialogue with Trent last spring, last summer,” Veach stated.
“Looking forward to getting with him. Obviously, Trent’s a great player, and we’ll see what we can do there.
(I’d) certainly love to have Trent back for the long term.”
The Chiefs have been busy restructuring contracts to create some financial flexibility. They recently reworked Patrick Mahomes’ deal and released defensive end Mike Danna, freeing up $44 million in cap space. Despite these moves, Kansas City still finds itself $6 million over the cap, which they’ll need to address before diving into free agency.
Veach described the situation as a complex puzzle. “With a lot of our players, I don’t think there’s any one of our free agents that we look at and say we don’t want these guys back.
They’re really good players, and we’ve won a lot of games with them. It’s just a matter of trying to put the puzzle together - their price points and fitting the whole thing together.”
In addition to McDuffie, cornerback Jaylen Watson and safety Bryan Cook are set to become unrestricted free agents. Linebacker Leo Chenal is also entering free agency, adding another layer to the Chiefs’ considerations.
“All these guys, we’re monitoring,” Veach explained. “We’re trying to get as many back as we can. Obviously, it’s unrealistic to think you will, but we have to be able to go in different directions.”
The Chiefs may even explore trading McDuffie to a team ready to offer him a long-term deal, potentially in exchange for valuable draft picks. Should McDuffie be moved and Watson depart, the Chiefs' starting cornerbacks could be Kristian Fulton and Nohl Williams. Losing Cook would further thin the safety position, leaving only Chamarri Conner and Jaden Hicks under contract for 2026.
As the Chiefs navigate these challenges, flexibility and strategic planning will be key to maintaining their competitive edge in the coming seasons.