The Kansas City Chiefs are once again navigating the tricky waters of the offseason with a Super Bowl-ready roster in mind. General Manager Brett Veach, speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, acknowledged that this year might bring more roster changes than usual. A key player on their radar is cornerback Trent McDuffie.
Drafted 21st overall in 2022, McDuffie is a standout talent the Chiefs are eager to retain. Although he’s under contract for the 2026 season with a $13 million fifth-year option, trade talks could heat up if an extension isn't reached soon. Veach emphasized ongoing discussions, highlighting McDuffie’s value to the team.
“We’ve had a lot of dialogue with Trent last spring and last summer,” Veach noted. “He’s first out of the gate, I think, tomorrow.
Looking forward to getting with him. Obviously, Trent’s a great player, and we’ll see what we can do there.
We’d certainly love to have Trent back for the long term.”
The Chiefs face a juggling act with several pending free agents, including safety Bryan Cook, linebacker Leo Chenal, and cornerback Jaylen Watson. Veach described the situation as a complex puzzle, with the team aiming to retain as many players as possible while staying flexible.
“Everything’s kind of a puzzle,” Veach explained. “I think with a lot of our players - I don’t think there’s any one of our free agents we look at and say we don’t want these guys back - they’re really good players.
We’ve won a lot of games with them. It’s just a matter of trying to put the puzzle together, what else is going to be out there, their price points, and kind of fitting the whole thing together.”
The NFL’s salary cap is a crucial factor in these decisions. Kansas City is currently $6.3 million over the expected cap, a situation improved by the release of veteran defensive end Mike Danna. Veach expressed respect for Danna, explaining the early release was to allow him to explore his market opportunities.
“Mike Danna was a little unique and different,” Veach shared. “Mike Danna was in the building this week.
I had a chance to talk to Mike. You guys know Mike.
He is as good as it gets - just a tremendous player and person. I have a lot of respect for him, and I wanted him to just have that opportunity, since I saw him this weekend, to just let him go out there and see what his market is.”
Looking ahead, the Chiefs might release right tackle Jawaan Taylor and linebacker Drue Tranquill to save $26 million in cap space. Veach hinted at a possible shift in strategy, suggesting Kansas City might consider restructuring existing contracts more aggressively than in previous years.
“I think with guys like Jawaan and Drue Tranquil, who someone asked me about earlier,” Veach said, “these guys started for us, and they played a lot of football for us. Our cap situation - I don’t know if we are six or seven [million] over - but I think we have $60 million in convertible contracts too. So, we have many different ways to attack this.”
As the offseason unfolds, the Chiefs are poised to make strategic moves, balancing financial constraints with their championship aspirations.