The Kansas City Chiefs have been the gold standard in the AFC West for nearly a decade, locking up the division title nine years in a row. But as we head into Week 13 of the 2025 season, that iron grip is slipping - and fast.
Right now, the Chiefs are sitting at a surprising 6-6, trailing both the surging Denver Broncos (9-2) and the Los Angeles Chargers (7-4). For a team built around a generational quarterback and a roster full of big-ticket contracts, this kind of midseason mediocrity is raising eyebrows - and questions about what comes next.
One of the biggest looming issues? The cap.
Kansas City is projected to enter the 2026 offseason with the least amount of effective cap space in the NFL - a staggering $60 million over the projected figure. That kind of financial pressure doesn’t just call for a few restructures.
It demands real decisions. And one name that’s starting to surface in those conversations is right tackle Jawaan Taylor.
Taylor signed a four-year, $80 million deal with the Chiefs back in 2023 after a solid start to his career in Jacksonville. He was brought in to be a cornerstone on an offensive line tasked with protecting Patrick Mahomes.
And for a while, he delivered. But in 2025, the wheels have started to wobble.
Through 12 games this season, Taylor has been on the field - but the performance hasn’t matched the paycheck. His 53.3 grade from Pro Football Focus ranks 72nd out of 80 qualifying tackles.
He’s been flagged 13 times - the most among all NFL tackles - and he’s allowed three sacks. For a team already fighting an uphill battle in the standings, that kind of production from a high-priced starter is tough to stomach.
There’s a potential out in Taylor’s contract this offseason that would save Kansas City around $20 million against the cap. That’s not just a drop in the bucket - that’s a third of the gap they need to close.
And with swing tackle Jaylon Moore already on the books at $15 million per year, the Chiefs might already have their replacement in-house. Moore was signed last offseason to be a premium backup, but the way things are trending, he could be in line for a starting role come 2026 - especially if the front office decides Taylor’s cost no longer matches the value.
This is the kind of crossroads Kansas City hasn’t really faced during their recent run of dominance. The team has always found a way to keep the core intact, retool on the fly, and stay ahead of the curve. But with the cap crunch tightening and the on-field results falling short of expectations, the 2025 offseason is shaping up to be one of the most pivotal in the Mahomes era.
If the Chiefs want to keep their championship window open - and keep pace in a division that’s suddenly very competitive - they’ll need to make some tough calls. And right now, all signs point to Jawaan Taylor being one of them.