The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t need to be big spenders on external free agents to be in a position to make a legitimate run at a Super Bowl three-peat, but in securing Chris Jones and Drue Tranquill returns, it’s all but ‘mission impossible’ for general manager Brett Veach.
Jones became the highest-paid defensive tackle in the league, and Tranquill’s return makes sure that a key piece to the Kansas City Chiefs’ dominant front seven remains in the fold.
Pro Football Focus lists the Chiefs‘ dynamic defensive duo among the biggest winners of the early stages of NFL free agency.
“Jones truly tethers his contract to the Aaron Donald deal,” Brad Spielberger points out for PFF. “Which had been seemingly treated as an outlier in recent extensions for top young interior defenders. This is a massive payday for one of the game’s best players, and Kansas City also had to do whatever it took to get this done.
“Tranquill is another beneficiary of a strong season after agreeing to a one-year flier with Kansas City, representing a perfect fit in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense as a quality coverage linebacker who is also a great pass-rushing asset.”
Spielberger gives the Kansas City Chiefs’ current free agent haul a “B,” which is buoyed by the addition of tight end Irv Smith Jr. to Patrick Mahomes’ arsenal in the passing game.
How Much Cap Space do Kansas City Chiefs Have?
Chris Jones undoubtedly broke the bank, but the Kansas City Chiefs still have some spending flexibility with the ability to create additional cap space in the coming days and weeks.
Even after bringing Jones and Tranquill back, Kansas City still has approximately upwards of $16.257 million in cap space at their disposal this offseason. The Chiefs benefitted significantly from Mahomes restructuring his contract, in a move that creates approximately $21.7 million in additional cap space.
Mahomes’ decision makes it less urgent that Kansas City trades All-Pro and ascending cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, whom Veach used the franchise tag on to extend the window to negotiate a trade or work out a long-term contract agreement.
The cornerback franchise tag counts $19.8 million against the cap for the 2024 season, so some sort of resolution by either signing Sneed to a long-term pact or trading him would give Veach and Kansas City the chance to be even bigger players in the remaining free agent market.
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