Mahomes restructures, opens up massive cap space for kc

[Kirby Jackson]

26 minutes ago, PrimeTime101 said:

thats good cause they were in the hole -60m or so.. now they still in the hole 14m. so lets not act like they have money for big names.. they dont.. they  wont.. 

This is what I’m talking about upthread (not picking on you). The Chiefs can pull 3 more obvious levers and be $20M under. They can then decide on a few others that can open $44M more pretty easily putting them at like $64M under: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kansas-city-chiefs-roster/194135/how-chiefs-find-2026-salary-cap-space-before-march-11

 

The Chiefs are in fine cap shape (if they need to be). 

Edited February 18 by Kirby Jackson

[SoonerBillsFan]

Just now, Big Turk said:

 

Exactly. People seriously misunderstand the way this works. Many times players don't even know it happened until after it's happened and they are told.

 

This is a built in stipulation in the CBA and is essentially the biggest win-win between team and player in sports in regards to contracts. No team or player would ever object to doing this, so let's stop pretending the player somehow "did the team a favor". 

 

No, the player was not consulted, asked or many times even told. The team has the right to do this whenever they want and it's typically built into the contract as a plan for the future. Sometimes even several restructured are built in.

Nope the agent says " hey, you got a big check coming" and thats it.

[atlbillsfan1975]

3 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

They certainly do. They can get to 60-70M without cutting anyone of significant need, with simple restructuring. They are in a good spot 

Who are the restructure candidates after Mahomes? I’ve seen Jones mentioned. He didn’t look like he was able to turn it on like he has in previous seasons. Let them restructure him, that just kicks the can down the road and makes it something they need to deal with eventually 

[SoonerBillsFan]

Just now, Kirby Jackson said:

This is what I’m talking about upthread (not picking on you). The Chiefs can pull 3 more obvious levers and be $20M under. They can then decide on a few others that can open $44M more pretty easily: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kansas-city-chiefs-roster/194135/how-chiefs-find-2026-salary-cap-space-before-march-11

 

The Chiefs are in fine cap shape (if they need to be). 

Agreed.  I laugh when fans scream about being "just" 12 mill over.  With minimal moves we will be 32-52 mill under by the start of league year.

 

As Frankie says...

 

[DapperCam]

It brought me great joy to see the Chiefs struggle this past season. To be honest they struggled just as much the season before, but Mr. Magoo’d their way to the Super Bowl somehow.

 

With Kelce and Chris Jones another year older and slower, and Mahomes likely slower and more confined to the pocket than usual due to his injury, should be another underwhelming season for their fans.

 

Warms my heart.

Edited February 18 by DapperCam

[BuffaloBillyG]

7 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

This is what I’m talking about upthread (not picking on you). The Chiefs can pull 3 more obvious levers and be $20M under. They can then decide on a few others that can open $44M more pretty easily putting them at like $64M under: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kansas-city-chiefs-roster/194135/how-chiefs-find-2026-salary-cap-space-before-march-11

 

The Chiefs are in fine cap shape (if they need to be). 

 

4 minutes ago, atlbillsfan1975 said:

Who are the restructure candidates after Mahomes? I’ve seen Jones mentioned. He didn’t look like he was able to turn it on like he has in previous seasons. Let them restructure him, that just kicks the can down the road and makes it something they need to deal with eventually 

I would answer you better, but @Kirby Jacksonalready did that up thread. His answer is spot on...with a link to investigate for yourself. 

[BarleyNY]

50 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

There were people on here last week talking about the Chiefs in cap hell. 🤣🤣 They can be like $70m-$80M under without doing anything dramatic. The media really doesn’t do people any favors when they talk about “cap space.” Fear mongering and creating false narratives for clicks is lame. If they are going to talk about the cap, they should understand it. If they do understand it, they shouldn’t mislead people as to where teams will be. Teams set up contracts to manipulate to create the space. We shouldn’t act surprised when this kind of thing happens because that’s what it was designed to do!! I get so frustrated because there are constant conversations that aren’t reality based with the talking heads.

It’s the time of year when people who don’t at all understand the NFL’s salary cap talk incessantly about the NFL’s salary cap. 

Edited February 18 by BarleyNY

[Big Turk]

9 minutes ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

Agreed.  I laugh when fans scream about being "just" 12 mill over.  With minimal moves we will be 32-52 mill under by the start of league year.

 

As Frankie says...

 

 

Yeah people have no idea how easy it is to keep kicking the can down the road and with the cap consistently going up by leaps and bounds every year that bill never really comes due.

Edited February 18 by Big Turk

[Andrew Son]

Our one year with the easiest path possible and we crap the bed…

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

2 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

There were people on here last week talking about the Chiefs in cap hell. 🤣🤣 They can be like $70m-$80M under without doing anything dramatic. The media really doesn’t do people any favors when they talk about “cap space.” Fear mongering and creating false narratives for clicks is lame. If they are going to talk about the cap, they should understand it. If they do understand it, they shouldn’t mislead people as to where teams will be. Teams set up contracts to manipulate to create the space. We shouldn’t act surprised when this kind of thing happens because that’s what it was designed to do!! I get so frustrated because there are constant conversations that aren’t reality based with the talking heads.

Totally true! Spend an hour on one of the sites like Spotrac and you get a better understanding of how it works. Many in media are just plain uniformed, lazy or searching to fear monger.

Edited February 18 by D. L. Hot-Flamethrower

[Big Turk]

14 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

This is what I’m talking about upthread (not picking on you). The Chiefs can pull 3 more obvious levers and be $20M under. They can then decide on a few others that can open $44M more pretty easily putting them at like $64M under: https://www.arrowheadpride.com/kansas-city-chiefs-roster/194135/how-chiefs-find-2026-salary-cap-space-before-march-11

 

The Chiefs are in fine cap shape (if they need to be). 

 

As long as teams do smart structuring of contracts and stagger enough of them so the big ones don't all hit in the same year, as long as the cap continues to increase the way it has been, that bill will never really come due.

 

I know people say "you can't keep doing that", but that's only true if the cap starts to become stagnant.  Otherwise, yes you CAN keep doing that and teams WILL keep doing it because there is no real penalty for it.

Edited February 18 by Big Turk

[SoonerBillsFan]

1 minute ago, Andrew Son said:

Our one year with the easiest path possible and we crap the bed…

Further reason McDermott was fired.  

 

 

[ddaryl]

11 minutes ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

Agreed.  I laugh when fans scream about being "just" 12 mill over.  With minimal moves we will be 32-52 mill under by the start of league year.

 

As Frankie says...

 

these minimal moves you declare will create holes. Which will require investment. The Bills biggest issue is relying on FA to fill too many holes, and paying a premium for it

[SoonerBillsFan]

3 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Yeah people have no idea how easy it is to keep kicking the can down the road and with the cap consistently going up by leaps and bounds every year that bill never really comes due.

And you can position yourself to mitigate the "final hit" of say a Mahomes or Allen when they retire by just planning a year or 2 ahead and still be competitive 

[ddaryl]

4 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Yeah people have no idea how easy it is to keep kicking the can down the road and with the cap consistently going up by leaps and bounds every year that bill never really comes due.

The bill is due and we are going to release a few solid players for the priveleadge of kicking the can down the road

[Gregg]

1 minute ago, Andrew Son said:

Our one year with the easiest path possible and we crap the bed…

 

Maybe the team just isn't very good. Couldn't even win the AFCE this year. Elite level QB and RB, good not great OL, good not great TE's when Kincaid is healthy, below average WR group, defense needs a lot of work in the front 7, can't stop the run, or rush the passer with any consistency. Take Allen and Cook off this team and it wouldn't look very pretty.

[QCity]

5 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

 every year that bill never really comes due.

 

3 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

 that bill will never really come due.

 

I know people say "you can't keep doing that", but that's only true if the cap starts to become stagnant.  Otherwise, yes you CAN keep doing that and teams WILL keep doing it because there is no real penalty for it.

 

This is simply not true.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

3 minutes ago, DapperCam said:

It brought me great joy to see the Chiefs struggle this past season. To be honest they struggled just as much the season before, but Mr. Magoo’d their way to the Super Bowl somehow.

 

With Kelce and Chris Jones another year older and slower, and Mahomes likely slower and more confined to the pocket than usual due to his injury, should be another underwhelming season for their fans.

 

Warms my heart.

 

The crazy part of Jones is his contract and his age.  Great player, but he was not as great last season (all-pro voters would agree).  His cap hit this season is 44.8M.  They can restructure the 19M salary and 16M roster bonus against the 2026 cap, but it's basically a full 2027 commitment to do it since you'd be converting a lot of salary and roster bonuses in 2026 into 2027/2028.  

 

From my understanding you can't add a void year unless the player agrees to a new deal, but someone feel free to correct me there.  This could allow them to further lower the 2026 and 2027 cap hits by "extending" his contract but those years void, maybe guarantee some extra money for him while also likely making sure he's a free agent in 2028 for a final contract payday.  Yes he'll be 34, but he'd still absolutely be an in-demand mercenary.  

[May Day 10]

15 minutes ago, atlbillsfan1975 said:

Who are the restructure candidates after Mahomes? I’ve seen Jones mentioned. He didn’t look like he was able to turn it on like he has in previous seasons. Let them restructure him, that just kicks the can down the road and makes it something they need to deal with eventually 

 

Yeah, Jones is 31 and seemed to be either uninterested or unconditioned at times last season.  I would be nervous kicking that can.  He is supposed to "make" like $45 million this next season and 2027... and like $38 Million for 2028.  Dead cap hits for cutting or trading are punitive.  Making those cap hits in the future worse or more spread out?  Ouch.  

 

While I say that Jones was the Chiefs' real MVP a few of those runs, that contract is an albatross.

[BuffaloBillyG]

1 minute ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

And you can position yourself to mitigate the "final hit" of say a Mahomes or Allen when they retire by just planning a year or 2 ahead and still be competitive 

The only times you will get bit in the butt is with some "unplanned" moves or going all in on the wrong guy. The Dolphins with Tua is an excellent example. Depending on how it plays out they may have to eat a $99M dead cap hit this year or spread over two years to move on from him. That will hurt bad. Or if a guy you kicked the can down the road for a while unexpectedly retires or gets an unexpected career altering injury. Tyreek with, again the Dolphins is an example and you are left holding the bag.