The Kansas City Chiefs made a major move to create salary cap space ahead of the 2026 offseason.
According to Over the Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald, the Chiefs converted $54.45 million of quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ 2026 salary into a signing bonus. The restructure clears approximately $43.56 million in cap space.
Kansas City had been projected to sit nearly $60 million over the NFL’s estimated $303 million salary cap before the move. After the adjustment, the Chiefs are now roughly $11 million over the limit.
Mahomes is in the middle of his 10-year contract that runs through 2032. His cap number is set to drop below $40 million annually beginning in 2028, and analysts believe another contract adjustment or extension could come around that time.
The Chiefs may also explore changes to defensive tackle Chris Jones’ contract, which is scheduled to pay $19 million, $28.25 million and $35 million over the next three seasons.
The restructure gives Kansas City more flexibility as free agency approaches, though additional moves will likely be needed to become cap compliant.
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