The Kansas City Chiefs have found unprecedented success throughout their dynastic run, and they fell just one game short of becoming the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls back in February. But now, Kansas City’s dynasty faces a threat off the field: the salary cap.
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has done a magnificent job of navigating the cap in recent years, but the team was evidently restricted this offseason. Although Kansas City signed right guard Trey Smith to a contract extension and added left tackle Jaylon Moore in free agency, they were forced to part ways with All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney and safety Justin Reid.
The lack of financial flexibility has prevented the Chiefs from extending some of their budding stars, but Veach bought the team a little extra time to figure out the futures of two young defensive players.
Chiefs are gambling by not extending Trent McDuffie, George Karlaftis
The Chiefs exercised the fifth-year option on the rookie contracts of cornerback Trent McDuffie and defensive end George Karlaftis, ESPN’s Adam Teicher reported on Tuesday. Veach indicated before the 2025 NFL Draft that the team would exercise the options for both players, who are now under contract through the 2026 season. Still, delaying long-term extensions could prove costly as negotiations loom in the future.
The 2023 offseason provides a clear example of the risk that Veach is taking. Kansas City had an opportunity to sign cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to a long-term deal prior to 2023, but they decided to let him enter the final year of his contract without a new deal in place. Sneed proved his ability to be a lockdown cornerback and priced himself out of Kansas City’s budget with an All-Pro campaign. That success resulted in a Lombardi Trophy, but it also led to Sneed’s departure from the team.
McDuffie has stepped up admirably in Sneed’s role, but the lack of depth behind him caused Steve Spagnuolo’s defense to take a step backward last season. Now, the Chiefs could risk losing him or paying a king’s ransom to retain him.
McDuffie, the No. 21 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has started 43 regular-season games and 10 postseason games during his three years with the team. He's compiled eight forced fumbles, 4.5 sacks and two interceptions, earning a first-team All-Pro selection in 2023 and a second-team All-Pro nod in 2024. Another successful campaign could position him to become among the league’s highest-paid cornerbacks.
Karlaftis, the No. 30 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has 24.5 sacks in the regular season and eight sacks in the playoffs during his three seasons in Kansas City. He finished with a team-high eight sacks in 2024 and was tied for the team lead with 10.5 sacks in 2023.
Building a dynasty is difficult, but sustaining prolonged success is nearly impossible. Teams struggle to retain and replace talent without experiencing a dip in production as star players begin to age and young championship players command lucrative deals. The Chiefs primarily focused on retaining their own players rather than making splashy acquisitions this offseason. That trend may continue moving forward, which means the Chiefs will have to replace aging stars like tight end Travis Kelce by finding high-value replacements in the draft.