Predicting NFL offseason roster changes for 14 playoff teams
 

Here the chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs (14-2)
AFC playoff seed: No. 1

The defending champs are $16.4 million over the projected cap. They can get underneath quickly by turning quarterback Patrick Mahomes' $21.7 million roster bonus into an option bonus, freeing up $17.4 million in cap room immediately. Designating linebacker Anthony Hitchens as a post-June 1 release would free up an additional $6.5 million. Kansas City might also choose to move on from one of its starting tackles, which would save either $12 million if it releases Eric Fisher or $6.3 million if it does the same with Mitchell Schwartz. Both players are entering the final year of their respective deals.

The Chiefs will return most of their key players. Oft-injured veterans Sammy Watkins (wide receiver) and Alex Okafor (defensive end) will move on. The team will retool in the secondary, where Daniel Sorensen and Bashaud Breeland are unrestricted free agents and Charvarius Ward is restricted. Likewise, along the offensive line, the Chiefs are projected to lose Austin Reiter, Kelechi Osemele, Mike Remmers and Daniel Kilgore.


Running back Le'Veon Bell and fullback Anthony Sherman also are unrestricted free agents, while linebacker Damien Wilson and wideout Demarcus Robinson round out the notable free agents for Kansas City.

Eh doesnt look that bad. I'd like to bring Remmers back i think. I dont think they cut Hitch, and Schwartz may be done anyway.

Trust in Veach to stretch the cap in magical ways

Yeah, the Chiefs aren't gonna lose anybody they care about because of the cap. Veach will re-structure, etc., do whatever he needs to do.

I DO think they will move on from Sammy and ask Pringle to fill that role next year. DRob may be back again on another one year deal if he doesn't get an offer from someone else he likes, mostly because he knows the offense and they're not losing two regulars in the WR rotation next year.

I think they'll keep Hitch. He's actually played fairly well this year. Chiefs will re-do Fisher's deal and extend him, likely reducing his cap number for next year. I actually think Mitch will retire, but I may be wrong. We'll see, I guess.

On the secondary, we've got a lot of young talented guys (Fenton, Sneed, Keyes) so it won't kill us to lose a couple there. Breeland will likely get a deal somewhere else this off-season. Ward is a RFA, but I could see the Chiefs putting a 2nd round tender on him and someone else offering him a nice deal and the Chiefs just deciding to let him walk and taking the pick. I think they will bring Sorenson back on a short, fairly cheap deal. Spags really likes him and he's a valauable veteran piece of that secondary. They may also look to re-do Honey Badger's deal and extend him.

I do think all the O-Line guys that are eligible to leave they'll let walk. Sign maybe one FA and pick up a couple more in the draft (likely mid-round picks). They'll also have LDT and Niang coming back next year, which will help with depth.

All in all, they'll lose some pieces but no one major, unless you wanna argue Sammy or Ward are major. I won't and think they'll be just fine without both of them.

They're not getting $6.3M out of Schwartz. After you look at his dead cap number, it's a net $3.75M IIRC. I don't think this article is accurate.

Agreed. Plus Baker when he comes back in the defensive backfield. I could see them bringing Dan back.

Pretty good thoughts all around.

Would somebody like to explain how this devil sorcery works? We’re not even into the years of the Mahomes extension yet and we’re already ****ing around with his deal? That’s not going to impact the years down the road is it?

I threw up my hands and decided "voodoo" when Veach turned $177 into half a billion dollars.

I also don’t think Mahomes deal is the one they’ll rework.

Extend Fisher and Mathieu. Convert Chris Jones base to signing bonus.

Those are the low-hanging fruit moves.

It will be once they reclaim the remaining bonus.

They aren’t messing with Hitchens. Spags loves him, and he actually has been solid this year.

I highly doubt they do that.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see them give him a small extension.

The Chiefs are projected to lose Kelechi Osemele.

Maybe we can replace him with someone that does not have 2 busted up knees?