The 2025 Roster, Under Contract, + FAs

[Direckshun]

Black font is a position I consider largely fine for 2025, as the roster currently stands.
Blue font is a position of some need.
Red font is a position of serious need.

QB: Mahomes
RB: Pacheco, Steele

WR: Rice, Worthy, Moore
TE: Kelce, Gray, Wiley

LT: Morris, Suamataia
LG: Thuney, Hanson
C: Humphrey, Hanson
RG: Nourzad, Mattauer
RT: Taylor, Driskell

DE: Danna, Anudike-Uzomah, Thompson
DT: Jones
DT:
DE: Karlaftis, Thomas

WLB: Jones
MLB: Tranquill
SLB: Chenal

CB: McDuffie, Watson, Williams, Roland-Wallace
S: Cook, Conner, Hicks

K: Butker
P:
LS:

Free agents departing:

QB Carson Wentz
RB Kareem Hunt
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
RB Samaje Perine

WR DeAndre Hopkins
WR Marquise Brown
WR Justin Watson
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
WR Mecole Hardman

OG Trey Smith
OG/C Mike Caliendo

DT Tershawn Wharton
DT Mike Pennel
DT Derrick Nnadi
DT Marlon Tuipulotu
DE Charles Omenihu
DE Joshua Uche
DE Malik Herring

LB Nick Bolton
LB Jack Cochrane

CB Nazeeh Johnson
S Justin Reid

P Matt Araiza
LS James Winchester

Chiefs current cap space for 2025 is projected around $22m.

You can restructure Mahomes, who is coming in hot with a $66m cap hit, and you can cut Joe Thuney, which would save you $16m, but you create a red-level area of need if you do so. And just because I've been talking about it, if Kelce retires, it saves you an additional $17m, but you've added a blue-level area of need.

[Direckshun]

I'll also show off the practice squad, as it does have several players that have some interest for the future of the team:

QB Chris Oladokun
RB Keontay Ingram
WR Nikko Remigio
WR Montrell Washington
WR Justyn Ross
WR Cornell Powell
TE Anthony Firkser
OT Lucas Niang
OT Chukwuebuka Godrick
DT Fabien Lovett Sr.
DE Truman Jones
LB Swayze Bozeman
LB Cole Christiansen
CB Nic Jones
CB Darius Rush
CB Eric Scott Jr.
S Deon Bush

Kinda forgot some of these people were on the team.

[Chargem]

Caliendo, Johnson, Herring and Cochrane are all ERFA/RFA, I think all 4 of them will be back.

I don't really think corner is an area of need if Johnson returns.

I don't see how left tackle is an area of need unless you are writing off Kingsley as a bust after 1.5 games.

I'd probably extend Thuney rather than cut him to free up some cap.

EDIT: wow, RB is not an area of "serious need" either? Should be blue or maybe not even that. They should draft some talent there but they could also just bring in a cheap vet and roll, like they did with Perine.

[Couch-Potato]

Good post! Thank you.

I’m no longer concerned about WR, DL, RB or OG.

At WR we’ll bring back D-Hop and Brown at reasonable prices, they won’t want to leave, and we’ll have our choice of the others as well. Watson, JuJu and Hardman can’t survive in this league on any other team.

At RB we can bring back Hunt with the same script as D-Hop and Brown, low cost player who’d be motivated to stay, Perine is solid too and I’d be happy to bring him back.

Our DL is one of the best in the league despite myself and others here on CP seeing plenty of room for improvement. Most of our DL is pretty nameless amongst the rest of the league, we’ll keep the one’s Veach and Spags want cheap here as well. Omenihu also seems motivated to stay with us.

Trey Smith has been fantastic, but OG feels like it’s a highly replaceable position. We drafted a couple last season, Morris or Suamataia could potentially fill the spot and we could draft another, plenty of options if we can’t afford Smith.

My concerns are Nick Bolton and Justin Reid. Those two are critical to spags D, along with CJ and McDuffie. Bottom of the 1st RD feels like a spot you can find a really good Safety or Linebacker, but those guy’s experience and leadership in our D won’t be replaced by a rookie. If we can sign 2 outa 3 of Trey Smith, Nick Bolton, or Justin Reid it would be an excellent offseason and I’d imagine our roster will look very similar next year.

Genuinely, I only seeing us getting better next year with a healthier squad and rookie additions.

[Chargem]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

My concerns are Nick Bolton and Justin Reid. Those two are critical to spags D, along with CJ and McDuffie. Bottom of the 1st RD feels like a spot you can find a really good Safety or Linebacker, but those guy’s experience and leadership in our D won’t be replaced by a rookie. If we can sign 2 outa 3 of Trey Smith, Nick Bolton, or Justin Reid it would be an excellent offseason and I’d imagine our roster will look very similar next year.

I am not concerned about losing Reid or Bolton, and I think its best if they both walk.

The plan is already in place to replace Reid with Hicks, going into 2025 with Conner Hicks Cook is a good group I think who will all have time in the system, I'd only be adding depth here for next year.

I still think Bolton is a fine player, who is not worth paying what he will be worth in the open market. The D will be fine starting the year with Chenal and Tranquill, I'd be adding a rookie and a cheap vet but I am not worried about it.

It's the DL and the WR group where you have the most turnover. I assume some mix of the WRs are coming back (two of Hopkins, Juju, Hardman, Watson at least?) and then you can add some draft talent.

Similar for DL, I just assume Pennel and Nnadi will be back again on 1 year deals. This is probably where I would want the most improvement, both via vets and the draft.

[Couch-Potato]

Also, I see absolutely no reason for Kelce to want to retire.

He’s going to end up having a great season and very probably winning a 3-peat.

He’s dating super famous chick and she’s not dating him bc he’s on a podcast, I don’t see cuts to her in the booth during the show, she’s dating a famous football player.

Why would Kelce and/or Andy consider retiring now that they’re at the pinnacle of their careers?

[BlackHelicopters]

Wonderful information. Worried about Kelce.

[Couch-Potato]

Feels like LT is our biggest concern.