The Kansas City Chiefs are currently looking down the barrel of the ever-daunting salary cap heading into next week’s looming free agency, from the unenviable angle of being nearly $16 million over the cap.

Having placed the franchise tag on Pro Bowl guard, Trey Smith, last week, the Chiefs are strapped for cash to spend to both re-sign incumbent starters and make moves in the free agent market from Monday onwards.

And with the Chiefs having to juggle their books around if they are to simply get under the cap, let alone bring back players, it seems like one starting player will not be with the organization come the start of next season.

Chiefs Set To Lose Core Defensive Starter In 2025

Nate Taylor of The Athletic reports on the KC Sports Network‘s “Only Weird Games” podcast that the team will most likely not re-sign safety and defensive “linchpin” Justin Reid this offseason.

It’s unlikely the #Chiefs re-sign safety Justin Reid, per @ByNateTaylor on Only Weird Games.#KCSN | #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/y8ioF7C2BB

It’s unlikely the #Chiefs re-sign safety Justin Reid, per @ByNateTaylor on Only Weird Games.#KCSN | #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/y8ioF7C2BB

— KC Sports Network (@KCSportsNetwork) March 4, 2025

Speaking with Seth Keysor and Joshua Brisco, Taylor reveals that Reid will most likely hit the open market come Wednesday, and could sign a deal as early as the start of the legal tampering period on Monday.

“Go ahead and salute [say goodbye to] Justin Reid, I don’t think that’s going to change”, Taylor says to Keysor and Brisco, upon running down a list of the potential re-up ability of the major free agent departures.

Not Financially Viable To Keep Justin Reid Around With Numerous Free Agent Departures

Justin Reid is by no means the be-all or end-all for a Kansas City defense that has been lights out in the postseason for the best part of half a decade under legendary defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo.

Having taken over from free safety, ball-hawk and patroller of the deep ball, Tyrann Mathieu, Reid has been an invaluable asset in keeping continuity with the Chiefs’ play style and limiting big plays by opposition QBs – even if he only has 3 career interceptions in KC.

But the team has already prioritized quarterback, Patrick Mahomes‘ protection this offseason in tagging Smith, and could be set to put linebacker Nick Bolton ahead of Reid in the team’s re-signing “wish-list” pecking order.

Whilst the Chiefs already have Leo Chenal and Drue Tranquil, the latter of whom signed a three year, $19 million deal with the team last offseason, as off-the-ball linebackers, Bolton has demonstrated All-Pro caliber play during his best season in 2022 – including a very key moment of Super Bowl LVII – despite not getting recognition from traditional awards.

Reid has had plenty of great moments, but most would not regard the former Houston Texan as a player with top five production or potential at his position – NFL.com list him as just their #3 safety this free agency class.

So although it was likely tempting for general manager, Brett Veach and head coach, Andy Reid, to keep the Stanford grad around, who still only just turned 28 years old last month despite hitting free agency for the second time in his career, it figures that the Reid (Justin) will have to pack his things once again for his next adventure in 2025 and beyond.

Daniel Arwas Daniel Arwas is a sports writer who covers the NFL for Heavy.com. Daniel began his career in sports writing in 2022 and has covered the NFL and college football for Gridiron Heroics and The Hammer. More about Daniel Arwas