The Kansas City Chiefs are working to reload for the next chapter of the Patrick Mahomes era.
Mahomes’ cap hits are about to balloon.
He’s set to count just $28 million against the cap in 2025—a relative bargain—but that number is projected to skyrocket past $74 million in both 2026 and 2027.
The front office may rework his deal to spread out the financial weight, but make no mistake: Mahomes will be a high-priced cornerstone for the rest of his career.
And while he’s worth every penny, the rising cost will force Kansas City to adjust its roster-building blueprint. With fewer dollars to go around, tough decisions started this offseason and more are coming down the pipeline.
The most efficient way to build around a megastar quarterback is to nail draft picks. The Chiefs hold eight selections in this year’s draft, including four in the first three rounds.
That’s a good start to re-tooling around Mahomes. However, they are light in the middle rounds. The only hold one fourth-round pick and won’t draft again until the seventh when they have three selections.
In order to maximize their draft capital, they could up that total by swinging a bold trade or two before the draft kicks off on April 24. Sometimes you need to give up good pieces to stay great—and Kansas City may need to part with a familiar face to stay ahead of the arms race.
Here are four Chiefs whose trades could help spark the next Super Bowl push in the Mahomes era.
1. Isiah Pacheco, Running Back
Isiah Pacheco has been an integral part of the Chiefs’ offense through the first three years of his career. He racked up 830 rushing yards and five touchdowns in his rookie season and 935 yards and seven touchdowns in Year 2.
Unfortunately, he took a step back last year, rushing for only 310 yards and one touchdown as he was limited by injuries.
Trading him would be a seismic move—his energy and production have been jet fuel for two Super Bowl runs. Fans might clutch their pearls, but the logic comes into focus when you zoom out and look at the full map.
The Chiefs have Kareem Hunt and Elijah Mitchell under contract for 2025, giving them serviceable options at running back. Moving Pacheco could bring a late Day 2 or early Day 3 pick—an asset they could desperately use to reload for another Super Bowl run.
Pacheco will also be a free agent after the 2025 NFL season. Recuperating a draft pick now allows them to make out ahead with their 2022 seventh-round pick.
The Chiefs could entice a running-back needy team by selling them on Pacheco’s grit and toughness. In return, Kansas City gets a draft pick to add to their stock.
General manager Brett Veach has never shied away from a gamble, and this trade could be the spark to reignite another run at multiple Super Bowls. It’s a tough call—Pacheco’s a fan favorite with a motor that doesn’t quit—but sometimes you have to let go of a good thing to chase something greater.
2. Skyy Moore, Wide Receiver
Skyy Moore’s Chiefs career hasn’t taken off—it’s barely left the runway. The 2022 second-rounder enters the 2025 season with just 494 receiving yards and one measly touchdown to his name. That’s not a slump. That’s a misfire.
Trading him now would be an open admission that the pick didn’t pan out—but it might also be the kind of quiet move that shakes the roster just enough to make a difference.
Moore still has value. It’s just buried.
With Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Marquise Brown holding down the top spots, Moore’s become an afterthought in the rotation. His trade market won’t be robust, but a sixth-rounder or a depth piece would be enough to justify moving on.
His $2 million cap hit won’t flip any financial tables, but they could clear $1.5 million off this year’s cap with a trade, creating more flexibility.
They could easily replace his production with a veteran free agent who could bring more stability to the receiver room. Or that money could go toward a plug-and-play lineman—something the Super Bowl exposed as a glaring need after Mahomes took more hits than a jukebox in a dive bar.
Moore’s never lacked potential, but he’s never looked like a fit in Kansas City. Another team might think they can unlock what the Chiefs couldn’t. Veach has a history of turning low-level trades into smart value plays. This could be another.
The truth is, this wouldn’t rattle the fan base. Moore’s been more ghost than go-to. But a small move now could be the nudge Kansas City needs to smooth the path back to February.
3. Joshua Williams, Cornerback
Joshua Williams has quietly climbed the ranks in Kansas City’s secondary, but with the draft approaching, the Chiefs could float a bold idea: flip him now and reload elsewhere.
The 2022 fourth-rounder out of Fayetteville State isn’t a household name, but his 6-foot-3 frame and press-man versatility have made him a valuable chess piece in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.
He held his own last season, playing extensively from Week 13 on, and gave the Chiefs solid reps down the stretch. However, he was still fourth on the Chiefs in defensive snaps played last year and is expendable. Kansas City could strike while the value’s high.
Perhaps, the most entice aspect of trading Williams is the cap relief. The Chiefs could clear $3.4 million from their books in 2025 by moving on from the former fourth-round pick.
Yes, dealing a young corner is a roll of the dice, especially with injury luck always hanging by a thread. But Brett Veach has never been afraid to move a piece off the board to upgrade the foundation.
The Chiefs would still have cornerbacks Kristian Fulton, Jaylen Watson and stud Trent McDuffie to absorb the loss.
Williams isn’t a star, but he could still fetch them a quality pick in return, as he has just enough upside for another team to overpay. And if Veach can parlay that into offensive line protection for Mahomes or draft capital for a reload, don’t be surprised.
It’s the kind of low-key shakeup that keeps a dynasty from rusting. Sacrifice a bishop, protect the king, keep the board tilted in your favor.
