The Kansas City Chiefs backed up the Brinks truck this offseason, dropping serious cash to lock in key pieces of their roster.
It started back in February when the front office hit right guard Trey Smith with the franchise tag—a move that gave them extra time to hammer out a long-term deal.
Last week, just before the deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions, the two sides got it done. Smith inked a four-year, $94 million deal, with roughly $70 million of that guaranteed.
That was just the beginning.
Earlier in the offseason, Kansas City addressed the left side of the offensive line by signing Jaylon Moore away from the 49ers. Despite Moore never having held a full-time starting gig, the Chiefs bet on his upside and gave him a two-year, $30 million contract.
That’s a hefty bet to make by the front office.
Their spending spree didn’t stop there. Cornerback Kristian Fulton landed a two-year, $20 million deal, and linebacker Nick Bolton got paid too—$45 million over three years to stick around. The Chiefs clearly aren’t afraid to spend to keep their core intact and build upon it.
The most recent player to cash in was defensive end George Karlaftis, who’s generating a ton of buzz as training camp gets underway.
George Karlaftis Enters Chiefs Training Camp With a Ton of Momentum
Karlaftis, the 30th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Purdue, made an immediate impact.
He started all 17 games as a rookie, racking up six sacks, 33 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 11 quarterback hits. A solid start.
He built on that in 2023 with 10.5 sacks and 17 QB hits, establishing himself as one of the team’s top pass rushers. While his sack total dipped slightly to eight in 2024, the pressure didn’t.
He notched 28 quarterback hits—the same amount that he had in his first two seasons combined. He was constantly in the backfield, making life uncomfortable for opposing quarterbacks even when he didn’t finish the play.
That consistent disruption was enough to earn him a payday. The Chiefs locked him up with a four-year, $93 million extension, including $62 million guaranteed.
Only 24 years old, Karlaftis is just beginning to enter his prime. Coaches and fans alike are expecting big things from him in 2025.
If his trajectory continues, he’ll be the anchor of Kansas City’s pass rush for a long time—and the Chiefs will be glad they paid up early.
