{"id":59923,"date":"2025-05-09T06:47:59","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T06:47:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=59923"},"modified":"2025-05-09T06:47:59","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T06:47:59","slug":"report-news-4-way-too-early-cap-casualties-for-chiefs-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=59923","title":{"rendered":"REPORT NEWS: 4 Way Too Early Cap Casualties for Chiefs in 2026&#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_31,w_5588,h_3143\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/GettyImages\/mmsport\/220\/01jtqqgr4dg8mwgdb720.jpg\" alt=\"Kansas City Chiefs Media Availability &amp; Practice\" \/><\/p>\n<figure class=\"player-wrapper relative aspect-video mb-[18px] bg-grey rounded-md hidden player-wrapper-lg md:block\">\n<div id=\"mm-player-placeholder-large-screen\" class=\"absolute top-0 left-0 w-full h-full\">\n<div id=\"voltax-mp-video\" class=\"shadow-root-voltax-mp\">\n<div class=\"voltax-mp-placeholder voltax-mp-placeholder-anchored floating\" data-is-split-view=\"false\">\n<div class=\"voltax-mp-container-anchored\">\n<div class=\"titleBar title-anchor\"><span class=\"title\"><span class=\"\">Paul Pierce walks 8 hours to work after losing a bet in Game 2 of Celtics-Knicks | Speak<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"voltax-mp-video-wrapper-in-place\">\n<div class=\"voltax-mp-controls-wrapper\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"controlbarContainer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div class=\"article-content\">\n<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">The\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs\u00a0are in the middle of what could be a quiet roster overhaul\u2014one that\u2019s going to force some tough calls on key free agents.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">This offseason alone, 31 players hit some form of free agency (unrestricted, restricted, or exclusive rights). And there\u2019s no relief coming in 2026, with another 36 set to hit the market.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-2\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\" data-uw-rm-sr=\"\">To make things even tighter,\u00a0<em>Over The Cap<\/em>\u00a0projects the Chiefs to be $11.5 million over the cap heading into next season, though that number will shift depending on where the actual cap lands.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-3\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">Still, the writing\u2019s on the wall. Kansas City is going to have to make some hard choices, and a few familiar faces could be shown the door. Here are four way-too-early cap casualties to keep an eye on in 2026.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-4\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">Mike Danna<\/h2>\n<p id=\"inline-text-5\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\" data-uw-rm-sr=\"\">Mike Danna picked the perfect time for a breakout. In 2023, he posted career highs across the board\u20146.5 sacks, 13 QB hits, and 50 total tackles. That effort earned him a three-year, $24 million contract with the Chiefs in 2024.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">But after signing the deal, the production slipped. In 2024, Danna dropped to 3.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, and 41 tackles.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-7\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\" data-uw-rm-sr=\"\">If that trend continues into 2025, Danna could be one of the first names on the chopping block. He\u2019s set to carry a cap hit of $11.2 million in 2026\u2014not outrageous, but not ideal for a rotational pass rusher who\u2019s having trouble getting home.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-8\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\" data-uw-rm-sr=\"\">The Chiefs could save $9 million by releasing him, and they may already be preparing for that possibility after drafting edge rusher Ashton Gillotte in the third round.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-content\">\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\" role=\"heading\" data-uw-rm-heading=\"level\" aria-level=\"1\">Jawaan Taylor<\/h2>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">After the Super Bowl loss to the Eagles, no position group took more heat than the offensive line. That spotlight led to changes\u2014Joe Thuney was traded, Jaylon Moore was signed, and Josh Simmons was drafted in the first round.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-2\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">Jawaan Taylor could be next in line for the exit. He\u2019s started 33 games over the last two seasons, but the results have been a mixed bag. At times, he\u2019s held up; other times, it\u2019s been a revolving door on the edge.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-3\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">Taylor\u2019s cap hit is a massive $27.4 million in both 2025 and 2026. The Chiefs are locked in for this season, but next year? That\u2019s a different story. If they release him before June 1, they can save $20 million. You don\u2019t need a crystal ball to see where this is headed.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-4\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">Jaylon Moore<\/h2>\n<p id=\"inline-text-5\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">Speaking of Moore, his stay in Kansas City might end up being more of a pit stop than a long-term stay.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">He spent most of his time in San Francisco backing up Trent Williams, but managed to start 12 games and flashed enough upside to land a two-year, $30 million deal from the Chiefs this offseason.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-7\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">Then came the draft. When Josh Simmons fell into Kansas City\u2019s lap at the end of the first round, it may have signaled Moore&#8217;s role as a placeholder. If Simmons develops quickly, Moore could be the odd man out, especially with an $8 million savings attached to his release after the 2025 season.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-8\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">Drue Tranquill<\/h2>\n<p id=\"inline-text-9\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">Last but not least is Drue Tranquill.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-10\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">He had another solid season at linebacker in 2024, tallying 94 tackles and two sacks. But the numbers off the field may end up being more important than the ones on it.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-11\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">The Chiefs just locked up Nick Bolton on a three-year deal, and his cap hit spikes to $19.3 million in 2026. Combine that with Tranquill\u2019s contract, and Kansas City would be dedicating $26.8 million to two inside linebackers.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-12\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1\">That\u2019s a tough pill to swallow in today\u2019s NFL, where premium dollars are typically reserved for quarterbacks, pass rushers, and elite skill players. The Chiefs could save $6 million by moving on from Tranquill\u2014and that might be money they need to spend elsewhere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Paul Pierce walks 8 hours to work after losing a bet in Game 2 of Celtics-Knicks | Speak The\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs\u00a0are in the middle of what could&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":59927,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>REPORT NEWS: 4 Way Too Early Cap Casualties for Chiefs in 2026... - News 365<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=59923\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"REPORT NEWS: 4 Way Too Early Cap Casualties for Chiefs in 2026... - 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