Chiefs Now Will Let Key O-Lineman Test Free Agency

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Andy Reid never would’ve done it without Mike Caliendo.

Before a Week 15 game at Cleveland in 2024, striving to reach a third consecutive Super Bowl, the Chiefs’ head coach made the stunning decision to bump All-Pro card Joe Thuney out to left tackle. And for six games through that Super Bowl run, Patrick Mahomes saw on the left side of his offensive line Thuney at left tackle and Caliendo replacing Thuney at left guard.

That’s why Saturday’s decision to allow Caliendo to become a free agent must’ve been difficult for Reid and general manager Brett Veach. The Chiefs are not expected to tender Caliendo at the qualifying level when his contract expires on Wednesday, per insider Jeremy Fowler.

After the Chiefs traded Thuney to the Bears a year ago, Caliendo during the 2025 season again stepped up to fill another significant void on the Chiefs’ offensive line. When back and ankle injuries sidelined Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith on the right side, Caliendo jumped in to start four overall games, the Week 8 Monday night win over Washington and the three losses from Weeks 13-15.

That Week 13 Thanksgiving start at Dallas came four days after friendly fire sprained Smith’s ankle in two places in the win against the Colts. Caliendo filled in for Smith over the balance of that game, which wound up as the Chiefs’ final win of the 2025 season. He also replaced Smith for much of the Week 7 win over Las Vegas, when Smith couldn’t finish with painful back spasms.

What the decision means

Veach drafted three offensive linemen in 2024, all three of which are now interior players. The Chiefs traded up one spot in the second round to take Kingsley Suamataia (63rd overall). Suamataia began the long line of starters at left tackle in 2024, benched after two starts. But Kansas City successfully re-invented him as its left guard in 2025.

smith, humphre — Sep 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor (74) and guard Trey Smith (65) and center Creed Humphrey (52) at the line of scrimmage against the Philadelphia Eagles during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Chiefs also drafted Hunter Nourzad (fifth round, No. 159) and C.J. Hanson (seventh round, No. 248) in 2024. Now that they’ve preserved their draft investment in Suamataia, they need to see what they really have in those other two players, both of whom can play center or guard.

Caliendo would’ve been classified as a restricted free agent because he’d reached only three accrued seasons. Unrestricted free agents have four accrued NFL seasons, defined as six-or-more regular-season games on a team’s active/inactive, reserve/injured or reserve/physically unable to perform lists.

But because the Chiefs didn’t offer Caliendo a qualifying contract to keep him, he’ll become free to sign with any team next week.

Initially signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Western Michigan in 2022, Caliendo joined a remarkable class of rookies that helped the Chiefs reach Super Bowls in each of their first three NFL seasons.

A 6-4, 301-pound guard, Caliendo started 10 games over his three seasons in Kansas City, including Super Bowl 59.