A Perfect 4-Point Plan for Chiefs in Free Agency

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Some puzzles have 300 pieces. Some have 4,000. As they enter free agency, at least the Chiefs have a box with a picture of the final product.

Barring any last-minute developments, the Chiefs won’t have signed any of their own free agents when free agency begins at 11 a.m. CT on Monday. But they could still see any of those 21 players return after the first wave comes and goes.

“I don't think that there's any one of our free agents that we look at and say we don't want these guys back,” general manager Brett Veach said at the scouting combine. “They're really good players; we won a lot of games with them. It's just a matter of trying to put the puzzle together and what else is going to be out there, their price points and kind of fit in the whole thing together. So, I think what we do is we just kind of remain in contact and keep that dialogue open.”

While those players are fielding offers from other teams in coming days, the Chiefs will be busy with their own negotiations. Here’s a four-point plan to get them through this critical period.

kelce, rei — Nov 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) talks with head coach Andy Reid against the Denver Broncos during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

1-Kelce crystalizes

A week before Thanksgiving, Travis Kelce previewed his postseason retirement decision – but he referred to the month of April rather than March.

“I think seeing my brother go through it,” the tight end said Nov. 21, "and seeing, I don't know, just how the league works, the season kind of restarts in April. And I want to give the Chiefs a good opportunity to, whether I come back or not, and vice versa, like whether they want me back or not.

“It's one of those things where I'd like to make that decision before they got to get draft picks and free agency opens, so that it gives them an opportunity to go out there and fill the roster appropriately.”

In a perfect free-agency plan, the Chiefs enter next week knowing whether Kelce will be with them in 2026. Veach said the team had two offseason strategies, one with Kelce back on the roster and one without. But getting Kelce into a one-year contract with enough easily attained incentives to make him feel fairly compensated, if indeed he chooses to play Year 14, answers a lot of other questions. For example, the Chiefs could gain another $3 million in cap room by releasing tight end Noah Gray.

noah gra — Jan 4, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Noah Gray (83) catches a pass against Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes (22) in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

2-Sign the first running back Monday

After Wednesday’s Trent McDuffie trade, the Chiefs can now feel comfortable using the No. 9 choice on a running back – a generational player in Jeremiyah Love, if the Chiefs are lucky enough that he falls to them. Edge rusher is a much more valuable position but now that Kansas City has the Rams’ first-round choice (No. 29 overall), the Chiefs wait to get that player later in the first round.

Either way, Kansas City has to make a wise decision on Day 1 of free agency and sign the best fit for their unique offensive backfield; there’s no guarantee Love will slide to them on April 23. Despite a Friday report that the Chiefs are now the favorite to sign Kenneth Walker, the Super Bowl MVP doesn’t fit as well as Travis Etienne because Walker isn’t as much of an explosive threat in the passing game.

walke — Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) carries the ball against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

3-Sign Mike Evans

Speaking of Year 14, Travis Kelce’s classmate in the 2013 draft would make an outstanding addition to the Chiefs’ wide-receivers room. Mike Evans would be a boost for their entire locker room, their production, their game planning and, well, fill in the blank. Wide receiver is the Chiefs’ most critical area for improvement. Evans should be a priority pursuit next week.

4-Sign a slot corner

Kader Kohou sustained a knee injury in Miami’s training camp last season and spent his contract year on injured reserve. The Chiefs, whose best candidate as of Friday to fill McDuffie’s big shoes at slot corner is Chris Roland-Wallace, are desperate for a free agent in that role. Kohou should be on their list of phone calls.

“Don’t forget about Kohou after he missed all of last season with a partially torn ACL,” wrote Gregg Rosenthal last week in his ranking of the top 101 free agents. “Before that, he was an above-average starting slot defender who was particularly dynamic in run support.”

If the Chiefs posted “slot cornerback” as an available job on LinkedIn, Spagnulo couldn’t write a better job description.