Who The Chiefs Must Re-Sign — and Who They Don't

Free agency is just around the corner as teams scramble to secure their pending free agents to new contracts or make the difficult choice of allowing them to test the open market for a new team. The Kansas City Chiefs are in a similar spot, understanding the possibility of losing several key players on the roster as they approach an uphill battle to retool it.

There are players whom the Chiefs would love to bring back. One of whom is Travis Kelce, who has a decision to make ahead of the unofficial start of free agency on Monday afternoon, whether to keep playing or retire. However, there is one free agent Kansas City must bring back, though they may not be able to bring back another of equal importance. Let's take a look at who those players are.

Why the Chiefs must re-sign Jaylen Watson

Watson Chief — Nov 23, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson (35) on field against the Indianapolis Colts during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

There is a lot of uncertainty at cornerback, as star nickel Trent McDuffie could be on the trade block after unproductive campaigns and a $13.6 million cap hit from his fifth-year option. Kristian Fulton is a piece the Chiefs would be wise to keep, as he showed promise under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo late last season, as did rookie Nohl Williams.

Watson has been a sound cornerback for Kansas City as he enters free agency. He may lack adequate long speed, but he makes up for it with sticky press ability, with great technique to mirror and match receivers, paired with the football intelligence and run defense to be a good starter for any team. At age 27, Watson could be expensive to bring back, but he is still young with a fairly high ceiling to build off of, making him a priority to re-sign.

Why the Chiefs won't re-sign Bryan Cook

Cook Chiefs — Dec 21, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Kansas City Chiefs safety Bryan Cook (6) runs to the field against the Tennessee Titans during pre-game warmups at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

This year's NFL Draft features a deep safety class and a plentiful, robust group of free agents at the position. Jaden Hicks has emerged as a key starter, but the Chiefs could sign or draft players to fill their interchangeable free safety role, the one Bryan Cook held.

Cook plays with good eyes in coverage, discipline in run support, and a quick trigger to the football that many teams with a need at safety would pay a premium for. His market could be more expensive than Watson's, and while the former could be cheaper to bring back, all signs point to Cook exploring the open market for a new team in 2026.

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