As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare for Super Bowl 59, it’s no secret that this could be the final game in a KC uniform for several impending free agents.
Right guard Trey Smith and middle linebacker Nick Bolton certainly headline that list in 2025, and Sports Illustrated NFL insider Albert Breer published an interesting thought while discussing if he believes Smith and Bolton will leave in free agency.
“I think it’s going to be a challenge to keep either guy,” Breer responded candidly. “The trouble is that it’s going to be tough to keep either guy off the market, since Smith’s franchise tag figure will be based on what the top tackles make, and Bolton’s tag number will be based on what high-end edge rushers make… and the Chiefs have a lot of mouths to feed.”
The insider then went into detail on the other Kansas City players that have either gotten paid or still need to be paid.
“Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis will be eligible for new contracts for the first time,” he wrote. While also reminding that offensive linemen Joe Thuney, Jawaan Taylor and Creed Humphrey “have top-end deals already” and safety Justin Reid and wide receiver Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown are “up for new contracts.”
The unexpected bit of speculation involved the Chiefs’ starting right tackle, Taylor.
“Fitting a fourth lineman [like Smith] into that equation could be challenging,” Breer noted, while adding: “Though it wouldn’t be a stunner if Taylor wound up leaving.”
“As it stands, without adding anyone, they’re already close to the cap,” he continued, concluding: “You can, of course, move money around and make things work. But it seems like it might be a lot to keep both of those guys, who, again, are important pieces for the Chiefs.”
Chiefs Would Have to Trade Jawaan Taylor in Order to Rid Themselves of His Contract
The hint from Breer, implies that he believes Kansas City might try and trade Taylor — and that’s mainly because they cannot release him.
The Chiefs signed the offensive tackle to a four-year, $80 million contract in 2023, and although that move has helped win one Super Bowl and reach another, one could argue that Taylor has not lived up to his price tag.
His main issue has been penalties. Over the past two years, Taylor has racked up 42 penalties according to Pro Football Focus. He’s also been charged with 12 sacks and 100 quarterback pressures, and his run-blocking marks have averaged out to a sub-60.0 grade in each season.
In terms of Breer’s inkling, the Chiefs cannot cut Taylor in 2025 due to his contract.
Over the Cap lists enormous dead cap hits of approximately $34.783 million (pre-June 1) and $27.392 million (post-June 1) if Taylor were to be released. The first number is nearly $7.4 million more than his normal 2025 cap hit, while the post-June 1 figure is exactly the same as his 2025 cap hit.
Either way, cutting Taylor would accomplish nothing in terms of freeing up space.
However, a pre-June 1 trade would save a little over $14.783 million in cap space, per OTC. It’s the only way the Chiefs could rid themselves of this contract, and it might be their best chance at re-signing either Smith or Bolton long-term.
Trading Jawaan Taylor Would Only Amplify Chiefs’ OT Issues
Although Taylor has struggled at times — and paying him $20 million per year was probably a mistake — his position makes him important.
The Chiefs have had a very hard time finding a reliable answer at left tackle. So, it might not be the smartest move to create a hole at right tackle too.
Especially when they’ve had much more success finding guards and linebackers.
At the end of the day, the prudent decision may just be to let Smith and Bolton walk. Who knows, perhaps one of the two returns on a team-friendly deal, but retaining both feels close to impossible barring something unexpected.
