The timely penalties were exhausting with him and overshadowed that he was an above average RT when healthy.
NFL: Kansas City Chiefs Thread
- Thread starter deadeyededric
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Yep, he really played well overall, but he just never could adjust to not lining up in the back field and always seemed to have a holding penalty after a big play by KC. At $5 million a year, you keep him, but at $20 million you really cannot afford too when the money saved can be spent for other players.
You could say they were "untimely" penalties as always seems to negate a positive play or turn a short down situation into a longer one when he had them. Committed 49 penalties in 45 games with the Chiefs which is just crazy to think how much the Chiefs foolishly paid him the contract they did to get that kind of result.
The ESPN article mentions Noah Gray and Drue Tranquill could be cut too. Not sure how you could let Gray go unless Kelce is coming back for another season. Tranquill has been a starter at LB too. I'm not an expert in how cap space works but looking at their 2026 payroll if they cut both they'd save about another $10 mil in cap space?
Sources: Chiefs to release Jawaan Taylor in cap-cutting move - ESPN
He actually entered free agency just a split second before the Chiefs made this announcement.
I seriously never understood why T Smith couldn’t look over and say, “Dude, move up a little.” Or Mahomes for that matter. Gotta think Tom Brady would have been all over his ass until he lined up properly.
In his defense, I saw a Reddit post a couple of years ago and someone posted like 50 other still shot examples of other tackles lining up improperly on other teams and not getting flagged. But Taylor was the poster boy and magnet for the refs.
Everything I have read they would like to keep Tranquill but the thinking is that they cannot afford to pay him what he wants. He has stated he loves playing KC, but just not sure the money is going be there and he is behind McDuffy on who they want to pay. If they trade McDuffy, then they will sign Tranquilll if not, he will leave unless he is willing to take a below market salary.
Tranquil is already under contract for this season. Unless they are thinking of extending him beyond this season, there's nothing really to do there.
McDuffie is one of the bigger decisions they have to make for the long term. Even if they reach a long-term deal, it probably won't drop his cap hit this season all that much from the $13 million it is currently.
I would expect restructures with players like Creed and Trey Smith open up some more cap space.
McDuffie is tough situation as he is an elite DB but Veach hasn't really given out big contracts to defensive backs and have either traded or moved on from them. Marcus Peters and L'Jarius Sneed are prime examples. I'd hate to trade McDuffie, but I don't know if the Chiefs have the appetite to pay him top tier money with the other big contracts already on the books. He would definitely command a nice haul of draft picks if they do trade him. It's a matter of do you want to pay him nearly $30 mil a year or do you flip him for draft picks and fill multiple positions with young and cost friendly contracts.
I think McDuffie exposed himself this year. He can be elite when playing slot, but is not good outside trying to lock down a #1. I wouldn't give him a huge contract and I'm not even sure you can get a good trade value for him.
I will take that trade. Chiefs have been good at drafting the CB position. Cannot give a top tier contract to a CB right now with the money and offensive issues the Chiefs have.
Same. Wouldn't have a hated a long-term deal for McDuffie, but not paying that contract plus getting the draft picks will be better in the long run.
This to me seems like a home run. Dont have to pay him, plus you get 4 picks, including an additional 1st round pick for this year?
Take Jeremiyah Love at 9 and the best OL available. Win, win, win.
Now, if Kelce announces his retirement then it has a chance to be a perfect offseason
I don't think Love gets to #9, Saints will take him at 8 if Arizona doesn't take him at 3. He is blowing up in the combine.
I want Kelce to play one more year
Kelce has been more of a liability since his 1300 yard season than anyone cares to admit. The T-Swift stuff is just icing on the cake.
Still the 5th best TE last year despite all the non-football stuff. While no longer ultra-elite, he's still pretty good. And had the rest of the skill position players not been total buns last year, putting up the numbers he did would have been still worth it.
