The Kansas City Chiefs have created nearly $50 million in cap space by restructuring the massive contracts of team captains Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones.
The reigning AFC champions bolstered their offensive line with left tackle Jaylon Moore and their secondary with cornerback Kristian Fulton, but needed to free up money so those agreements could officially be signed.
The move was first reported by ESPN’s Field Yates.
Mahomes’ 10-year, $450 million contract runs through the 2031 season, while Jones’ five-year, $158 million deal expires in 2028. It’s still unclear how each player’s deal has been restructured. DailyMail.com has reached out to Mahomes and Jones’ agents as well as Chiefs spokespeople for further details.
Last week, the Chiefs traded All-Pro guard Thuney to the Bears for a fourth-round pick in the 2026 draft, which freed up some much-needed salary cap space. They used some of it on a three-year, $45 million deal to keep linebacker Nick Bolton and an $11 million contract for wide receiver Marquise Brown, who missed most of last year with a shoulder injury.
The Chiefs also put the franchise tag on right guard Trey Smith, which would amount to a $23.4 million deal for next season.
The Kansas City Chiefs have created nearly $50 million in cap space by restructuring the massive contracts of team captains Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones
Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) walks off the field after the Super Bowl
On Tuesday the Chiefs agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract with Fulton, a former Titans and Chargers cornerback.
The Chiefs entered free agency in search of a veteran cornerback to solidify a defensive backfield that struggled when it lost cornerback Jaylen Watson to an injury last season. Fulton is big and physical enough to play on the outside, and his versatility would help to free up Trent McDuffie, their All-Pro cornerback and best player in pass coverage.
Fulton helped LSU win the national title before he was picked by Tennessee in the second round of the 2020 draft. He played four seasons for the Titans before spending last season in Los Angeles, where he had 51 tackles and an interception.
That pick was a memorable one for the Chiefs, coincidentally. Fulton was returning it when Mahomes tried to make a tackle near the sideline, and his helmet hit the knee of Kansas City wide receiver Rashee Rice, who had also been chasing down the play. Rice wound up needing season-ending surgery to repair the damage to the knee.
The deal with Fulton one day before the start of the new league year came after Kansas City agreed to a two-year, $30 million contract with Moore and a one-year, $3.5 million pact with running back Elijah Mitchell on Monday.
It has already been a busy offseason for the Chiefs after their blowout loss to Philadelphia in the Super Bowl.
