Chiefs currently have least salary-cap space in NFL, but their 2024 number looks good
A pair of recent moves has resulted in the Chiefs having the least amount of salary-cap space in the NFL.
The NFL Players Association’s public salary cap report shows the Chiefs have $135,414 of cap space, while Spotrac puts the number at $80,234.
One of those moves was defensive tackle Chris Jones’ new deal with the Chiefs, and the other was the restructuring of guard Joe Thuney’s contract. ESPN’s Field Yates reported the change in Thuney’s deal created $8.7 million of cap room for the Chiefs, which was used to add Jones’ salary.
Jones has remained steadfast in his desire to be with the Chiefs for his entire career. But after a holdout failed to result in a long-term deal is that still a possibility?
From the Chiefs’ standpoint, there is good news on the salary-cap front starting next year.
Pro Football Focus earlier this year ranked the Chiefs 16th among all NFL teams in its three-year salary-cap analysis.
Although next year’s salary cap number hasn’t been determined by the NFL, a pair of websites that focus on the finances of sports have made projections for 2024. And they show the Chiefs’ cap room is significantly better than now.
OverTheCap.com calculates the Chiefs to have the 11th-most cap space in 2024: a touch over $45 million. That’s based on the NFL setting the salary cap at $256 million.
Spotrac shows the Chiefs as having $41.475 million in cap space in 2024, the 14th most among NFL teams. That assumes a salary cap of $240.5 million.
But the Chiefs face some big decisions. In addition to a potential long-term deal with Jones, there are pending free agents, notably linebacker Willie Gay Jr. and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. And left tackle Donovan Smith is playing on a one-year deal, so another offensive lineman may need to be signed.
And then there’s quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who signed that half-billion dollar extension in 2020. He’s now the ninth-highest paid quarterback in the NFL based on average yearly salary.
West foes’ woes
Both Spotrac and OverTheCap show two of the Chiefs’ AFC West rivals are in the red when it comes to the 2024 cap.
The Chargers are $36 million or more over the cap, while the Broncos are at least $19.9 million over, based on projections.
