The Kansas City Chiefs are staring down a daunting salary cap situation as they approach next week’s free agency period, currently sitting nearly $16 million over the cap.
After placing the franchise tag on Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith, the Chiefs find themselves financially constrained, limiting their ability to re-sign key starters or make big moves in the free-agent market. With the team scrambling to balance its books just to get under the cap, it appears one core defensive player won’t be returning next season.
Chiefs Poised to Lose Defensive Anchor in 2025
According to Nate Taylor of The Athletic, speaking on the Only Weird Games podcast, the Chiefs are unlikely to retain safety Justin Reid, a key piece of their defense. Taylor suggests Reid will likely test free agency, with a deal potentially materializing as early as Monday when the legal tampering period begins.
“Go ahead and salute Justin Reid I don’t think that’s going to change,” Taylor stated, implying the Chiefs have accepted the reality of losing their defensive linchpin.
Cap Crunch Forces Chiefs to Move On from Justin Reid
While Reid has been a vital part of the Chiefs’ defense since taking over for Tyrann Mathieu, financial priorities seem to be shifting elsewhere. Kansas City has already prioritized protecting franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes by tagging Smith, and linebacker Nick Bolton appears higher on the team’s re-signing priority list.
Despite having solid depth at linebacker with Leo Chenal and Drue Tranquil who signed a three-year, $19 million deal last offseason Bolton’s All-Pro-caliber play in 2022 and his game-changing Super Bowl LVII performance make him a likely extension candidate.
Reid, though a steady presence in the secondary, isn’t widely regarded as a top-five safety in the league. NFL.com ranks him as the No. 3 safety in this year’s free agency class, making it likely that he’ll receive strong offers from other teams.
At just 28 years old, Reid still has plenty left in the tank, but with Kansas City facing tough cap decisions, the talented safety appears destined for a new chapter elsewhere in 2025 and beyond.
