Tiering the Chiefs’ roster ahead of offseason movement

SB Nation

Before the Kansas City Chiefs can decide what players to acquire in free agency or the draft this offseason, it’s important to identify the pillars of the team and their statuses for the short and long

term. The current strengths and weaknesses of the roster will guide the Chiefs’ choices.

To do this, I broke down the 51 current rostered players for 2026

and tiered them based on their status with Kansas City moving forward. Enjoy!

Tier 1: Locked-in stars

Players: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, right guard Trey Smith, center Creed Humphrey, left tackle Josh Simmons and defensive tackle Chris Jones

The five players I listed above are, in my opinion, the five best players on the team and should factor into the Chiefs’ plans for the next three years at least. Mahomes, Smith, and Humphrey are all firmly in their primes on long-term deals.

Simmons was not always on the field in 2025, but his long-term projection is exciting. He played like a top-10 left tackle as a rookie and has All-Pro upside. As long as he avoids injuries, he’ll be a star for the next decade.

There will be some disagreement about Jones’s inclusion here. There is a possibility the Chiefs could look into trading Jones. The Chiefs would save around $15 million in cap space by trading him.

However, Jones is still a top-5 defensive tackle capable of destroying offenses when it matters most. Jones had a slow start to the year, but after the bye week, he was playing fantastic football. The potential compensation for Jones would likely not be enough to outweigh what he brings to Kansas City’s defense. The Chiefs’ pass rush could not afford such a loss.

Tier 2: High-end starters for the foreseeable future

Players: linebacker Nick Bolton, defensive end George Karlaftis, left guard Kingsley Suamataia and kicker Harrison Butker

As important cogs to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s machine of a defense, Bolton and Karlaftis signed contracts with the team last offseason. Bolton is the team’s signal caller, and Karlaftis is a dependable, versatile player up front.

The surprising inclusion is Suamataia, but his 2025 play warranted it. Over the course of the season, he continued to improve, smoothly transitioning from tackle to guard by utilizing his unique physical traits. He also made significant improvements to his technique compared to his rookie season.

Tier 3: Young players with contract decisions

Players: Cornerback Trent McDuffie and wide receiver Rashee Rice

McDuffie could have been extended and put into Tier 1, but Kansas City didn’t reach an agreement with the All-Pro cornerback last offseason. He will be on the fifth-year option in 2026, which means the Chiefs could trade him and have no dead money. If this team decides it needs more draft capital, a potential trade of McDuffie is the easiest path to getting that. The decisions surrounding him could be the first domino to fall this offseason.

Rice is complicated. In my opinion, there is no circumstance where the Chiefs should extend him rather than making him prove himself further. Considering how the last two years have gone, Rice is unlikely to be valued in a potential trade, so we will just see how it goes in 2026.

Tier 4: Rookie-deal players who haven’t emerged yet

Players: Wide receiver Xavier Worthy, cornerback Nohl Williams, defensive end Ashton Gillotte, defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott, safety Jaden Hicks and safety Chamarri Conner

Worthy being on this list after his rookie year is disappointing, but this is the level his career is currently at. The 2025 season was a poor one for Worthy. He battled through injuries, but he struggled to make plays by beating man coverage. He aligned more on the outside once Rice came back, and it was ineffective. For Worthy to reach his ceiling, his role needs to change.

To bring youth and depth to the defense, the Chiefs drafted Gillotte, Norman-Lott, and Williams on Day 2 last year. Williams looks the most promising of the three and will probably start next year. Gillotte and Norman-Lott have not proven enough to cement a role in 2026.

Hicks and Conner will likely start next year, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Chiefs brought in different safeties this spring.

Tier 5: Veteran players who might not be back

Players: Right tackle Jawaan Taylor, tight end Noah Gray, linebacker Drue Tranquill, swing tackle Jaylon Moore, defensive end Mike Danna and cornerback Kristian Fulton

The easiest decision here is Taylor, who absolutely should not play on a $27 million cap hit. However, he could return on a restructured deal that lowers his cap hit.

The decision on Moore will depend on what the Chiefs do with Taylor. My best guess: Moore is the starting right tackle for training camp, and Kansas City addresses right tackle in the draft for depth.

Gray saves around $4 million by cutting him, but if tight end Travis Kelce retires, it would further justify retaining Gray. Cutting Tranquill saves $6 million, but if linebacker Leo Chenal leaves, he has a strong chance at avoiding a release. It felt like Fulton secured a 2026 roster spot with a strong finish to 2025, but it’s worth noting the Chiefs would save $5 million by cutting him.