Chiefs re-work Patrick Mahomes contract for fourth time to fill free agency holes after Super Bowl 2025 disaster
Patrick Mahomes’ contract continues to provide valuable salary cap relief.The Chiefs have restructured their star quarterback’s deal for the fourth time to open up $49.4 million in cap space when combined with a restructuring of Chris Jones’ contract, ESPN reported Wednesday.Mahomes, 29, has a 10-year, $450 million deal with the Chiefs that has him under contract through the 2031 season.Jones, the Chiefs’ standout defensive tackle, signed a five-year, $158.75 million extension with the Chiefs last offseason.Salary cap restructurings are ways of pushing the financial hit down the road, while the players receive payment up front in terms of a signing bonus.The player is not forfeiting any money in said scenarios, and Mahomes has reworked his contract each of the last two years, per the ESPN report.Mahomes’ decade-long pact is an easy target for finding some relief, and the Chiefs are finding ways to bolster a roster that had its flaws exposed in a Super Bowl 2025 thrashing by the Eagles.The Chiefs’ passing game — and particularly Travis Kelce — looked downright slow and old, and the offensive lineman provided as much resistance as folding chairs.Upgrading that porous offensive line has been a focus of Kansas City’s moves this offseason.Kansas City used the franchise tag to retain star offensive lineman Trey Smith, although it cost the team fellow standout lineman Joe Thuney since he got moved to the Bears for a fourth-round draft pick.The Chiefs also added offensive tackle Jaylon Moore on a two-year, $30 million deal.The franchise is expected to retain linebacker Nick Bolton on a three-year, $45 million deal and receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown for one year.The Chiefs and Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton have also agreed on a two-year pact.While teams are attempting to build championship rosters, sportsbooks still expect the Chiefs to be among one of the last teams standing.Kansas City is tied with the Bills for the best Super Bowl future...