Chiefs salary cap moves could be coming

The Kansas City Chiefs currently have negative cap space for 2017. Yikes.

Alright, we know the Chiefs and Eric Berry could not come to a long-term deal, which is both surprising and absurd. Yet, we press on.

As of this second, the Chiefs have negative cap space for the 2017 season, but that will change when the cap goes up by another $10 million or so. Over The Cap has already accounted for this, and puts Kansas City as having a touch over $4 million in space.

In other words, the Chiefs can maybe pay their draft class.

If Kansas City wants to keep either Dontari Poe or Berry in town, the following might have to be done.

• Extend Eric Fisher’s contract (save approximately $6 million)
• Release Anthony Sherman (save $1.8 million)
• Release Tyler Bray (save $1.2 million)
• Release Josh Mauga (save $3 million)
• Release Dustin Colquitt (save $4.1 million)
• Release Demetrius Harris (save $1.05 million)
• Release De’Anthony Thomas (save $700K)

In this scenario, the Chiefs would be cutting four marginal players, one excellent punter and one capable linebacker who they have ample replacements for.

Note I did not cut Jamaal Charles, who could be released without a penny of dead money. It would save the Chiefs a whopping $7 million.

If general manager John Dorsey made all these moves, the Chiefs would have approximately (factoring in cap inflation, signing rookies and minimum vets to fill out roster) $14 million in space to use on veterans.

This would not be enough to place the franchise tag on Poe ($16 million or so) and barely enough to tag Berry again ($13 million). However, Dorsey could sign one of them to a long-term deal and still have some cash left over, because his structures usually involve low cap hits in the first year.

Theoretically, the Chiefs could sign both Poe and Berry to long-term deals, but that’s not happening. The best option for Dorsey is to sign Poe to a deal during this season or before it. If he doesn’t, Poe will go to market because the Chiefs can’t afford the tag.

Enjoy this group in 2016. It might look a lot different soon.