Analyzing the financial impact of the KC Chiefs draft class
By Matt Conner
The financial impact of this year’s massive draft class is an overlooked yet important part of things for the Kansas City Chiefs future.
The Kansas City Chiefs added 10 players to their 90-man roster last weekend with their allotment of selections in the 2022 NFL Draft. Every team is excited by the new rookies they’re bringing in from the draft due to the young talent they bring and the hopes they provide at various positions. For a team like the Chiefs, however, a haul of 10 picks also allows a veteran team with expensive players to keep their overall costs down.
Per the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, each rookie coming into the league is forced to work for an already predetermined amount of money, a slotted deal, based on where he was picked in the draft order. It doesn’t matter what position he plays or what value he brings during the life of his contract. The contracts are already set for a player coming into the league.
This plays right into the hands of owners, as you might expect, who save loads of money when young players are able to earn meaningful reps on the field. For the Chiefs, they are hoping that some key young players, especially on defense, can help balance out hefty salaries for Chris Jones or future extensions for a tackle like Orlando Brown Jr.
Let’s take a look at the contracts of the Chiefs’ rookie class and note some important aspects about them.