There’s a short turnaround from the end of the NFL season to the start of the offseason calendar, and this year is no exception. For the Kansas City Chiefs, though, this stretch looks a little different. Missing the postseason for the first time in more than a decade meant the dust settled five weeks ago, giving the team an earlier start than usual. In that time, they’ve had plenty of opportunity to evaluate which of their 27 pending free agents are worth keeping around.
Today, we’ll take a look at which free‑agent players should be priorities for the Chiefs to re‑sign. From my view, there are five such players, and they’re spread across all three phases of the team: offense, defense, and special teams. For the purposes of this article, we’ll set tight end Travis Kelce aside; he’s a special case who has yet to decide whether he’ll continue his NFL career. Beyond that quintet, there is one other player worth citing as an honorable mention.
Here are five must-keep free agents if Kansas City wants to get back on track in 2026.
1. Bryan Cook, safety
Kansas City faces no bigger in‑house decision than what to do with fifth‑year safety Bryan Cook. The former second‑round pick is coming off the best season of his career, earning an 83.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2025 (fourth among 98 qualifying safeties). In recent years, the Chiefs have invested heavily at the position by bringing in external free agents like Tyrann Mathieu and his successor, Justin Reid. What they haven’t done is extend one of their homegrown defensive backs. Cook could be the first in a while, and his breakout season makes a compelling case for him to be the team’s top re‑signing priority this offseason.
2. Jaylen Watson, corner
Jaylen Watson is one of four pending free‑agent cornerbacks the Chiefs must make decisions on, and when paired with the looming contract call on Trent McDuffie, this becomes one of the most important position groups to sort out. It can be argued that Watson is consistently the team’s best boundary corner, and his play warrants a multiyear investment (think a three-year, $36 million extension). The Chiefs still have Kristian Fulton under contract for another season, and rookie Nohl Williams proved he deserves a larger role in 2026, but neither makes Watson expendable. In fact, extending him could be a key variable in whether the team explores trade options for McDuffie.
3. Tyquan Thornton, wide receiver
At the risk of being controversial, Tyquan Thornton may have been the Chiefs’ best overall wide receiver in 2025. In the opening weeks of the season, while Rashee Rice served his suspension, Thornton flashed the ability to be one of the offense’s top options. He emerged as a reliable downfield threat and established himself as one of the few players in the receiving corps that quarterback Patrick Mahomes could trust. Unfortunately, his role diminished once the Chiefs’ top options returned, and he’s since acknowledged that as a factor in deciding where he’ll play next season. Kansas City should absolutely re‑sign him and expand his role in 2026.
4. Kareem Hunt, running back
His return to the Kansas City Chiefs hasn’t been the storybook comeback he once hoped for, but during his second stint with the team, Kareem Hunt has carved out a meaningful role. At this stage of his career, he’s snap‑limited and no longer has the burst that defined his early years in Kansas City, yet his role has remained clear. Last season, he totaled 754 yards from scrimmage, scored 9 touchdowns, and served as the Chiefs’ short‑yardage specialist. Bringing him back as a defined role player, especially with the backfield likely to look different in 2026, makes plenty of sense.
5. James Winchester, long snapper
Through no fault of his own, Winchester is the lowest‑priority free agent the Chiefs will evaluate—but he also represents their easiest decision. An 11‑year veteran, he’s been the team’s long snapper since 2015 and a steadying presence across three championship runs and multiple special‑teams transitions. With the possibility of turnover at punter, as Matt Araiza is also part of the 2026 free‑agent class, keeping Winchester in place becomes even more important. He gives the Chiefs some special teams continuity, and he does it at an affordable price point.
Honorable Mention: Marquise Brown, receiver
When training camp opens, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown will be 29 years old. Given his age and spotty injury history, he’s an intriguing name but more of a luxury to re‑sign than a necessity. Even so, Brown played a more important role than some anticipated in 2025, posting 587 receiving yards and five touchdowns while proving valuable in the short and intermediate areas of the field. Depending on how the Chiefs address wide receiver in free agency and the early rounds of the draft, keeping Brown for another year could still be a wise move.
An offseason following a disappointing 6–11 campaign poses more questions than usual, and the next few months are critical for the franchise to get grounded ahead of a redemption tour in 2026. The prerequisite for a successful draft class is setting the table in free agency, and how the Chiefs manage their in‑house free agents will shape every phase that follows. If they get this first step right, they’ll be well on their way to restoring the winning standard that has defined the Patrick Mahomes era.