Kansas City Chiefs free agency tracker 2025: Who is staying and leaving?

The Kansas City Chiefs are heading into another offseason with several key players set to hit free agency. Despite making another Super Bowl appearance, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and the rest of the front office face difficult decisions on who to retain and who to let go as they try to make a stronger push in 2025.

This year's free-agent class features a mix of veterans and promising players, but the Chiefs found a way to keep their most prized FA, offensive lineman Trey Smith, off the market via the franchise tag. Some players will be seeking lucrative long-term deals, including linebacker Nick Bolton and safety Justin Reid, while others are likely to take team-friendly contracts to stay with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid.

The Chiefs face potential significant turnover at multiple positions, including wide receiver and the defensive line. The team faces offensive reinvention in the trenches as well. How will it all turn out? Who will the Chiefs bring back? Who will find their way to a new team? Here's our rundown of the Chiefs' list of free agent with links to full FA profiles complete with predictions.

Quarterbacks

The Chiefs have felt the need to put a veteran on the bench behind Patrick Mahomes for the star's first several seasons under center. Will that continue in 2025? Carson Wentz is a free agent and could be in play for teams seeking a veteran to compete for a starting role. If so, it'll be interesting to see if K.C. turns to the draft or simply folds in another experienced arm.

Running Backs

Just one look at the table above shows you that the Chiefs need to get younger in the backfield—perhaps even with a couple of additions. Kareem Hunt's return was inspired, and Samaje Perine was a nice addition, but the Chiefs waited too long to rid themselves of Jerick McKinnon. Will either of these players return? Will Hunt extend his career another season?

Wide Receivers

The Chiefs face a ton of turnover in the wide receiver room, and that's not the worst possible angle this offseason given how slow and predictable things looked offensively at times in 2024. The Chiefs brought back Hollywood Brown already on a one-year deal, which gives the team the ultimate security blanket to go with Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy to form the new corps. Expect one more re-signing and some draft help.

Tight Ends

Travis Kelce is coming back for at least one more season, so the depth chart is largely set. Expect the Chiefs to bring back Peyton Hendershot after dealing for him last summer, but the position is ready for one more year with Kelce, Noah Gray, and Jared Wiley as the presumed trio on the active roster.

Offensive Linemen

For a team that needs some reinvention up front, the Chiefs have a lot of returnees on the roster. Only D.J. Humphries is in play as an unrestricted free agent and he didn't join the team until late November. He is, however, a candidate to return while Mike Caliendo is an obvious cheap and versatile backup to bring back.

Defensive Linemen

Other than wide receiver, the defensive line is the one area of the roster that could undergo a real sea change. However, the Chiefs have been here before and continue to re-sign most of the same guys year after year. That happened last year with Wharton, Pennel, Herring, and Nnadi and it wouldn't surprise anyone to see most of that group back again. Omenihu is a real wild card here.

Linebackers

The biggest potential free agent loss for the Chiefs is likely going to be Nick Bolton—although it wouldn't surprise Chiefs Kingdom either to see him return. Steve Spagnuolo loves him as the heart of the second level, but the price and position might not be a good fit in the overall plan of roster construction.

Defensive Backs

Justin Reid's free agency feels tied to Nick Bolton's because to lose both would be to say goodbye to a ton of championship experience and leadership. Will the Chiefs bring one back? Lose both? Both are still relatively young, so even giving Reid a third contract isn't the worst idea. However, the Chiefs tend to trust their young safety investments, and it helps on the books as well.

Specialists

Not much to say here. Araiza should be easy to bring back. Long snapper doesn't generate headlines. Shrader was a fallback for injury.