Chiefs free agency tracker 2026: Signings, departures, cap space analysis, and more

Welcome to the most important offseason of Brett Veach's tenure. The general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs has never faced more pressure to reconstruct the roster after the team suffered a nine-game slide from their 15-2 record in 2024.

Veach has already worked his way back from a league-worst salary cap situation with contract restructures and player releases. He's also added a few more draft picks with the blockbuster trade of star cornerback Trent McDuffie to the L.A. Rams. The sum of Veach's pre-offseason moves has given him the financial room and the draft assets to rebuild the roster. Now he has to execute.

With moderate to major needs at almost every single position on the roster, the Chiefs are going to be very busy in free agency. Since we're expecting so much activity for Chiefs Kingdom to keep track of, it only makes sense for us to provide a one-stop shop for all of K.C.'s free agent activity.

Table of Contents

1. Chiefs free agency snapshot
2. Major Chiefs departures
3. Minor Chiefs departures
4. Biggest FA signings
5. Smaller Chiefs Re-signings
6. Potential departures to watch
7. Best targets remaining
8. Full list of Chiefs free agents
9. More Chiefs free agency coverage

Chiefs free agency snapshot

• Cap space remaining: $6,717,066 (per Over the Cap)
• Biggest signing: Kenneth Walker III, RB
• Biggest departure: Jaylen Watson, CB
• Most surprising move: Signing DT Khyiris Tonga
• Latest move: Re-signed LB Jack Cochrane
• Biggest remaining needs: WR, EDGE, CB
• Last updated: March 24, 5:11 p.m. CT

Major Chiefs departures

Hollywood Brown, WR - Signs with Philadelphia Eagles

After consecutive one-year signings to try to rebuild his market value, Hollywood Brown signed with Philly to try to do the same thing in a new environment. His stay in K.C. was mixed, with an injury-marred first year. That said, the Eagles will find him as a reliable downfield target who should help them mitigate the potential loss if A.J. Brown is traded.

Charles Omenihu, DE - Signs with Washington Commanders

Just one day after linebacker Leo Chenal landed in our country's capital city, Charles Omenihu was given the chance to join the Washington Commanders as well. The one-year deal is worth up to a reported $7M and gives the Commanders a rotational edge rusher who has had more success in previous seasons that weren't as affected by injury as his '25 campaign.

Leo Chenal, LB - Signs with Washington Commanders

The Chiefs LB corps took its first hit of the offseason with the loss of Chenal to the Commanders, a move that will make Dan Quinn quite happy once he realizes just how much of an impact Chenal makes across the board. Chenal was quite the third-round find, and places an emphasis on the position in a linebacker-rich draft class.

Isiah Pacheco, RB - Signs with Lions

It was clear Isiah Pacheco was playing elsewhere in '26 after the Chiefs signed Kenneth Walker III in free agency Iand even well before that), but it's nice to see him find a new home that makes so much sense. The Lions are steeped in Dan Campbell's no-nonsense culture, and Pacheco's violent running style seems like an ideal fit in Detroit's backfield. A decent replacement for David Montgomery.

Gardner Minshew, QB - Signs with Cardinals

Gardner Minshew isn't a loss in the way that Bryan Cook or Jaylen Watson is, but it's notable that he didn't re-sign with the Chiefs all the same. That's because K.C. is in great need of a reliable backup quarterback, and the well is rather dry even after the first day of free agency tampering. As for Minshew, he's earning decent money to play second fiddle to Jacoby Brissett.

Bryan Cook, S - Signs with Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals lured away the Chiefs' best safety early in free agency on a three-year deal worth just over $40M in potential earnings. That leaves the secondary in tatters with the trade of Trent McDuffie and the departure of Jaylen Watson, both to the Rams. At safety in particular, the Chiefs are now down to Chamarri Conner and Jaden Hicks.

Jaylen Watson, CB - Signs with Rams

Shortly after trading for Trent McDuffie the week before free agency was set to begin, the L.A. Rams have also added Jaylen Watson on a three-year deal to start free agency. The move keeps the Chiefs' best two corners together through the 2028 season and bolsters the biggest need for a team hoping to upend the NFL's defending champs, the Seattle Seahawks, in what could be Matthew Stafford's final season.

Minor Chiefs departures

Dameon Piece, RB - Signs with Eagles

No one is quite sure what happened with the Chiefs free-agent acquisitions at running back in 2025, but between Elijah Mitchell and Dameon Pierce, there were more questions than actual carries. Pierce now heads to Philly to revitalize his career and forget whatever happened in Kansas City.

Derrick Nnadi, DL - Signs with Colts

The Jets signed Nnadi away in free agency in 2025 only to trade him back before the start of the season. Who knows how long Nnadi will stay away this time, but he's at least signed a deal to join the Indianapolis Colts for now.

Malik Herring, DE - Signs with Titans

Mike Borgonzi is bringing some familiar faces from his days as the Chiefs assistant GM to Tennessee. Herring landed a one-year deal with the Titans, a move that ends his run of five consecutive seasons in K.C. Herring is a fringe competitor at this point, but he'll raise the floor for the Titans until someone can beat him to help raise the foundation.

Joshua Williams, CB - Signs with Titans

The Chiefs lost four defensive backs in the last week, as the class of 2022 reached the end of their rookie deals. Joshua Williams was the latest to go, and he hopes a change of scenery with the Tennessee Titans will reverse his fortunes after falling down the Chiefs' depth chart in the last year. At the very least, he offers special teams experience, depth in the secondary, and some championship experience.

Biggest FA signings

Emari Demercado, RB

The Chiefs have made quick work of rebuilding the running backs room, with the signing of both Kenneth Walker III and Emari Demercado in the first week of free agency. The latter comes as a former UDFA out of TCU who impressively climbed the Arizona Cardinals depth chart in '23 to become a consistent contributor. With 1,143 yards from scrimmage in 40 games, Demercado proved to be a nice find, but he'll have to fight to stay relevant next August.

Kader Kohou, CB

The Chiefs took the secondary down to the studs, and now Veach is slowly building it back again. Kader Kohou is the first cornerback added this offseason, a former slot defender for the Dolphins who played major snaps before suffering a torn ACL last preseason. He's a bounce-back candidate for a secondary that needs a lot of competition. If healthy, he'll play a lot of snaps inside.

Alohi Gilman, S (3-years, $24.5M)

After letting Bryan Cook leave in free agency, the safety position looked thin. Reinforcements in the draft make sense due to the talent pool available, but the Chiefs also missed a veteran leader in the secondary in '25 after watching Justin Reid depart for the Big Easy. Gilman is a familiar face from his six years with the Chargers, so the Chiefs know exactly the sort of rangy, versatile piece they're getting.

Read the full breakdown here.

Tyquan Thornton, WR (2-year, $14M)

The Chiefs didn't seem to realize what they had when they employed him, so it made sense why Thornton might try to look for a new offense that would emphasize his skills. But Thornton was so effective in limited action for the Chiefs that they'd have been foolish to let him leave. Thornton should have been playing Hollywood Brown's reps all along, but that's for another time. Suffice it to say, Thornton shed the "bust" label in his lone year in K.C. and was a pivotal piece to re-sign—this time to a two-year deal worth up to $14M.

Read the full breakdown here.

Travis Kelce, TE (1-year, $12M)

It was never really in doubt as to whether or not Travis Kelce would play for another team, but with retirement as a real consideration, it was nice to see Kansas City sign Kelce back on a one-year, $12M deal worth up to $15 million overall. The legend is making one more run with the team that drafted him 14 years ago.

Read the full breakdown here.

Khyiris Tonga, DT (3-years, $14M guaranteed)

After years of relying on Derrick Nnadi, Mike Pennel, and similar signings to mop up rotational reps in the run game, the Chiefs have raised the floor of the defensive interior with the signing of Khyiris Tonga. The longtime journeyman found a more meaningful role with the New England Patriots in '25, and a deep postseason run added extra shine to his resume. The end result is a three-year deal worth up to $21 million with $14M guaranteed, the first long-term security for Tonga in the NFL.

Read the full breakdown here.

Kenneth Walker III, RB (3-year, $28.7M guaranteed)

Brett Veach was clearly finished watching a backfield that could muster four-yard gains against light boxes. Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt were nice stories in recent years, for various reasons, but such narratives don't make opposing defensive coordinators alter their game plans. Now, DCs will have to adapt with Kenneth Walker III in the fold. The reigning Super Bowl MVP came at a high price, but the Chiefs needed an impactful presence if they wanted to rebound from the offensive frustrations of the last few years.

Read the full breakdown here.

Smaller Chiefs Re-signings

Jack Cochrane, LB

The Chiefs decided to bring back a familiar face on defense and special teams with the re-signing of Jack Cochrane. The former rookie free agent has been a favorite of Dave Toub for quite some time, with 64 regular-season appearances in the last four seasons.

Mike Caliendo, OL

Reports say that Caliendo turned down multiple offers from other teams to return to Kansas City despite the fact that they didn't tender him a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent the week before. Clearly he had an understanding all along to come back for another year for a bit less money than the $3.5 million price tag demanded as an RFA.

Cole Christensen, LB

The Chiefs have kept Christensen in their back pocket for the last four years as special teams depth and it's clear they're giving him a chance to compete once again for a chance to linger on the practice squad in 2026.

Nikko Remigio, WR

Remigio returns to the Chiefs on a one-year deal that will see him compete for the primary return role once again. Given the lack of impact plays there, expect the level of competition to be amped up considerably this offseason after largely giving him the spot one year ago.

James Winchester, LS

The second-longest tenured Chief remains in place, as special teams continuity remains a real value for Dave Toub's sphere of influence. Winchester has now served as the Chiefs' long snapper since 2015.

Matt Araiza, P

The man once known as "punt god" will be given another chance to claim the role as the Chiefs punter in 2026. After facing competition in '24 with Ryan Rehkow, Araiza has held down the post for the last two seasons. It would not surprise anyone, however, if the Chiefs brought in one more camp body to compete for a few months on the 90-man offseason roster.

Potential departures to watch

Kareem Hunt, RB

The Chiefs have every reason to extend an offer for Kareem Hunt to return as a short-yardage specialist, but if the overhaul at the running back position is comprehensive, the veteran back certainly would be a desirable asset in free agency. Led the Chiefs last year with 8 rushing touchdowns and 611 yards.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR

The Chiefs have a history of bringing back the veteran wideout and it's possible JuJu Smith-Schuster is back again in 2026. That said, he remains available on the open market and should find a home for next season as an experienced voice with solid hands. He's a better blocker than anything K.C. has now, so a marriage makes sense—except to those who want to see the Chiefs turn the page on anyone who is aging.

Best targets remaining

Will Dissly, TE, L.A. Chargers

With Mo Alie-Cox now unavailable, the Chiefs should turn to Dissly to fill a void at tight end that's been a concern for the last few years. Blake Bell was the last blocking tight end in Andy Reid's offense, and he went the way of fullback when K.C. shifted its roster priorities. It makes no sense for the team to pivot so hard to the ground game with coaching and personnel changes only to ignore TE in this regard.

Calais Campbell, DL, Arizona Cardinals

Everyone keeps waiting for Calais Campbell to call it a career after nearly two decades in the NFL—an incredible number to consider, especially given his position. The Chiefs could use more help inside and out, and the exceptional versatility afforded by Campbell could be a one-stop shop for those needs. He's not the player he once was, but his experience, size, and strength still make him a meaningful rotational contributor up front.

Cam Jordan, DE, New Orleans Saints

With Mafe Boye off the table (he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals) as well as Odafe Oweh (he re-signed with the Chargers), the Chiefs have slim pickings in free agency in terms of edge rushers. Instead of paying through the nose for someone with some real questions (due to scarcity), it makes sense to go with a stopgap solution to pair with draft impact. Cam Jordan is hitting free agency and profiles as the sort of typical acquisition for Veach (e.g. Melvin Ingram, Carlos Dunlap).

Full list of Chiefs free agents

Here's a full list of Chiefs free agents from every category—including unrestricted, restricted, and exclusive rights FAs (here are definitions for each). Bold player names link out to more extensive free-agent profiles for those players, while Spotrac MV refers to the market value.

More Chiefs free agency coverage