The Kansas City Chiefs are working to reload for the next chapter of the Patrick Mahomes era.
Mahomes’ cap hits are about to balloon. He’s set to count just $28 million against the cap in 2025—a relative bargain—but that number is projected to skyrocket past $74 million in both 2026 and 2027.
The front office may rework his deal to spread out the financial weight, but make no mistake: Mahomes will be a high-priced cornerstone for the rest of his career.
And while he’s worth every penny, the rising cost will force Kansas City to adjust its roster-building blueprint. With fewer dollars to go around, tough decisions started this offseason and more are coming down the pipeline.
The most efficient way to build around a megastar quarterback is to nail draft picks. The Chiefs hold eight selections in this year’s draft, including four in the first three rounds.
That's a good start to re-tooling around Mahomes. However, they are light in the middle rounds. The only hold one fourth-round pick and won't draft again until the seventh when they have three selections.
In order to maximize their draft capital, they could up that total by swinging a bold trade or two before the draft kicks off on April 24. Sometimes you need to give up good pieces to stay great—and Kansas City may need to part with a familiar face to stay ahead of the arms race.
Here are four Chiefs whose trades could help spark the next Super Bowl push in the Mahomes era.