The Kansas City Chiefs have officially been eliminated from playoff contention after Sunday's heartbreaking loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The loss sealed the franchise's fate, marking the first time that the Chiefs won't make the playoffs since head coach Andy Reid's second season behind the bench in 2014.
Whether or not the dynasty is still alive, it's clear that the Chiefs must make plenty of changes throughout the 2026 offseason. New faces will be brought in to help turn things around, but that also means some dead weight has to be cut to create roster space.
With that in mind, here are three players who won't return next season now that the Chiefs are eliminated from the postseason mix.
1. Isiah Pacheco, RB
Isiah Pacheco's season hasn't gone according to plan, with the supposed starting running back increasingly losing carries to an aging Kareem Hunt. This tells the story of how his season has gone, headlined by the fact that in a must-win game against the Chargers, Pacheco had 11 carries for only 21 rushing yards, marking the eighth time in 11 games that he's failed to reach the 50-yard mark.
With Pacheco slated to hit free agency at the end of the year, these weekly duds are potentially adding up to an offseason split.
Kansas City badly needs to take more off quarterback Patrick Mahomes' shoulders, and this means finding a capable rushing attack. Whether it is turning to free agency or the draft, the front office needs to add a starter capable of handling 15-20 carries per game, which Pacheco clearly can't do.
Pacheco simply doesn't offer big play ability and is no longer running with the explosive, punishing style that defined his early tenure. It is time to improve a position that has been a consistent letdown throughout the 2025 season, making it clear to the Chiefs that it's time to move on.
2. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR
This brings us to the next underwhelming playmaker who clearly stuck around a season too long. JuJu Smith-Schuster has only three catches in the last six games for a total of 15 yards. When the season was on the line, and games mattered most, the offense moved away from the aging receiver, who's made it clear he no longer has that big-play potential.
What cannot be argued is turning on the tape and realizing just how slow and underwhelming Smith-Schuster looked over the final week of the season. If the Chiefs want to revamp the WR room, it makes sense to move on from the 29-year-old WR, who only has one 500-yard performance in the last five seasons.
Smith-Schuster had great moments in a Kansas City uniform, but it is clear the level of play is no longer meeting Reid & Co.'s standards. It's never been clearer that the time to turn the page is now.
3. Jawaan Taylor, OT
It's safe to say that the 2025 season has been a frustrating experience for those keeping tabs on Jawaan Taylor. Between his knack for picking up bone-headed penalties and providing inconsistent protection, the ex-Florida Gator has given the Chiefs plenty of reasons to reconsider his future. Now that they're out of the playoff contention, that's even more so the case, especially when considering the financial incentives.
If Jawaan Taylor is cut or traded this offseason, it will open up $20 million in cap space while only incurring a $7.3 million dead cap hit, according to Spotrac. This makes moving on an easy decision when the Chiefs already have Jaylon Moore and Josh Simmons under reasonable contracts.
Whether it is pre-snap penalties or holding the tackle has never failed to find ways to push the offense behind the sticks when on the field. Even if he were playing more reliably, cutting Taylor makes sense for a Chiefs team that's projected to be more than $34.1 million north of the 2026 salary cap.
Taylor is solid when he's on his game, but those instances are too few and far between. He's proven to be a headache for the Chiefs throughout the season, leaving general manager Brett Veach with no choice but to re-evaluate if he should be on the offensive line in 2026.