6 Kansas City Chiefs on Thin Ice Following OTAs

1. Justin Reid, Safety

Justin Reid enters the third and final year of his deal with the Chiefs. To date, he hasn't lived up to expectations — even though he did start to turn it around late in the 2023 campaign.

Still, he comes in with a spotlight on him as he has one of the worst contracts on the team. Currently, Reid has the fifth-highest cap hit on the team at $14.25 million and the Chiefs could save $10.75 million if they were to move on.

They have a potential replacement as well in Jaden Hicks, a fourth-round pick from Washington State. It might be too much to ask Hicks to take over full-time as a rookie but if he shows out, Reid could be in trouble.

Reid could still find himself with the team, especially after reports emerged saying they plan to use him on special teams as a kicker. He has kicked off before and does an excellent job. With the new rules, it makes sense to see if he can handle this role full-time.

The NFL is testing out a new rule that results in the kicker and returner being the only ones who can move before the ball is touched — or hits the ground. That means kickers who can tackle will be highly valuable. For the Chiefs, they see Reid in this role, which would give them an advantage.

As fun as it is to imagine Reid in this role, it's not enough to save his job if Kansas City believes he's not living up to his contract.

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