Andy Reid’s been around for too long to panic. Sure, the NFL’s a wild ride—one season you’re hoisting trophies, the next you’re explaining what went wrong. But if there’s one thing Reid’s mastered, it’s the art of staying a step ahead. Not by luck—by knowing exactly when to push the right buttons. And right now, the Kansas City Chiefs’ biggest chess match isn’t happening on the field. It’s unfolding behind closed doors—in meetings, phone calls, and quiet conversations—all while walking a financial tightrope. And with one major move locked in, Reid’s next decision carries even bigger consequences.

After falling short of the three-peat in 2024, Reid kept it simple: “We learn and we move on.” And moving on starts now. The Chiefs have decisions to make, holes to fill, and a roster to reload if they want to keep Mahomes in “we’re still here” mode come January. By the looks of it, they have started their journey back. For starters, they just locked down one of their defensive anchors.

Nick Bolton isn’t going anywhere. According to Adam Schefter’s tweet on March 8, “Just in: LB Nick Bolton is re-signing with the Chiefs on a 3-year, $45 million deal, including $30M fully guaranteed at signing, per source,” making him one of the top-paid inside linebackers in the NFL. Notably, the team has also made multiple other splashes that points toward a promising upcoming reason. But we’ll get to that in a bit, as Bolton’s addition isn’t just a re-signing. It’s a loud statement to opponents. Why?

Well, Nick isn’t just any other linebacker who was scooped up before he had a chance to taste free agency—he’s a human missile wrapped in a Chiefs jersey, who led his team with 106 tackles, three sacks, six passes defended, one forced fumble, one interception and 11 tackles for loss in 2024. But it’s not just one season where he’s dominated. Since getting drafted in the second round in 2021 out of Missouri, Bolton has racked up 458 tackles, and five sacks in his 57 regular season game career. Even in 2022, he garnered a massive 180 tackles (a single-season franchise record), two sacks, one forced fumble, two interceptions and three passes defended over 17 games. Then, in 2023, he added a team-high 40 tackles in four postseason games, including 13 in the Chiefs’ 25-22 overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers. What’s more?

Moreover, during his team’s 38-35 Super Bowl LVII win over the Philadelphia Eagles, it was Bolton who made a game-changing play where he strip-sacked quarterback Jalen Hurts for a 36-yard fumble return touchdown (the fourth-longest fumble return TD in Super Bowl history). The LB also led his team in tackles in three of his four campaigns. Safe to say, when Bolton’s on the field, somebody’s getting stopped in their tracks. But that’s not IT!

Nick has also been putting himself in elite company. With 559 career tackles and 37 tackles for loss (including playoffs), he joins a short list of defensive monsters—Luke Kuechly, Lavonte David, NaVorro Bowman, and Patrick Willis—all of whom stacked 10 first-team All-Pro nods combined in their first four seasons. No wonder the team’s Linebackers’ coach Brendan Daly had once said, “He’s one of those people that the more you’re around him, the more impressed you become with him.” 

Now let’s look at who else will be making a return to the roster.

Apart from Bolton, the hallowed linebacker, wide receiver Marquise Brown, whose debut campaign with the team last year was spoiled by a dislocated shoulder in the preseason, signed a one-year deal worth up to $11 million as per sources. The player garnered nine catches for 91 yards in two games in Week 16 and 17. During the playoffs, the 27-year-old added five catches for 50 yards in the playoffs, including two catches for 15 yards in the team’s 40-22 Super Bowl LIX loss to the Eagles. Notably, Brown was selected 25th overall by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2019 NFL Draft, before he left the team for the Arizona Cardinals ahead of the 2022 season, and then joined the Chiefs ahead of the 2024 season.

Having said that, Reid’s team placed an exclusive rights tender on guard Mike Caliendo and punter Matt Araiza. As per reports, the duo have been offered a contract at the league minimum for their credited seasons—$960,000 for Araiza, and $1.03 million for Caliendo.

Apart from that, All-Pro guard Joe Thuney was traded to the Chicago Bears for a 2026 fourth-round pick. This comes a month after the nine-year NFL veteran was selected as the Chiefs’ MVP and received the Derrick Thomas Award for his unselfishness when moving to left tackle at the end of last season.

Looks like the Chiefs are revamped and ready! However, the front office must now do something to cut their Patrick Mahomes headache.

Something must be done about Patrick Mahomes’ contract

The Chiefs might be kings of the AFC, but right now, they’re playing a dangerous game with the salary cap. Patrick Mahomes’ contract causing such a ruckus in Kansas City might be the last thing on Andy Reid’s bingo card. Not even that, it’d be the last thing on ours as well.

But the thing is, if they don’t adjust fast, the NFL could be knocking with a hefty fine, lost draft picks, or even voided contracts. Yeah, not exactly the preparation they were planning for. So, what’s the problem? The NFL bumped the salary cap to $279.2 million. And after slapping the franchise tag on Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith, the Chiefs find themselves $17.6 million over the limit.

That’s like trying to squeeze a defensive lineman into a kicker’s jersey. And while Mahomes’ deal isn’t the only issue, it’s definitely the elephant in the room. His cap hit jumps by nearly $30 million this year. Meaning a restructure could be KC’s best bet to stay afloat.

The thing is, Chris Phelps of Athlon Sports doesn’t think they’ll touch Mahomes’ contract this time. Instead, the Chiefs might look elsewhere—maybe Chris Jones, who already restructured once, or other high-ticket contracts that could free up space. But let’s be real. At some point, Mahomes’ deal is going to need another tweak, because this cap situation isn’t fixing itself.

As of now, Over the Cap projects the Chiefs’ spending at $272.5 million, so they’re inching closer to compliance. But the window is closing fast. The answer? Well, they might just have to take a page from their biggest rival. Look at what the Bengals are doing with Joe Burrow’s deal: the guy who literally followed Pat and TB12’s blueprints. It has all come full circle. C’est la vie.