The Kansas City Chiefs made Harrison Butker the NFL’s highest-paid kicker on Monday, signing the 29-year-old to a four-year, $25.6 million deal. Butker will receive $17.75 million guaranteed, while his $6.4 million average puts him $400,000 per year ahead of fellow kickers Justin Tucker and Jake Elliott.
Who’s next in line for an extension in Kansas City? While the Chiefs have less than $20 million in available cap space in 2024 and 2025, general manager Brett Veach can always restructure Patrick Mahomes’ contract to create additional breathing room. K.C. might be willing to stretch its financial limits with a Super Bowl three-peat on the line this season.
Ranking Chiefs’ Extension Candidates After Harrison Butker Deal
Even if the Chiefs are open to splurging, they probably won’t be able to keep everyone. Remember, this team traded WR Tyreek Hill in 2022 and CB L’Jarius Sneed in 2024.
At some point, Kansas City will have to cut corners again. Which players and positions will the Chiefs prioritize? Here’s how we rank the team’s remaining extension candidates.
Honorable mention: TE Noah Gray, EDGE Charles Omenihu, DT Derrick Nnadi, DT Tershawn Wharton
5) Hollywood Brown, Wide Receiver
While Hollywood Brown just became a Chief in March after signing a one-year, $7 million deal, there’s a non-zero chance he could agree to an in-season extension to stick around in Kansas City.
Brown will still be only 27 years old when the 2024 campaign begins. He remains one of the league’s premier speed merchants and posted a 91-1,008-6 line the last time he played in a functioning offense. The Chiefs could lock the former first-round pick up for a few additional years if they like Brown’s compatibility with Mahomes.
However, K.C. used a first-round pick on Xavier Worthy in April. Rashee Rice was outstanding in his 2023 rookie campaign and may not face as stiff of punishment from the NFL as initially believed.
The Chiefs have already invested in younger wideouts than Brown. If Veach wants to take a shot on a veteran pass catcher in 2025, other options like Chris Godwin, Stefon Diggs, Diontae Johnson, or Amari Cooper might be more intriguing.
4) Justin Reid, Safety
The Chiefs have generally been reluctant to give cornerbacks second contracts, preferring to draft and develop instead of paying for veteran play.
At safety, Kansas City has taken a more mixed approach. Veach has invested Round 2 picks in players like Bryan Cook and Juan Thornhill but also signed veterans such as Tyrann Mathieu and Justin Reid to multi-year pacts.
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Reid is an underrated safety. He’s best as an enforcer in the box but has plenty of experience as a deep-coverage defender. In 2023, Reid played at least 200 snaps each in the box, in the slot, and at free safety.
Although the 2025 NFL free agent market includes intriguing safeties like Talanoa Hufanga, Jevon Holland, and Tre’von Moehrig, the Chiefs might feel more comfortable with Reid. He’s reliable, knows what DC Steve Spagnuolo wants, and will still be just 28 next spring.
3) Nick Bolton, Linebacker
Nick Bolton got unlucky with injuries in 2023, missing three games due to a sprained ankle and four because of a dislocated wrist. He returned for the playoffs and made a game-high 13 tackles in Super Bowl 58.
When healthy, he’s one of the Chiefs’ best defensive players. Bolton is a natural-born playmaker against the run, but he also provides value in the passing game because of his coverage intelligence.
While Kansas City let fellow LB Willie Gay Jr. walk in free agency this offseason, Bolton is a different caliber player. In a survey conducted by ESPN, NFL executives, coaches, and scouts ranked him as the league’s fifth-best linebacker.
The Chiefs re-signed LB Drue Tranquill on a three-year deal in March; they also have 2022 third-round pick Leo Chenal on the depth chart. However, while Chenal is excellent moving forward, he’s not a three-down player. If K.C. loses Bolton, it would need to find another ‘backer capable of handling coverage responsibilities.
2) Trey Smith, Guard
It’s a good time to be an NFL guard.
Four guards are earning at least $20 million, including the Philadelphia Eagles’ Landon Dickerson, who became the league’s highest-paid guard after inking a $21 million per year extension in March.
Robert Hunt, Jonah Jackson, and Robert Hunt each secured at least $16 million annually on the open market this offseason. And just last week, the Denver Broncos gave standout right guard Quinn Meinerz a four-year, $72 million deal.
Trey Smith is in that same cluster of players. Can the Chiefs afford him, especially with right tackle Jawaan Taylor ($20 million AAV) and left guard Joe Thuney ($16 million) on hefty contracts?
Time will tell, but Smith’s extension might take a back seat while K.C. works out a deal with the final player on our list.
1) Creed Humphrey, Center
While the Chiefs aren’t hurting for players to extend, center Creed Humprey is probably the club’s top priority. A two-time Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro selection in 2022, Humphrey is arguably the NFL’s best center now that Jason Kelce has retired.
Last season, he was one of only three centers to play at least 1,000 offensive snaps and allow fewer than 20 pressures, per TruMedia. Humphrey ranked second among interior linemen in pass-rush win rate (98%), trailing only Thuney (Smith finished fourth).
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NFL teams have generally shied away from paying centers in recent years, but Humphrey will be an exception. On Monday, The Athletic’s Nate Taylor reported the Chiefs are interested in making Humphrey the league’s highest-paid center.
The Detroit Lions’ Frank Ragnow ($13.5 million average annual value) currently paces center contracts, but his extension is 3+ years old. His AAV was worth 7.4% of the NFL’s 2021 salary cap at the time of signing.
If the Chiefs give Humphrey an AAV worth 7.4% of the league’s 2024 cap ($255.4 million), he will collect almost $19 million per year. While he has no shot of leaping that far ahead of Ragnow, Humphrey is probably targeting $15 million annually.