Chiefs GM Brett Veach provides timeline for a pair of early contract extensions Kansas City wants to get done as soon as possible
Kansas City Chiefs GM Brett Veach has his hands full this offseason, but the 2026 NFL offseason isn't too far from his mind. Several key players in the Chiefs' 2022 NFL draft class will seek contract extensions, including two former first-round draft picks, CB Trent McDuffie and DE George Karlaftis. While the team will have the […]
Kansas City Chiefs GM Brett Veach has his hands full this offseason, but the 2026 NFL offseason isn't too far from his mind.
Several key players in the Chiefs' 2022 NFL draft class will seek contract extensions, including two former first-round draft picks, CB Trent McDuffie and DE George Karlaftis. While the team will have the opportunity to enact fifth-year options for both players by the May 1 deadline, the prevailing thought is that Kansas City could close a deal early with one or both players.
Why get the deals done early? While lesser than a franchise tag, the projected fifth-year option amounts for McDuffie and Karlaftis still carry large salary cap numbers. The Chiefs would ultimately have over $28 million in cap space committed to those two players on fifth-year options for 2026. That's a problem when draft picks like Bryan Cook, Leo Chenal, Joshua Williams, Jaylen Watson, Isiah Pacheco, and Nazeeh Johnson are also slated for free agency in 2026.
So, with all of this in mind, when could long-term extensions for McDuffie and Karlaftis potentially happen?
This offseason is possible and even plausible for one or both players, but don't expect anything to be done before March's free agency period. A to Z Sports' Travis May asked about potential contract extensions for McDuffie and Karlaftis this offseason. There's a certain cadence to these things. Veach laid out an offseason timeline that could see things begin to accelerate in late April or early May, with negotiations taking place leading into the season.
"Yeah, that'll be on the list of things to do," Veach said of extensions for McDuffie and Karlaftis. "We'll get through, obviously, this phase here. We'll get with the agents on the pending free agents and put a free agency plan together, and then I would anticipate getting through the draft, and then having the summer to work with. But certainly, those are two really good players, and I'd like to get those guys, hopefully, done, if possible, but we'll certainly have dialogue, if not before the draft, right after the draft."
The teams that think ahead are best prepared for all the different outcomes and possibilities on the NFL's business side. Even with some immediate challenges staring Veach square in the face for the 2025 NFL offseason, he's considering how to best prepare the team to keep its best players long term.
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