Pair of Kansas City Chiefs’ 2026 NFL Draft picks become the first to sign their rookie contracts with the team
The Kansas City Chiefs signed draft picks, LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier and Cincinnati WR Cyrus Allen, to their rookie contracts during minicamp weekend. Here’s the breakdown of numbers for both players.
The Kansas City Chiefs have officially signed the first of their 2026 NFL Draft picks.
During the Chiefs’ rookie minicamp this weekend, Brett Veach officially got two of the team’s draft picks under contract. Those players are both Day 3 picks, LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier (Round 7, Pick 249) and Cincinnati WR Cyrus Allen (Round 5, Pick 176). Their fellow 2026 draft classmates should soon be under contract, too. It’ll just take a little salary cap maneuvering by Veach.
It’s easier to get those Day 3 picks under contract because there isn’t much wiggle room in terms of guaranteed money. The same goes for the Chiefs’ first-round draft picks, given the standard for fully guaranteed contracts. Where things could get interesting for Kansas City is second-round pick R Mason Thomas. He’s right on that second-round cut-off line where he may or may not get a fully guaranteed contract. Last year, Saints’ Tyler Shough got a fully guaranteed contract at pick No. 40, but he’s also a quarterback. Bills DT T.J. Sanders had $10.072M of his 10.6M contract guaranteed at pick No. 41.
Chiefs’ 2026 NFL Draft Picks Not Yet Under Contract
- Round 1, Pick 6: LSU CB Mansoor Delane
- Round 1, Pick 29: Clemson DT Peter Woods
- Round 2, Pick 40: Oklahoma DE R Mason Thomas
- Round 4, Pick 109: Oregon DB Jadon Canady
- Round 5, Pick 161: Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson
Cincinnati WR Cyrus Allen signs his rookie contract with the Chiefs
Allen figures in as a depth receiver and return specialist in his first season with the Chiefs. He’s 22 years old, 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, and caught 51 receptions, 674 yards, and 13 touchdowns for the Bearcats in 2025.
Here’s the projected contract breakdown for Allen per Over The Cap:
Total Value: $4,766,148
Signing Bonus: $386,148
Annual Prorated Bonus: $96,537
| Year | Base Salary | Cap Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $885,000 | $981,537 |
| 2027 | $1,050,000 | $1,146,537 |
| 2028 | $1,165,000 | $1,261,537 |
| 2029 | $1,280,000 | $1,376,537 |
LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier officially under contract with the Chiefs after rookie minicamp
Nussmeier is expected to compete for the Chiefs’ backup quarterback job with Justin Fields. At 6-foot-2 and 203 pounds, the 24-year-old completed 67.4% of his passes for 1,927 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 9 starts in 2025. He dealt with injury during his senior season.
Here’s Nussmeier’s projected contract breakdown via Over The Cap:
Total Value: $4,502,600
Signing Bonus: $122,600
Annual Prorated Bonus: $30,650
| Year | Base Salary | Cap Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $885,000 | $915,650 |
| 2027 | $1,050,000 | $1,080,650 |
| 2028 | $1,165,000 | $1,195,650 |
| 2029 | $1,280,000 | $1,310,650 |