Chiefs’ Emmett Johnson becomes next draft pick to sign rookie contract, giving Kansas City running back room something they don’t have
The Kansas City Chiefs now have three 2026 NFL Draft picks under contract after Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson signed his deal on Monday, May 4.
The Kansas City Chiefs now have three 2026 NFL Draft picks under contract.
On Monday, May 4, the Chiefs signed fifth-round RB Emmett Johnson to his four-year rookie contract. He joins fellow fifth-round pick WR Cyrus Allen and seventh-round pick QB Garrett Nussmeier as the only draft picks to have signed their rookie deals with Kansas City.
These three deals are the easiest to execute because there isn’t much room to negotiate when it comes to guaranteed salary. They’re also the cheapest and don’t require the Chiefs to make any contract-related moves to clear cap space. It’s ultimately only a matter of time before the remaining draft picks’ contracts are completed for Kansas City.
Chiefs 2026 NFL Draft Picks Not Yet Under Contract
The Chiefs have four more draft picks who still need to sign their contracts.
- 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
Emmett Johnson’s contract gives the Chiefs something they don’t really have at the position
Johnson’s contract provides the Chiefs with significant financial flexibility moving forward. In 2026, the Chiefs are only spending $8.8 million (seventh-fewest) on the running back position. That number will balloon in 2027 ($19.8 million) as Kansas City gets deeper into its multi-year deal with RB Kenneth Walker. Johnson’s cap number won’t exceed $1.4M at any point during his rookie deal, unless his base salary is raised through the NFL’s Proven Performance Escalator (basically, if Johnson outplays his draft slot before the final year of his rookie deal). As things currently stand, Johnson helps keep the Chiefs’ running back room inexpensive, while having the ceiling of a high-volume contributor.
Contract details for Kansas City Chiefs rookie RB Emmett Johnson
These are the projected contract details for Johnson’s draft slot from the folks at Over the Cap.
Total Value: $4,874,172
Signing Bonus: $494,172
Annual Prorated Bonus: $123,543
| Year | Base Salary | Cap Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $885,000 | $1,008,543 |
| 2027 | $1,050,000 | $1,173,543 |
| 2028 | $1,165,000 | $1,288,543 |
| 2029 | $1,280,000 | $1,403,543 |
