Kansas City Chiefs officially awarded compensatory pick in 2026 NFL Draft — and Brett Veach could secure more for 2027
The Kansas City Chiefs earned a compensatory pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and things are shaping up for them to earn more in 2027.
The NFL has officially announced compensatory draft pick selections for the 2026 NFL draft in April.
The Chiefs were awarded a fifth-round draft pick, No. 176 overall, as expected after Brett Veach navigated the 2025 NFL free agency period with precision and poise. He ensured the Chiefs would get something in return for the free agents they lost, with prudent moves like signing QB Gardner Minshew to a minimum contract after he was released by the Las Vegas Raiders. Minshew didn’t count against the compensatory pick formula as a player who was released, which made it more likely the Chiefs would earn a pick.
Explaining the Chiefs’ compensatory pick in 2026
The assignment of compensatory draft picks in the NFL is pretty simple. If you lose more compensatory free agents than you gain in a given offseason, you qualify for compensation in the following year’s draft. The highest pick you can achieve is a third-round draft pick, but that’s really only reserved for the superstars who get crazy contracts in free agency.
Kansas City lost three qualifying compensatory free agents in 2025: Tershawn Wharton to the Panthers ($15.02M), Justin Reid to the Saints ($10.5M), and DeAndre Hopkins to the Ravens ($5M). They all signed qualifying contracts ahead of the May 2 deadline.
The Chiefs only gained two qualifying compensatory free agents: Jaylon Moore ($15M) and Kristian Fulton ($10M).
Moore canceled out the Wharton signing, while Hopkins canceled out the Fulton signing. That leaves Justin Reid, who will officially earn the team a fifth-round draft pick.
A way-too-early look at Chiefs’ compensatory pick situation for 2027
The Chiefs have already lost three qualifying compensatory free agents during the 2026 NFL free agency period. Deals for CB Jaylen Watson (Rams) and S Bryan Cook (Bengals) will qualify and will promptly be canceled out by the additions of RB Kenneth Walker III and DT Khyiris Tonga.
One deal that could help the Chiefs earn a compensatory pick? The Arizona Cardinals signed Gardner Minshew to a one-year deal worth up to $8.25 million. Kansas City still has several pending free agents like Leo Chenal, Tyquan Thornton, Marquise Brown, Isiah Pacheco, and Kareem Hunt, who could earn contracts that qualify for compensatory picks.
If Brett Veach navigates the rest of this free agency period, targeting some players who have been released and don’t count toward the compensatory pick formula, he could secure multiple compensatory picks for Kansas City in 2027.
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