The Kansas City Chiefs are tackling their salary cap issues head-on.
Recently, they restructured Patrick Mahomes’ contract, converting $44.05 million of his 2026 base salary and a $10.4 million roster bonus into a fully guaranteed bonus. This strategic move opened up about $43.56 million in cap space, as reported by NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero.
Jason Fitzgerald from Over The Cap was the first to share details about this transaction. When teams restructure contracts like this, they transform payments into prorated bonuses. This spreads the cost over the remaining years of the deal, allowing teams to manage their cap hits more effectively.
Mahomes is currently recovering from a knee injury that ended his season. Without this restructure, he would have counted a staggering $78.2 million against the salary cap in 2026. Now, that figure has dropped to $34.65 million, making it much more manageable. However, this means an increase of nearly $11 million in the cap hit for future seasons, placing his 2027 cap hit at $85.25 million.
Over the last few seasons, the Chiefs have continually moved money around to keep Mahomes competitive with top quarterbacks. With his cap figure steadily increasing, a full contract rework for Mahomes might be on the horizon.
Back in July 2020, Mahomes signed a breathtaking 10-year, $450 million contract. This deal was designed to provide the Chiefs with flexibility, and the recent restructure is part of a planned approach to manage the big money involved.
As NFL contracts continue to evolve, restructuring like this has become common. In 2022, for instance, 18 teams undertook similar restructures to free up cap space. According to a recent survey, about 75% of NFL fans think teams are smart to adjust contracts strategically. The trend emphasizes how crucial financial management is in today’s football landscape.
For more on NFL salary cap strategies, you can check out sources like [Over The Cap](https://overthecap.com/chiefs-open-up-43-56m-in-cap-room-with-mahomes-restructure) or [ESPN’s coverage](https://www.espn.com/nfl/). These insights can help you understand the complexities teams face every season as they strive for success on the field.
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