The Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl champions for the second time in the Patrick Mahomes Era, but if they want to repeat, they’ll need to sort out their financial situation. As of this posting, the team currently has $526,422 in available salary cap space, which isn’t nearly enough to re-sign key free agents and bring in outside talent. The Chiefs have a couple of obvious cut candidates, but depending on how much money they’re trying to clear, they may make a few surprising moves.
For the sake of this exercise, please note that all cap numbers come via Over the Cap.
READ MORE: Chiefs Three-Round Mock Draft
Top 5 Kansas City Chiefs Cut Candidates, Ranked
1. Frank Clark
Frank Clark is a fine player, but he is not worth a $28.7 million cap hit. Right now, his salary cap number is second on the team only to Patrick Mahomes, and he is definitely not the second most valuable player on this roster. The Chiefs can part ways with the edge rusher while saving a staggering $21 million in cap space, so cutting Clark is a very easy business decision. Honestly, clearing this much cap space could solve all of Kansas City’s financial woes, so don’t be too surprised if this is the only major move the team makes prior to the start of the 2023 league year.
How is PLAYOFF Frank Clark different? – From the man himself @TheRealFrankC_ a very thoughtful & insightful answer from the shark 🦈 Thanks for the time today, Frank! #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/xz8BmRIE1W
— Starcade Media (@StarcadeMediaKC) February 9, 2023
2. Joshua Kaindoh
Even without a financial incentive, 2023 could easily mark the end of the Joshua Kaindoh Era. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, injuries and ineffectivenss have limited him to just three games over his two-year career. While it’s obviously a small sample, Kaindoh hasn’t played too well during his rare appearances on the field. The team can save $815,000 by parting ways, which seems likely considering Kaindoh’s complete lack of impact.
3. Clyde Edwards-Helaire
One of the more disappointing selections in the recent history of the franchise, Clyde Edwards-Helaire has not panned out at the professional level. Famously taken one pick ahead of Tee Higgins and before Jonathan Taylor, the LSU product has not been able to stay healthy and has routinely lost the starting job to replacement-level players. Edwards-Helaire was a healthy scratch in the Super Bowl, which implies that he fell behind not only seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco and aging veteran Jerrick McKinnon, but also Ronald Jones. The team will likely cut Edwards-Helaire to save $865,000 in cap space, and then use a portion of that money to invest in cheaper, cost-controlled depth at the position.
4. James Winchester
James Winchester is a fine long snapper, but he’s just a long snapper. By definition, it’s the least important position in football, and the team can clear $1.16 million in cap space while only taking $155,000 in dead money. Extending him wouldn’t save any cap space, either, so the most logical move is for the team to look for a league-minimum long snapper on the open market.
5. Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Marquez Valdes-Scantling wasn’t terrible during his first year with the Chiefs, but he wasn’t particularly good either. While he probably will return for the 2023 season, there is no denying that Valdes-Scantling is not a special talent, and the Chiefs can do better. If they designate him as a post-June 1st cut, the team can save $9 million in cap space. If the team needs to pinch pennies, they could probably be able to cut Valdes-Scantling, sign a similar player like Darius Slayton, and have a little bit of money left over.
Main Photo: Mark J. Rebilas – USA Today Sports
