The Kansas City Chiefs executed the L’Jarius Sneed trade this offseason in large part to create long-term cap flexibility. While the Chris Jones contract is already signed and some other integral players are locked up, there are contract extensions on the horizon that reportedly could force Kansas City to break the bank.

Kansas City is retaining a majority of its core players that helped it become repeat Super Bowl winners. However, there is trouble on the horizon. The Chiefs knew that keeping Sneed on the franchise tag meant losing him in NFL free agency next offseason and the team likely couldn’t have even made him. a priority.

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• Kansas City Chiefs free agents 2025: Justin Reid, Trey Smith, Marquise Brown, Creed Humphrey, Nick Bolton, Charles Omenihu

Multiple Chiefs’ starters are eligible to test the open market next offseason. Among them are interior offensive linemen Trey Smith and Crede Humphrey along with starting off-ball linebacker Nick Bolton and wide receiver Marquise Brown. Kansas City wants to prevent a few of them from hitting free agency, but that comes at a cost.

Ari Meirov of the 33rd Team believes that Humphrey tries to get a contract worth at least $17 million per season in a contract extension, which would easily make him the highest-paid center in the NFL.

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• Creed Humphrey contract (Spotrac): $4.815 million base salary in 2024, $5.241 million cap hit

For context, Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow is currently the highest-paid player at the position with a $13.5 million average annual salary. Before his retirement, Jason Kelce led centers in AAV at $14.25 million. Humphrey could pass those marks by at least $3 million per year.

Humphrey, entering the final year of his rookie deal, was the 63rd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2022. A two-time Pro Bowl selection who is widely viewed as one of the best interior offensive linemen in the NFL, the Chiefs will likely prioritize Humphrey among all their impending free agents in 2025.