Kelce comeback CRUSHES Cap Space for Chiefs

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Travis Kelsey is back the magic contract is in but they are not done and this is going

to be an issue for a couple of years today.

From the land of the free and the home of the chiefs, this is the Lockdown Chiefs Podcast.

You are Lockdown Chiefs.

Your daily Kansas City Chiefs Podcast.

Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network.

Your team every day.

Welcome back, Chiefs Kingdom.

Thanks for joining us.

I'm Ryan Tracy.

This is Chris Clark.

You've known us for quite a long time going on 10 years at this point.

We have a lot to talk about today because a couple of major things happen later in the

future.

We're going to talk about where this pre-draft roster is and what the JSN contract means

for the future in Kansas City before that.

We're going to get to the fact that $7 million in cash pay isn't going to work for the rest

of this pre-season as we creep towards camp ODAs, etc.

But we start where we need to start and that is Travis Kelsey is back in the fold.

Details came out about the contract.

There's something that Chris had theorized about and we want to get right to it because

what looks like a three-year deal isn't really a three-year deal, is it?

No, it's not and honestly, I didn't think that this was going to be that big of a deal

but when you have somebody like you and Rapperport come out and say, Kelsey is getting a three-year

deal for $58 million.

That's all people seem to read, right?

I think it's pretty good.

I'm wrong.

40 of it is a balloon payment that will never happen, right?

Correct.

I was trying to find the actual contract details that Ian put out there but yeah, it's

one of those things where it's not a real...

You can argue that he's getting basically $18 million a year but the third-year payment,

the contract becomes due $68, I believe, of 2027.

So it literally is going to be something that he can retire next year.

The numbers, it's three years, 54.735 million that could be worth up to 57.735 million for

an average of 18.245 million per year.

But again, year one is 12 million with 3 million incentives and the last payment is a guaranteed

salary in 2028 of $40 million which he will never see and it will never be an issue.

This team will have to deal with because they structured it so it would spread out the

cap hit for Kelsey and that's essentially what they've done.

Like, he's getting a base salary of $3 million a year.

He's got a signing bonus of 10.655 so he's got a cap number of 4.9 million almost and he's

got a roster bonus of about $3 million a year.

So he's in one of those situations where he's going to make $12 million this year but it's

not going to be a huge deal in Kansas City.

He could make up to 15 depending on incentives which I haven't seen the incentives but I would

imagine they're not likely to be earned because if they were likely to be earned they'd be

on the salary cap in 2026 and they're not.

It's much to do about nothing because 2027 is a voidier and 2028 is a voidier but it's

on there for cap purposes so it spreads out his signing bonus.

So that's the two major accomplishments here right of all of this structure is the two

voidiers spread out the signing bonus and spread out that dead money that you're going to

have right because the June 8th of all dates seems very you know post month so that you

can get to that you have a week after your deadline so you can cut it in half and basically

spread it over two years but that's really that the goal that that's exactly what the deal is

and if he is going to be back in 2027 they will know well before that date and they will really

go sheet the contract and it will just go away that $40 million will go away it'll obviously it'll

bring into account the whole 8 million that they have spread over the next two years so essentially

at this point let's say let's let's break it down this way if Kelsey retires he will have a

cap it in 2027 of I believe it's $4.896 million and in 2028 of $3.5 million which you know when

you're looking at what the salary cap is I'm not going to care he's earned it they're paying him

I'm happy with it they needed to get this deal done they needed to get him to return and again the

$40 million at the just keeps his APY high which helps the entire position group which we're going

to talk about right APY and all of how that's going to affect things for this team and others

going for B.I. it's it's not real that 40 million is not real the 58 million or 57 or 54

million 57 million none of those numbers are real Kelsey's getting $12 million dollars is here

up to 15 and we'll count basically a little more than four to between four and five for the next three

years and that's that's the price you pay to keep to keep him on the roster at a level that you

can afford to pay and those those couple of extra years where you're going to pay the money in

3.3 to five works right I think that's mission accomplished do you see any problem with what they

did or is there any lasting negativity from the way that they structured this I mean the only

thing that you can argue is that you're going to have debt gap space for somebody it's going to be

off the roster but considering what Travis Kelsey has meant to this franchise and you know I don't

think that he was going to be I don't think that they wanted to come in and give him something

that wasn't anywhere close to market and $12 million dollars is close to market it's not great but

it's still close to what the market says it should be so I do think that there's some value in

that and I think when you look at this overall they get Travis Kelsey back I mean you have a guy

that's caught what close to 800 yards last year you know and had seven straight seasons of over a

thousand yards a season and yeah he slowed down he doesn't have his speed anymore but his speed

isn't what makes him great it's his ability to find space it's his spatial awareness and it's his

connection with my homes and if you're going to tell me that you're going to be paying four

million dollars for Travis Kelsey's spatial awareness and his ability to pull defenses and to find

open spots and zones yeah I think I'll pay that this year and I'll probably pay it for the next

couple of years because I do think that he gives them the ability to I'm not going to say he's the

reason that they go back to the Super Bowl but he definitely is going to make it easier for them to

have a chance to go back to the Super Bowl in 2026 I completely agree and correct me if I'm wrong

they they have less than what nine million in dead money I mean they're one of the lower

branches is in the league so adding a little bit for a Hall of Fame tight end doesn't really bother me

yeah and I would have to look at that I hadn't looked at that specific never I'll get that before we

get to our next segment for what they have in dead money but they came into this season as one of

the teams that had the least amount of dead money and so that's one of those things where it just

means you're doing something right so it looks like they have a total of almost just under 10 million

dollars in dead money and that's Joanne Taylor and Mike Dana which I will say I know we're talking

about Kelsey it's interesting Joanne Taylor's still sitting out there just dip throwing that out

there and we're going to talk about the fact that seven is not enough in the next segment but

just saying he's still sitting out there and looking who got just got to know what four million

yeah right no no thank you what we'll argue about that coming up next

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now I see where you're going and we'll have this argument because I have a counterpoint but

folks this is the fact that right now and I don't know if this is updated

Chris since the council contract came but I have 7.127 currently listed is that correct

yep that should be all right yeah that's not even enough really to sign your draft class in

any free agent like including the draft class like UDFA's right that that's not enough so there

has to be something else that has to happen what do you think that's got to be yeah there's

lots of different things that are going to have to happen they're going to have to restructure

somebody and I'm not sure where they're going to get that restructure from the the one that's

going to free up the most money is for would probably be maybe tracemith could would free up the

most money potentially um Chris Jones is an option create Humphrey's an option George

Galopsis is an option it just really depends on what exactly they want to you know how much

they want to do uh Trey Trey is an option his 2020 7th salary has already become guaranteed so it's

not like he's going to be going anywhere in 2027 right likely you're going to still be here in 2028

so it's something that you could do uh you're not going to be able to do anything with my homes you've

already done the restructure with my homes so it's a matter of finding a player that you think you

want to restructure or cut somebody I mean like in theory that's possible I don't think that they

want to go that direction uh the other issue that you have that you run into is their drive class

is going to cost them about ten million dollars and you still need about four probably to operate

on top of that ten million dollars and that doesn't count any of the guys that aren't currently on

the salary cap because you have the top 51 that are only counted against the salary cap and you're

going to have about 70 players plus probably whoever many end up on IR that are going to be counted

against the salary cap this year so you have some decent amount of moves you're going to have to do

I'm not exactly sure where they're going to do it uh I mean like I said there's several different

contracts they could look at it's just a matter of what do they want to open up how much do they

want to open up and and where do they want to go with it now it may be multiple contracts sorry

yeah I was just going to say with trade they get about 12 back that still doesn't quite seem

enough to me so maybe it's got to be bulky and creed if there's anybody of the three the big three

trade creed and George Carloftus that you think may not complete the next four or five seasons

with this team it's got to be Carloftus right so that'd be the one you want to touch the least

along with Chris Jones right I mean yeah but Carloftus doesn't free up a ton of money so I mean

you can but Carloftus's sorry is is only like 11 million dollars so you know that's one of those

things to look at when you when you start looking at this I mean you look at the at this point

you're past the point of doing anything with roster bonuses so any of the roster bonuses that are

out there they've already been paid so you're looking at okay can you do something with

um you know what can you do with the salaries so then you're looking at the base salary amounts

for some of these players and you have you know Chris Jones in 19 trade Smith at just under 20

Bolton but he doesn't have any extra you know Jalen Moore doesn't have any extra creed Humphrey

George Carloftus it what I mean not by not having extras they don't have extra years that

you could really add to right so I mean I think you're going to be limited to probably

trace Smith freedom for your Chris Jones and I mean yes you could do something with George

Carloftus but you're gonna have to do something with Carloftus and another person so more than likely

you're going to end up doing two moves and that doesn't even take into account whether or not you

actually go out and sign another free agent which is something that they are rumored to be interested

in doing with cam Jordan now who knows whether or not they end up doing that but that's something

that you know needs to be considered is what do they need to free up to do that and then the other

question with with a guy like cam Jordan specifically is do you wait until is he willing to wait

because he's got his money like he's made his money in the NFL is he willing to wait because he

wants to play in Kansas City until after the comp pick formula is set and then he possibly

could come to Kansas City maybe they give him an extra million dollars to do that and

don't affect the comp pick formula and you get more comp picks in 2027 then you would if you

signed him now which I think laying into it I was gonna say I think that's part of the thing I

still think I just don't know what impact cam Jordan gonna have I don't know if that's money

well spent at this point well it depends on what he wants I don't disagree with you like I'm not

saying it's a great move I'm just saying that's one of the moves that it's out there that's that

they've been rumored to be interested in and the only reason I throw a draw on Taylor was because

you look at another tackle that just got signed for about four million dollars and I'm sitting

there going okay at that point if if he's willing to sign for something like that

with all the issues that they've had at the tackle position and keeping people healthy I mean

that's what I would consider I mean I just don't know how you could have him back on the roster

and say by the way you're not the starter now you're in the same position but now you're the backup

to jail and more but we just spent 15 million dollars on to have 427 snatch which is not ideal in

the first place it just feels like good money after bad but well it does but the same

time you have you know people that are still out there you know saying that the Chiefs are

interested in Trent Williams which I don't understand at all now and jail and more doesn't have to

be the starter I mean it could be a camp competition it doesn't matter you could I still we had

this argument last year yeah I wouldn't care if you have Joanne Taylor and Jalen Moore out there

as two guys going at it trying to figure out who your right tackle is and one of them is your swing

doesn't matter to me okay get the guys out there and play I'm not saying again I'm not saying

that they should I'm just saying when you look at how much people are signing for at this point

because of where things are and the other thing is is I don't think Joanne Taylor

recount against the comp pick for him because it's one of your own free agents so that also could

play into it and the Chiefs are in in pretty good shape for a fourth round pick in multiple

seven thrump picks if I remember correctly I believe one of them was reduced to a single seven

at this point so it is what it is I'm I'm torn I'm just checking out cam Jordan here 36 pressures

last year actually better than I expected gave you 600 snaps you know whoever you were and did

get to the quarterback 10 times so maybe maybe I'm should be more impressed than than I am currently

but that's not the only issue you have to get to the point where you can stabilize the roster maybe

that's it it would allow Ash and Claudia to play in first and second down and let him be a designated

past roster and just see what happens and maybe that's another way for breath each to set the table flat

before they get to the draft because the pre draft roster has to take shape all the way and you

want to get as much done as you can just like the Seahawks did we'll get to that next

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folks there's a lot that has to go into a pre draft roster so you can feel like you can do what you

got to do and if you want to do what you got to do you can get into the everyday or club because

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super easy like don't use that supercast.com check that out so I know this is a big deal and I know

it kind of shook the ground a little bit I could just see a little bit well I'm trying to let you

hit the hammer here see I'm just see what we talk about quite a bit that they got stuff done

as early as possible and I think that's smart on their part especially given the season Jason

just had what do you think it does for us I think it screws the entire NFL. Here's my problem and

this is what I actually said I went on X right after I saw the contract and I'm like this is not

like this is this is not what you normally do for a player like I'm not saying Jackson Smith and

Jay but it's not a good wide receiver he is but a four year extension for 168.6 million dollars

your averaging 42.15 120 million guaranteed like for a wide receiver that is going into year four

here's here's there's multiple different problems one you're paying him top of market he is now the

highest paid wide receiver per these numbers now the team is going to argue he's not because he's

really getting 32.5 million I think over six years because he's under contract the extension is

four years past the next two which he already has so that's what the team is going to argue the players

are going to argue know he's getting paid 42 million dollars a year in new money just like what

Trimmy Duffy argued even though Trimmy Duffy didn't get or like he got 31 million on his new contract

and now you're looking in a situation where you know the Rams are arguing I think it's close

for the 27 because he's only like 13 million this year and it's a four year extension past that so

that's kind of what's going on and the reason that I wanted to actually discuss this is because

this affects the one the entire NFL but this absolutely in fact affects what the chiefs

should be looking at and considering when it comes to the draft because the reality of the

situation is and I know you have argued with me on this but I don't think there's an argument anymore

wide receiver is a premium position dang it I hate it when you're right clearly that's what

John Schneider thinks I'm not ready to say that but John Schneider agrees with you and here's the

thing is they did this now and they still have a fifth year option on it yeah they have to go here

right and that's well it's not it's not even an option it's like it's a 50 well I guess yeah

technically it's an option but yeah they didn't have to go here and that's the other thing

they gave him all this money when he still has two years on his deal generally speaking and

this was my other point generally speaking when you get a deal done two years early you're doing it

because you're getting a discount this is not a discount yeah yeah because there's there's there's

two sets of ears that perked up after this and I guarantee you they belong to Rishi Rice and

to Xavier where that's gonna be a problem well Rishi Rice Xavier really but like it's gonna my

bigger issue like yeah you have to worry about those two but my bigger issue is the entire NFL

in general because you have George Pickens who's on a franchise tag and I understand that's a Dallas

cowboy but that's gonna affect everybody at that position yeah Pickens is going to see that this

contract and go oh okay well my starting point is now 42 million a year well it's yeah I was

gonna say 40 but who knows I you just you look at this and how it's going to affect things and

don't get me wrong I know that the seller cap is going up I know things are going

no it will come back no it will not ever be a premium position and to be clear would I say

premium position I'm talking about a position that you should consider in the first round yeah yeah

like that's that's the reality and and again we've talked about this so if you listen if you

listen all the time you've heard me say while it's not a premium position sometimes there are

players that you have to consider taking in the first round even though they're not a premium

position because they're the best available and they're the best available by far chiefs could be

in that position if sunny styles is sitting there and a whole bunch of other guys are going

yeah that's just the reality yeah and folks for those of you who didn't see it I literally I don't

even think Chris knows this because he was traveling yesterday I literally just mocked to them

Jordan Tyson in the main draft and then I did you a bonus with a different tool to get a car

and I'll take and I have to say these are the guys that have the most impact because I didn't

even know about the JSM thing now it's just even more so you're right it is now the fifth pillar

of football because of what you have to pay to have it well and look at look at it this way

he's getting ten million dollars more a year than the best corner for the highest paid corner

yeah that's a good point eleven million dollars a year more because that's about to go up you

take sauce gardeners and going um excuse me well it and okay well it's not just sauce

gardener but trimmy definitely just got thirty one and he's the highest paid corner

Jason just got forty two uh I'm I'm curious now like QB money is obviously QB money is different

I understand that but when you start looking at how this is going to affect everything you

start thinking okay well wait a second what is the highest market at like corners thirty one

wide receiver is uh forty two now left tackle the highest is thirty not for low

so this is going to push quarterbacks into the sixties and this is going to push well there

already in the sixties that that press got now I guess that's true so yeah I mean so you're looking

at the the left tackle position is at thirty million wide receivers are now at forty two

uh edge rushers obviously are are higher but uh as Michael Parsons is at forty six and a half

like yeah it's a it's fifty the next the next number is fifty whoever signs the next contract

yeah I guess so so okay so let's go back and argue uh well I don't want to go back and argue

but I will I would go back and argue the fact that what they signed George Carloff this for is a

fricking steal I don't care the you know yeah I'm sure people want him to be a you know top ten

edge but you're not going to be able to pay a top ten edge what you're paying him yeah

so when you look at value when you look at everything that else that comes down to like there are

people out there still talking about the cheese looking at or considering Jeremiah love at nine

which regardless of whether you have Walker I would be a stupid thing for them to do maybe

because of position of value and and I would make that argument again for the linebacker position

but at the same time who's going to be left that's the problem you don't have the premium blue chip

talent and you don't know that you're going to be able to get a trade that gives you any kind of

value to trade back and get a guy that you really want so is it worth taking somebody that's

going to cost you 31 million over five years when you just look at like that's the other part of

this that's crazy to me think about that you would draft carnal tape and it would cost you 31

million over four years and I don't know what the fifth year option would possibly be like

a lot of carnal tape well right but even if it's I can't imagine it's much more than 15

but you would basically get carnal tape for one year of json yeah that's where this is right now

yeah and that's at the ninth pick in the draft yep I agree and that's that's the hardest part is

making sure that you're getting value with the selection that you make

it's tough well I think it does feed into what the chief's been doing though in that you select

you draft a top 100 a guy that you feel can come in and contribute to your offense every single year

so that you have to pay second contracts to wide receivers well and I argue what you want but

I'm not so sure that they're taking a much different approach with the with the corners yeah great

and great and quite frankly like this this goes back to everything that I think the chief's really

you're going to look at like obviously top five you know we've we've talked about a cubie

offensive tackle edge corner and now wide receiver so say what you want but those are the top five

positions now at this point the reality is Kansas City only has four of those positions that they

could possibly want to fill in the first round because they're not taking a cubie in the first round

wait we get that that makes sense they would never do that so you have four but edge who knows if

you're going to have an edge that's going to be there that you really want that would be the big

here's the crazy part about that that would be the crazy that would be the most effective use

of that pick is if they could go get an edge because you have edges making 47 almost 47 million

dollars a year you'd be paying somebody 16 million roughly less a year than one year of

micro parcels like that would be the most that would be the best value then you have wide receiver

and then you have corner and then you have tackled yeah yeah and that's the and that's honestly

the way that this is going to fall too and it may just happen that the edges aren't there and you

have to go wide receiver like we've seen in the last 24 hours so folks if you missed the early

ones go back and watch those because it kind of laid it out that's the scenario and maybe you

have to hope that edges second but it ain't going to happen at 29 we're going to see about how we move

around what comes next and if you want to hear all of this without all the bonus ads and stuff

getting the everydayer club it's your team every day just like always but you don't have to listen

to the ads it's at Lockdown Chiefs that's supercast.com we would appreciate it and Matt Derek's

going to be joining us tomorrow like we always do we'll be back at it and there's just more to come

we'll see if there's any other crazy extensions that absolutely screw over the rest of the league but

we will be here in the mean time to help you out thanks for your time today thanks for joining us

live we're going to try to do more of these on Monday nights we appreciate your time have a great one

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