Chiefs’ Salary Cap: Space comes into focus from details for 5 players

The Kansas City Chiefs got a head start on free agency, wrapping up a three-year contract for linebacker Nick Bolton just before free agency’s “legal tampering” period began.

Originally reported as a “flat deal” with $15 million per season, the cap specifics are a bit more complicated. Per the contract website Spotrac, most of Bolton’s 2025 money will come via a $12.8 million signing bonus to be spread over the three seasons. $4.3 million of the bonus will be charged to the salary cap in each of next three seasons.

For the coming season, Bolton will earn a fully guaranteed $2 million base salary plus a yearly $250,000 workout bonus — always considered likely-to-be-earned (LTBE) for accounting purposes. This gives the linebacker only a $6.5 million salary cap charge for 2025, while the remaining two seasons will have cap numbers of $19.25 million.

Bolton’s $14.75 million base salary for 2026 is also fully guaranteed.

The Chiefs were not done reinforcing the defense. On March 11, the team agreed to terms with free agent cornerback Kristian Fulton — last with the division rival Los Angeles Chargers. The reported contract terms were two years for $20 million. $15 million of his compensation was guaranteed at signing.

Spotrac now has the breakdown of Fulton’s contract, including his salary cap numbers for 2025 and 2026.

Fulton will earn $10 million in both seasons. For 2025, he will pair a $3.8 million guaranteed base salary with a $6 million signing bonus. The salary cap charge for the signing bonus will be split over the two seasons, with $3 million charged to each year’s limit. As with Bolton, Fulton is eligible for a $250,000 workout bonus, yielding a 2025 salary cap number of $7 million.

Fulton’s $10 million in 2026 earnings will come via a $9.8 million base salary combined with the same $250,000 workout bonus. With the remaining $3 million of his signing bonus applied to 2026, Fulton’s 2026 salary cap number will be $13 million.

$5 million of Fulton’s 2026 salary is guaranteed, meaning he will almost certainly not be a candidate to be cut for cap space a year from now. Because he only signed a two-year deal, an extension will be the only path to reducing Fulton’s 2026 salary cap figure.

Information is also available on some of the Chiefs’ minor signings.

Running back Elijah Mitchell agreed to terms with Kansas City almost immediately after the negotiating window opened last week. Originally reported as “up to $3.5 million,” Mitchell’s contract includes a $1.4 million base salary (with $1.1 million guaranteed) as well as a $250,000 signing bonus and a $100,000 workout bonus.

Mitchell can also earn $750,000 in per-game active roster bonuses ($44,118 for each game he dresses for). An additional $1 million is available for unspecified incentives that may be tied to rushing yard benchmarks or scoring thresholds. Because Mitchell did not accumulate any stats in 2024 while managing a hamstring injury, all incentives will be considered not-likely-to-be-earned (NLTBE). Any earned incentives will be applied to the 2026 salary cap.

We disagree with Spotrac’s estimated $2.2 million cap charge for Mitchell. The website includes 11 active game roster bonuses — the number of games Mitchell played in 2023 — as LTBE. Because Mitchell did not appear in any game in 2024, we believe the entire $750,000 will be categorized as NLTBE, leaving him with a salary cap charge of $1.75 million for 2025.

Kansas City also brought back quarterback Bailey Zappe after the Cleveland Browns declined to tender the passer as a restricted free agent. Zappe spent part of 2024 on the Chiefs’ practice squad before being signed to Cleveland’s active roster. Should Zappe make Kansas City’s 53-man roster out of training camp, he is in line for a $1.1 million salary — the minimum for players with three credited seasons. None of his scheduled salary is guaranteed.

The Chiefs will also be bringing back veteran tight end Robert Tonyan for at least part of the offseason. Tonyan is signed for the veteran minimum of $1.3 million, though none of the salary is guaranteed. Because of the veteran salary benefit, his earnings are charged to the cap at only $1.0 million — the minimum salary for players with two credited seasons. Because of his veteran status, Tonyan’s full salary will become guaranteed if he is on Kansas City’s 53-man roster for Week 1.

At this moment, contract figures are not available for quarterback Gardner Minshew, running back Kareem Hunt, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, and defensive linemen Jerry Tillery, Marlon Tuipulotu, and Malik Herring.

With these revised contract numbers (and our best guesses for the cap hits of the six players for which Spotrac has not yet accounted), we estimate the Chiefs are under the league salary cap by between $14.1 million and $15.1 million — likely $15.1 million.