Breaking Down Kenneth Walkers' Chiefs Contract

Kansas City continued to solidify its backfield by signing Emari Demercado to a one-year deal. The 27-year-old running back will be a complementary piece to Walker III and should operate on pass-catching downs.

With that being said, Walker III has been the highlight of the Chiefs' offseason acquisitions. And while the contract details on the surface have been known since the day of the signing, the structure of the deal has not been made available until early Saturday morning. Here is a closer look at how Kansas City's front office formalized the multi-year commitment.

Kansas City Possesses Flexibility

Similar to most deals done in the Brett Veach era, the final year of the contract can easily be moved off. In 2028, the 25-year-old running back is an $18.6 million cap hit, but the Chiefs can save $14.35 million by releasing Walker III with a pre-June 1 designation. Additionally, no guaranteed money is allocated for the third and final year of the deal.

This is essentially a two-year contract, allowing Veach to maneuver money around in 2028, contingent on the state of the roster at that time. Walker III carries the same cap hit in 2027 - $18.6 million -, but unlike 2028, he is guaranteed $14.35 million, which locks him in as a member of the organization through 2027.

Friendly Cap Number in 2026

Next season, Walker III is a $5.6 million cap hit, which accounts for 1.9 percent of the cap. While this illustrates the points above that the following two years will be increasingly more expensive, structuring the first-year parameters in this way allows Kansas City to potentially pursue one or two additional free agents, depending on the cost.

Currently, the Chiefs have $19.5 million left to spend. However, a portion of that will be spent on incoming rookies who are drafted in April, so if Kansas City wants to orchestrate a significant signing, it must free up additional financial flexibility via a contract restructure or release of a player.

It is important to remember that the initial reporting of a deal does not tell the whole story of a contract. The averages on contracts are an overstated variable, as the structure and guaranteed money are the most important aspects to focus on. As stated, this is a two-year deal, with the ability to move on after the third year, depending on how things unfold.