Chiefs Plan to Pick up Fifth-Year Options

Both former first-round picks have been electric for the Kansas City franchise since donning a uniform, as they have both been huge contributors in championship winning seasons. Keeping both locked up gives the Chiefs the chance to continue being the team to beat in the AFC as a whole.

Karlaftis would be making $15,196,000 for the 2026 campaign, and McDuffie would be making just over $13 million. Upon being exercised, the fifth year option is fully guaranteed, and any base salary in the player's fourth year that was not fully guaranteed will become so.

For those who don't know, here is the description of a fifth-year option, per Over the Cap:

"The 2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement allows for teams to exercise a fifth year option for players drafted in the first round as an addition to the standard four year rookie contract."

For Karlaftis, since 2022, the Chiefs' defensive end has played in 49 regular season games, totaling 115 total tackles, 68 solo tackles, and 24.5 quarterback sacks.

For McDuffie, since 2022, the Chiefs' cornerback has played in 43 regular season games, totaling 183 total tackles, 133 solo tackles, and 27 passes defended.

Both players are elite on the defensive side of the ball, further giving the Chiefs' front office all the more reason to keep them in Kansas City for an extra year.

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