Jaylen Watson is pricing himself out of Chiefs Kingdom

The Kansas City Chiefs class of 2022 is ready to get paid.

General manager Brett Veach has enjoyed some solid draft classes during his tenure, which is why the Chiefs have been able to sustain such success in an era of parity in the NFL. However, the 2022 NFL Draft was his masterstroke. All good things must come to an end, and for Veach, that means being able to reap the rewards of his selections for a yeoman's wages.

As the 2022 draft class prepares to hit free agency, having played through most of their four-year rookie deals, visions of life-changing contracts are likely dancing in their heads. For one cornerback in particular, the free-agency deal earned will be substantial. The only question is whether or not the Chiefs will be the ones paying Jaylen Watson.

Watson was one of three seventh-round picks for the Chiefs in '22, along with defensive back Nazeeh Johnson and running back Isiah Pacheco. To find even one player remaining on the roster years later from any seventh round is a rare thing, but for all three to find not only a roster spot but real ways to contribute is uncanny. Even those three picks alone would testify to the Chiefs' acumen for unearthing talent.

It might not be the Chiefs, but Jaylen Watson is performing well enough in a contract year that some team is going to step up next spring.

Watson, in particular, is a vital cog to Steve Spagnuolo's defense, a player who grew into a spot starter early in his career and blossomed into a strong boundary presence when given a greater level of responsibility.

The Chiefs decided to trade away L'Jarius Sneed in the spring of 2024, and while the decision now looks like a prescient move by Veach, at the time, Sneed was a lockdown corner who was tough to lose. His void created a real concern for Chiefs fans, hoping that someone else would be able to step up with consistency at a mercurial position.

While he was injured for much of that season, Watson more than proved himself on the outside, which is why the Chiefs knew they could rely on him both late in '24 and coming into 2025. So far this season, he's started all 9 contests for K.C. and has teamed with Trent McDuffie and Nohl Williams to form an impressive core trio.

Not only is Watson able to handle himself in coverage while bringing a tough, physical presence, but he's also versatile enough to be a plus against the run and used occasionally on blitzes for Spagnuolo. Pro Football Focus gives him an overall grade of 74.9, and he's allowing a 69.8 passer rating.

The Chiefs like to reward their own, when possible, but herein lies the potential quandary for Watson if he wanted to extend his stay with the team that drafted him. K.C. has an incredible track record of developing cornerbacks over the years, and they've not felt the need to retain too many in Veach's tenure. Even this year, Williams, a third-round rookie, has defied everyone's expectations by taking over a starting role, which has left an expensive free agent like Kristian Fulton on the bench.

Going into next year, the Chiefs still have Fulton under contract with Williams around for years to come and McDuffie playing on a fifth-year option. Even as Watson, Johnson, and Joshua Williams all hit free agency, the Chiefs' front office might like their chances to go young (and cheap) again at the position, at least in Watson's case, rather than pay market rate.

Already it's clear they like Kevin Knowles enough to stash him on the active roster, which bodes well for his projections. If the Chiefs were without Williams, for example, then perhaps Watson might be in play, but it feels safe to say another team is going to offer more money than what Veach would provide.

Free agency has surprised before, but the saying "money talks" exists for a reason. Watson's rookie deal paid him $3.76 million over his first four seasons in the league. Spotrac's market value projection for Watson in free agency is $16 million per season and predicts a three-year deal around $48 million next spring. It's hard to see Veach coming up with that kind of commitment knowing the other demands on the roster.

That said, even if Watson goes elsewhere—like others before him, from Sneed to Charvarius Ward—he will remain an appreciated player in Chiefs Kingdom who helped deliver multiple titles as part of an illustrious draft class. The contract year is going well so far, and it looks as if Watson is bound to get paid, even if it's away from Kansas City.