One of the downsides of drafting well and being a successful team is the balancing act that comes with it. The Kansas City Chiefs have learned that harsh reality more than any NFL franchise as of late, and it’s only going to continue being the case.
Several of general manager Brett Veach’s players will hit the open market in the spring. As Kansas City attempts to navigate the salary cap with limited assets, retaining everyone is a pipe dream.
One piece, in particular, is generating some buzz as the 2025-26 campaign rolls on.
Report: Chiefs Could Let CB Jaylen Watson Hit Free Agency in March
In a November 21 story for ESPN, beat writer Nate Taylor listed cornerback Jaylen Watson as the Chiefs’ pending free agent to watch. He believes that extending Trent McDuffie is of greater importance to the team. That, in turn, makes re-signing Watson much trickier to achieve.
“For the past two seasons, he has been a capable No. 2 cornerback,” Taylor wrote about Watson. “The Chiefs will likely let Watson, a 2022 seventh-round pick, hit free agency because extending cornerback Trent McDuffie, a two-time All-Pro, is more of a priority. This season, Watson has one interception, a sack and four pass breakups.”
Watson, a fourth-year man, is turning in a very productive season. In just 10 games, he’s already up to 42 tackles (2 for loss) with an interception and 4 pass breakups. The former Washington State standout is surrendering a 77.5 passer rating in coverage, almost matching his career-best mark of 75.4 set last year. Watson’s combination of length and physicality is a near-perfect fit in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme.
He’s also a tough cookie, having played 91% of available snaps in 2024 and 96% in 2025. Advanced metrics like him, too. Entering Week 12’s play, Watson is the No. 11 corner out of 108 qualified players in Pro Football Focus overall grade. That includes a sparkling No. 7 ranking for pass rush, as well as respective 16th and 30th marks for coverage and run defense.
Estimates of what Watson could earn in free agency vary. Spotrac has him at being worth $11.4 million per year, whereas Over the Cap puts him at a whopping $19.8M.
Affording that and a mega-deal for McDuffie, as Taylor alluded to, is much easier said than done.
Assessing Kansas City’s Internal Options for 2026
Of course, getting contract ironed out with McDuffie is the first, second, and third priority for the Chiefs. The former first-round pick is one of the best cornerbacks in the sport. His ability to deliver consistent results, regardless of inside or outside alignment, is critical. He also has a fifth-year option exercised, so there’s a bit of time to strike an agreement there.
Elsewhere, Watson is joined by fellow 2022 draft classmates Joshua Williams and Nazeeh Johnson in contract status. Both of the latter players are set to enter unrestricted free agency in March as well. With that said, either is easier to replace. Williams struggles to even factor into special teams, and Johnson’s Chiefs tenure has been marred with injuries and inconsistency.
It isn’t pretty, but there are a couple of noteworthy names coming back next year. Rookie third-rounder Nohl Williams has flashed serious upside at times, and he’s still just 23 years old. Offseason signing Kristian Fulton, who’s struggled to make an impact thus far, is ramping up and now has the trust of his coaches. He’s on a two-year pact that carries a $13M cap hit for 2026, his age-28 season. Undrafted rookie Kevin Knowles should also be acknowledged at cornerback.
There are some hybrid pieces returning, too. Chris Roland-Wallace and Chamarri Conner make up that primary group. Roland-Wallace, a 2024 undrafted free agent, is under traditional club control through 2026 and then is a restricted free agent in 2027. Conner, a fourth-round pick in 2023, has one more season left on his rookie deal.
On paper, that room looks much better with Watson in it. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, that may not wind up being their reality come March.
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