Bank of Mahomes: The $42M Restructure and the Road to Cap Compliance
Patrick Mahomes’ contract flip saves the Chiefs nearly $42M, while legal troubles for Rasheed Rice cast a shadow over the 2026 wide receiver room.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ offseason is officially in overdrive.
In this high-energy edition of the KC Laboratory, Kent Swanson, Craig Stout, and Matty Lane dive into the financial gymnastics required to get the Chiefs under the cap for 2026. The headline move? A massive restructure of Patrick Mahomes’ contract, converting his roster bonus into a signing bonus and slashing his cap hit from a staggering $78.2 million down to $34.65 million.
But it’s not all spreadsheets and signing bonuses. The crew tackles the sobering news regarding wide receiver Rasheed Rice, who is facing a civil lawsuit alleging domestic violence. This development, stacked on top of a turbulent year, has the guys questioning Rice’s future in Kansas City and elevated the wide receiver position to “biggest need” status.
Plus, don’t miss “Seven Minutes with Craig” as he breaks down the hiring of new defensive backs coach Andre Curtis.
Key Takeaways:
The Mahomes Lever: How freeing up $42M in cap space gives Brett Veach the flexibility to avoid a “total fire sale.”
The Rasheed Rice Fallout: Why the Chiefs can no longer trust Rice as a volume target and what that means for the 2026 draft strategy.
Targeting Volume: Why the free agent market (Mike Evans, Christian Kirk) might only offer “complementary” pieces, forcing the Chiefs to find a WR1 in the top 40 picks.
Mock Draft Roundup: Analysis of the Chiefs selecting Jeremiah Love (RB, Notre Dame) and the polarizing potential of Mai Lemon (WR, USC) at pick nine.