
Chiefs unlock cap room after McDuffie trade and Jawaan Taylor release
The Kansas City Chiefs traded cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams (erasing his $13.6 million 2026 salary) and then released tackle Jawaan Taylor (removing a $20 million cap hit), leaving KC about $23.3 million under the salary cap. The cap breathing room lets the Chiefs pursue free agents and manage rookie-cost commitments from three top-40 picks, with potential Chris Jones restructuring still on the table and escrow payments expected for fully guaranteed 2026 rookie contracts.











