The Kansas City Chiefs have rewarded the two most influential players in their Super Bowl LIV victory over the 49ers with gigantic contract extensions this offseason.
First, they gave quarterback Patrick Mahomes a record deal that could be worth up to $ 503 million. Then they reportedly struck a deal with star defensive tackle Chris Jones in another lucrative extension, a four-year deal worth up to $ 85 million, on Tuesday.
That’s a lot of mass for any low season. In the midst of a global pandemic that is almost certain to cause a severe drop in league revenue, he might seem short-sighted and downright stupid on the surface. But the Chiefs didn’t rise to the top of the NFL by accident. And if you dig a little deeper, a strategy is at stake.
For starters, as astronomical as Mahomes’ total salary, the huge payments are not immediate. Mahomes has a cap worth about $ 5.4 million for the upcoming 2020 season, making him arguably the lowest-paid player in the league. In 2021, that cap hit the balloons at $ 24.8 million, certainly a big jump, but still less than it’s worth.
Only in 2022 and beyond, the success of the Mahomes cover could prove burdensome to maintain a roster of champions.
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Jones’ contract, on the other hand, is structured in almost the opposite way. According to Over The Cap, all of the guaranteed money is paid within the first two years of the contract, which means that Kansas City could theoretically cut Jones after the 2021 season and incur no financial penalty.
By structuring the Mahomes and Jones contracts the way they did, the Chiefs managed to possibly reward their top two players and maintain their league top status right away, while giving the team some financial flexibility in the future. Even star defensive end Frank Clark has no money guaranteed beyond the 2021 season.
Now, the Chiefs plan doesn’t come without significant risk. If the salary cap falls significantly by 2021, then they will likely have to make some tough decisions on the list, as they already have over $ 200 million in limit liabilities for that season.
Consequently, two things are clear. First, the Bosses obviously expect the salary cap to increase in the near future. If not, Mahomes’ contract could be prohibitive for the contest, no matter how good it is. And second, they go all-inclusive in the 2020 season, presumably in an attempt to become the first consecutive Super Bowl champions since the New England Patriots in 2003 and 2004.
What can 49ers learn from this? First off, it’s worth having people on site who know how to get creative with the cap. Paraag Marathe would certainly qualify, which is why San Francisco is in good shape there.
Also, finding key contributors in the draft is essential to complete a list of the best. That is an area where the Chiefs have been very successful, and the 49ers have also done well.
However, more specifically, signing people like George Kittle, Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, and other key players to hire extensions might not be as impossible as it sounds. Depending on how the contracts are structured, they could theoretically balance each other so as not to rack up huge salary commitments on top of each other in a given season.
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In short, it takes two to dance tango. Players must accept the contracts offered to them, and their personal priorities do not necessarily coincide with those of the team often. That said, clearly, the tone has been set in the Chiefs’ locker room. Many of its players, including stars like Mahomes and Jones, have made sacrifices to maintain what could be the league’s most formidable roster.
If the 49ers hope to do the same, and ultimately outshine the Chiefs, a similar combination of acceptance, creativity and risk is likely to be necessary for this to happen.
