The Kansas City Chiefs’  bitter NFL season was worsened by Patrick Mahomes’ injury. The three-time Lombardi Trophy winner missed the backend of the season with an ACL and LCL tear in his left knee. As Mahomes’ return in Week 1 of the 2026 season remains under a cloud of doubt, the franchise might already be on their way to change things up.

The Chiefs might have to restructure his contract to avoid a massive $78 million cap hit. This move could free up close to $44.36 million in cap savings on Mahomes’ contract, as per Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. The Chiefs have one of the best rosters across the league, with quality players at almost every position. Furthermore, the franchise has 44 players currently under contract for the 2026 NFL season, which takes them about $52.7 million over a projected $295.5 million salary cap, as per Over the Cap.

Hence, if the Chiefs’ GM Brett Veach can work out a restructuring of Patrick Mahomes’ 10-year, $450 million extension (potentially $503 million) signed in 2020, the franchise could free up $109 million in cap space. As revealed by A to Z Sports reporter Charles Goldman, Kansas City could move forward with this restructuring by converting Patrick Mahomes’ base salary into a signing bonus.

“Typically, they restructure a portion of his contract to create salary cap space, and that remains an option this year by turning some of his $45.3 million base salary into a signing bonus,” Goldman wrote. “I’d wager that’s the route they go this year, but they might want to keep that number on the lower side this season.”

As Mahomes put forth a campaign with the lowest numbers across completion percentage (62.7%), yardage total (3,587 yards), and touchdown numbers (22), this restructuring of his contract would allow the Chiefs to bring in some quality weapons to improve their 6-11 record. The top offseason target? Tyreek Hill. The former Chiefs wideout was recently released by the Miami Dolphins, a move a veteran ESPN journalist had been pushing for.

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Stephen A. Smith wants the Chiefs to bring back Tyreek Hill

Star wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s tenure in Miami came to an expected end as the Dolphins decided to release the 31-year-old, ahead of the 2026 season. Hill played in South Beach for 54 games while recording 340 receptions, 4,733 receiving yards, and 28 total touchdowns after signing the highest extension for a wide receiver in 2022, worth $120m over four years.

But as he suffered an ACL injury in the 2025 season, the Dolphins have released Hill, making him an unrestricted free agent. With the NFL free agency weeks away, ESPN broadcaster Stephen A. Smith wants the Chiefs to pursue their former star.

“You know what? He should be targeting going back to Kansas City; he should want to go back and play with Patrick Mahomes because he is desperately needed,” Smith said on ESPN’s First Take. “I don’t care that you got (Xavier) Worthy and (Rashee) Rice, they ain’t Tyreek Hill, they’re good, but I’m telling you right now, Tyreek Hill out there is something to behold when healthy.”

Smith, with these comments, is onto something, as Hill had some of his most productive years in a Kansas City jersey after being drafted by the Chiefs in 2016. Since then, the star wideout recorded four 1,000-yard receiving campaigns in Missouri. Subsequently, he won Super Bowl LIV with the Chiefs and was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team as a punt returner while making eight consecutive Pro Bowls in his career.

Whether a Tyreek Hill reunion is on the cards, only time will tell. But the Chiefs must be quick to take the $44.36 million decision regarding Patrick Mahomes to enter the 2026 season as one of the Super Bowl favorites.