Travis Kelce has not committed to another season yet. He has been undecided for a while, and while one familiar face in Eric Bieniemy is boosting the odds, a top NFL insider warns that a significant hurdle remains.

“Kelce, he’s been seemingly pretty positive about the hire of Eric Bieniemy, making me think he’s coming back,” Ian Rapoport said on NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal. “But you like to work out a deal, too, and they got cap problems.”

When Bieniemy returned to Arrowhead Stadium, Kelce did not hide his excitement.

“I can’t wait to see him back in the building,” Kelce said. “He’s one of my favorite coaches of all time, one of my favorite people of all time. I’ve had so many unbelievable growing moments under him as a player, as a person, and I just love the guy, and it’s going to be awesome to see him back in the building and see him back wearing the Chiefs logo.”

Kelce’s recent production tells a complicated story. The 36-year-old finished with 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns last season, his second-lowest total since 2015. However, during Bieniemy’s previous run as offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2022, Kelce recorded five straight 1,000-yard seasons, including a massive 1,416-yard campaign in 2020 with 11 scores.

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So while Bieniemy would perhaps like to work with Kelce, there is another issue, as Rapoport pointed out, the cap strain hovering over the Chiefs.

Before restructuring Patrick Mahomes’ contract, the franchise sat more than $50 million above the projected 2026 cap. By converting $54.45 million into a signing bonus, they created $43.56 million in space and lowered his cap hit to $34.65 million. Still, the team remains about $11 million over the limit.

Because of that reality, former NFL agent and CBS Sports analyst Joel Corry believes a sizable pay cut is almost certain if Travis Kelce returns. Corry projects a new contract in the $10 million to $12 million range, well below his previous $17.125 million average.

So, any new agreement would reflect both age and cap limits. However, during the same podcast, Rapoport also revealed the real reason behind Matt Nagy’s exit from the Chiefs.

Insider reveals the real reason why Matt Nagy left the Chiefs

After a frustrating 6-11 finish, the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator Matt Nagy moved on once his contract expired. He quickly met with several teams for head coaching openings, hoping to land another top job.

However, none of those interviews turned into an offer. Now, insider Ian Rapoport has explained what really led to Nagy stepping away from Arrowhead Stadium.

“I think Matt Nagy intentionally put himself where he is,” Rapoport said. “He was with Andy Reid… they were really good until last year, when they were not as good. Offensive line had some issues…injuries, there’s a lot of things. I think Matt Nagy wanted to be a play caller and was like, ‘I’m going to take a risk, put myself out there, and be a play caller and see if I could be a head coach,’ and that’s what happened.”

Nagy interviewed with four franchises, yet each one chose a different path. Once the Cleveland Browns hired Todd Monken, the carousel nearly stopped. By Feb. 1, every opening was either filled or verbally agreed upon, and Nagy’s window closed. Soon after, he landed with the New York Giants as offensive coordinator. Still, Andy Reid publicly stood by him.

“He deserves to have a head coaching job. If not, it allows him to go out and do his thing. I mean, somebody is missing a gem here. That’s how I feel,” Reid added. “I would love to see him get picked up and going. At the same time, we got back a gem [in Bieniemy]. It has a chance to be a win-win here when everything is said and done.”

So now, attention turns back to Travis Kelce and Eric Bieniemy. If Kelce returns, the Chiefs could regain rhythm. Either way, the new offensive direction at Arrowhead Stadium will define next season.