Who are the Chiefs' free agents? Key pending FAs include DeAndre Hopkins
With free agency's negotiation period exactly one month away, the Chiefs already should be thinking about getting quarterback Patrick Mahomes a new backup and some additional offensive weapons.
Wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins, Justin Watson, Marquise "Hollywood" Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster are among Kansas City's pending free agents this offseason. The same is true of backup quarterback Carson Wentz. And there are over a dozen other Chiefs players – including more than a few major contributors on defense – set to hit the free agent market come March.
In total, the AFC champions and Super Bowl runners-up have 28 players hitting free agency this offseason. Twenty of them are unrestricted free agents that will soon be able to negotiate and sign with any team.
Here's the full list of Chiefs free agents in 2025:
Chiefs free agents in 2025
Here's a full list of the Chiefs' players that are set to hit free agency when the new league year begins on March 12, according to Spotrac.
All players are unrestricted free agents unless otherwise noted. The Chiefs have eight players that are either restricted free agents (and marked as RFA) or exclusive rights free agents (marked as ERFA). Unlike with unrestricted free agents, Kansas City has first dibs on signing any of those players first.
- P Matt Araiza (ERFA)
- LB Nick Bolton
- WR Marquise Brown
- G Mike Caliendo (ERFA)
- LB Jack Cochrane (RFA)
- TE Jody Fortson
- WR Mecole Hardman
- TE Peyton Hendershot (RFA)
- DE Malik Herring (RFA)
- WR DeAndre Hopkins
- LT D.J. Humphries
- RB Kareem Hunt
- CB Nazeeh Johnson (RFA)
- DT Derrick Nnadi
- DE Charles Omenihu
- DT Mike Pennel
- RB Samaje Perine
- S Justin Reid
- K Spencer Shrader (ERFA)
- G Trey Smith
- WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
- CB Keith Taylor (RFA)
- DT Marlon Tuipulotu
- OLB Joshua Uche
- WR Justin Watson
- QB Carson Wentz
- DE Tershawn Wharton
- LS James Winchester
When does NFL free agency start?
NFL free agency officially starts at the beginning of the new league year. In 2025, the NFL league year begins on Wednesday, March 12 at 4 p.m. ET.
There is also a "negotiation period" that opens two days before the start of free agency, in which players and their agents are allowed to come to contract agreements with teams. Those deals become official when the new league year begins on the 12th.