After cutting ties with right tackle Jawaan Taylor, defensive end Mike Danna, and cornerback Trent McDuffie, the Kansas City Chiefs‘ fans were waiting for the franchise’s next move. But in a positive twist, the team decided to bring back one of its veteran players: James Winchester, who has been with them since 2015.

The deal will make him the highest-paid long-snapper in the game. So, as per NFL insider Ian Rapoport:

“The #Chiefs have agreed to terms to bring back long snapper James Winchester, per source, as he gets a 1-year, $1.75M fully guaranteed deal. This keeps him as the NFL’s highest-paid long snapper.”

Here’s the thing: Despite having only kicker Harrison Butker under contract, the Kansas City Chiefs already carried the NFL’s 10th-largest salary cap allocation for special teams. But now, the fully guaranteed one-year agreement for Winchester pushes their total spending on specialists past $9 million. At the same time, they are yet to decide whether or not to retain punter Matt Araiza after his second season with the team. All in all, the franchise has spent a lot on the special teams, given that the group underperformed the previous year.

One would also think that the team might want to go younger and cheaper at the long snapper position. But if we look at Winchester’s performance, it hasn’t dropped. Plus, retaining him would also mean that Butker is set up for success next season. So, his deal comes as good news for the team.

Winchester, who will be 37 when the 2026 season kicks off, ranks among the longest-tenured members of the Chiefs. Since joining the franchise, he has appeared in 181 games. That also means that he tied for 11th-most in team history and has not missed a single contest. That shows how dependable he has been. Plus, with 25 playoff appearances, the player shares the franchise record with tight end Travis Kelce for the most postseason games in Kansas City Chiefs history.

In fact, Winchester is also one of six players from the Andy Reid era to earn three Super Bowl rings. But things barely started on a good note for him.

After going undrafted in the 2013 Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles picked Winchester the same year. After arriving at Arrowhead Stadium in 2015, he became a key member of Reid’s squad, establishing himself as one of the league’s most reliable long snappers. And so, Winchester’s return provides crucial stability to the Chiefs’ special teams unit, a point of emphasis for a team that values consistency. His journey from an undrafted free agent to the league’s highest-paid long snapper underscores his reliability.

He previously signed a year-long contract with the Chiefs for $1.65 million. The new deal represents a $100,000 increase from his previous contract and keeps him as the highest-paid long snapper in the league, ahead of the Indianapolis Colts’ Luke Rhodes.

Per the deal, the entire amount of Winchester’s salary is fully guaranteed. Because of his age, the franchise has opted to sign him to a one-year contract.

So, as the Chiefs look to retool, their offseason is already a story of two extremes: securing a veteran specialist in James Winchester while simultaneously making the shocking move to trade away star cornerback Trent McDuffie, a deal that drew a swift reaction from quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The recent McDuffie deal sparked a reaction from Patrick Mahomes

The Chiefs recently made a major move involving the cornerback Trent McDuffie. A first-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft, McDuffie quickly established himself as one of the Chiefs’ top defensive players. Under Andy Reid, the 25-year-old won back-to-back Super Bowl championships and earned All-Pro honors during his time with Kansas City.

Since he is only 25, he was seen as a long-term defensive option for the franchise, but he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in a trade deal. The move stands out as one of the more significant trades of the NFL offseason.

The Rams will take on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, which carries a $13.6 million salary for the upcoming season. The move also brings Kansas City additional draft capital, including four picks and a first-round selection this year.

After the trade was announced, quarterback Patrick Mahomes reacted on social media with a single word: “Damn.”

Similarly, wide receiver Xavier Worthy reacted with “noooooooooooooooo,” whereas defensive end Charles Omenihu mentioned: “Wheww.””

While the Winchester signing shores up a small but vital part of the roster, the McDuffie trade creates a massive hole in the secondary. With significant new draft capital, the pressure is now on general manager Brett Veach to find an immediate-impact replacement, as Mahomes’ and others’ reactions suggest the locker room is already feeling the loss.