ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The Chiefs made news on the opening day of training camp, agreeing with defensive end George Karlaftis on terms for a contract extension, a four-year, $88 million contract that secures another member of the team’s young nucleus.
“That’s a great thing,” said Head Coach Andy Reid on the campus of Missouri Western State University as the team reported for camp. “He’s a heck of a player, and he’s done a great job here, and he’s profited from that. Our team also profits from him being around, so it’s a win-win there.”
The contract extension adds four seasons to Karlafti’s rookie deal, which was set to conclude in 2026. Earlier this year, the Chiefs exercised the fifth-year option on the 24-year-old’s rookie contract, which was set to pay him $15.2 million for the 2026 season. Karlaftis is scheduled to make $2.33 million this season with a cap hit of $3.797 million. Full details of the contract regarding a signing bonus and if any of the contract’s new money will hit the salary cap during the next two seasons are not yet known.
Incentives could increase the value of the extension to $93 million, an additional $1.25 million per season. The contract would allow Karlaftis to enter free agency again in his age-30 season.
Karlaftis arrived in Kansas City as the No. 30 overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. His 24.5 sacks are second among pass rushers from his draft class, trailing only Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall selection that year. Karlaftis ranks ahead of Jacksonville’s Travon Walker (24), Denver’s Nik Bonitto (23) and Kayvon Thibodeaux (21) of the New York Giants. Walker was the draft’s No. 1 overall selection while Thibodeaux was No. 5 in the first round.
If Karlaftis delivers an explosive season in 2025, he would follow the footsteps of other recent pass rushers such as Maxx Crosby, Danielle Hunter and Trey Hendrickson, who all boosted their careers with breakout seasons in their fourth year.
He’s been a consistent presence among Kansas City’s pass rush, generating a total of 53 hits and hurries in each of the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus. Despite his sack total falling from 10.5 in 2023 to eight last season, Karlaftis showed a greater propensity to turn pressures into hits on the passer, jumping from 17 quarterback hits in 2023 to 28 last season.
That growth shows why Karlaftis might be on the verge of a breakout career season and explains why the Chiefs moved quickly to secure a deal with their top edge rusher.
“He is a relentless player, I mean that’s what you get with George,” Reid said. “He’s smart, relentless, you can trust and know he’s reliable. You can trust that he’s going to be there and do the right things and go 100 miles an hour doing them. Very well respected that way.”
The extension for Karlaftis followed the team signing right guard Trey Smith to a four-year, $92 million deal on Tuesday, securing futures in Kansas City for two of the club’s brightest young stars.
“Continuity is a big thing, with your good, young players, and (General Manager Brett) Veach has done a real nice job with his group in the drafts,” Reid said. “To sort all of that out, (Assistant General Manager) Chris Shea and the guys, they have to work through all of that, the money part of it, and they do a heck of a job with it. So, it’s an ongoing thing, as you go, you got to really have a good feel and a good plan for the future as you do it.”
Omarr Norman-Lott Signs
The Chiefs put the finishing touches on their 2025 rookie draft class with defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott putting pen to paper on Sunday. The four-year deal for a reported $7.2 million also includes a $1.876 million signing bonus.
Norman-Lott found himself caught up in the hardball negotiations for guaranteed money for second-round draft picks. Second-round selections normally don’t receive fully guaranteed rookie contracts, but that changed when Houston gave receiver Jayden Higgins, the second choice in the round, a fully guaranteed contract. Cleveland then did the same for the first pick of the round, linebacker Carson Schwesinger.
With the other 30 rookies and their agents holding out for guaranteed money, negotiations came to a standstill. On Wednesday, San Francisco broke the seal in signing defensive tackle Alfred Collins, the 11th overall selection in the round, to a $10.3 million deal with $9 million guaranteed. It’s not yet been revealed how much of Norman-Lott’s contract is guaranteed beyond the signing bonus.
Camp as Usual for Rashee Rice
Rashee Rice will be on the field as the Chiefs open training camp, and Reid says nothing will be different in the light of the receiver entering a guilty plea Thursday to two third-degree felony charges stemming from a high-speed car crash in March 2024.
“As far as Rashee goes, I mean, that’s obvious news out there now. We’re going to progress as normal with him. He’ll go in and take all the reps that he’d normally take, and we always rotate that position,” Reid said.
Rice expects to enter camp as a starter along with Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Jalen Royals will rotate in with the first team, while Nikko Remigio, Skyy Moore, Tyquan Thornton and Jason Brownlee are among those expected to fill in with the first team in competing for a roster spot.
“So, depending on what happens here in the future, whoever needs to play will be able to step in, they’ll know what they’re doing, and be in good shape to do it,” Reid explained.
Reid also said Rice did a great job during the offseason program in his recovery from a posterolateral corner injury in his right knee. “We’ll keep an eye on that part, Reid explained. “But as far as pulling back because of suspensions, or whatever that whole thing is, then you know, we’re going forward with it and then we’ll monitor him as far as the injury goes.”
As for whether the coach knew when the NFL might impose an expected suspension on Rice, the coach had a short answer.
“No. I don’t have anything,” he said.
Three on PUP List
Right tackle Jawaan Taylor, cornerback Kristian Fulton and tight end Tre Watson will start camp on the physically unable to perform list, according to Reid. Taylor had an offseason cleanup procedure on his knee, while Fulton (knee) and Watson (undisclosed) sustained injuries during offseason workouts.
The absence of Taylor at the start of training camp solves a dilemma involving the left tackle battle between Josh Simmons and Jaylon Moore. With Taylor out, Simmons will handle left tackle duties for the first team while Taylor patrols right tackle.
Reid didn’t specify a timetable for the return of Taylor or Fulton.
“We’re hoping it’s relatively fast,” he said. “So I tell you, Jawaan is probably closer right now.”
Left Tackle Battle Spotlight
The Chiefs will start training camp exactly where they hope to start Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers — with Josh Simmons at left tackle. The news that Taylor will start the season on the PUP list shakes up the rotation a bit since it now opens the right tackle spot for Jaylon Moore to work as camp gets underway.
Reid hopes to have a firm decision made on the left tackle position when the team breaks camp before their second preseason game.
“I think by the time you get out of this thing, you’d like to have an idea of who that is, right? You want to have a feel on it,” Reid said. “So, we evaluate these guys every play. Whether it’s a light practice or a hard practice, they’re evaluated and graded, and so on. So, we’ll see how it all sorts out.”
Simmons suffered a torn patellar tendon last October that ended his final season at Ohio State early. He spent the summer break in Kansas City continuing his rehab, Reid said, and looks like he’s ready to hit the ground running starting camp.
“We’ll keep an eye on him and see where he is at, but his conditioning was good when he was out there, and he seems to be a worker, so we’ll just have to see,” Reid said. “He’s never been through one of these. So we gotta see how it goes.”
Reid said he has no problem with roster battles at both left tackle and left guard, where Kingsley Suamataia is challenging Mike Caliendo, who finished the 2024 season as the starter there.
“These are young guys that are going to get in there and compete, and I think that’s a positive thing, and we’re going to come out with somebody that’s a good player. So, I’m good with it. Yeah.”
What’s Next
The Chiefs conduct their acclimation day on Monday with their run conditioning test in the morning, followed by meetings throughout the day and the annual dinner in the evening with words from Reid, Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt, and players.
The first practice kicks off at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday. Tickets to the opening workout are available exclusively to season ticket members. The first session open to the public starts at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday. Tickets are free for most practices, and parking is $7 per vehicle. Tickets and parking passes are available only online and must be reserved in advance.
