Chiefs want Travis Kelce back, but how much are they willing to pay him?

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who is set to become a free agent next month, has not said whether he plans to play in 2026 or retire. If he wants to play, the Chiefs want him to keep playing in Kansas City.

Kelce and the team have been in touch and the Chiefs want him back, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

But the real question is how much they’re willing to spend to have him back. Salary cap projections for 2026 have the Chiefs in the worst cap shape in the NFL, about $55 million over the cap. They’ll make enough moves to get under the cap before the league year starts in March, but they’re not going to have a lot of money to sign Kelce to a lucrative contract.

And even if they did have the money, it’s not clear how much they’d be willing to spend, simply because Kelce is going to turn 37 this year and isn’t the same player he once was. Kelce averaged a career-worst 50.1 receiving yards per game in 2025.

It’s not surprising that the Chiefs want Kelce back. It would be a surprise if they’re willing to keep paying him the $17 million a year he’s been making.