We’ll continue here a position-by-position look at how the Kansas City Chiefs are utilizing their salary cap space with the defensive line. ESPN Stats and Information showed the Chiefs to have about $2.9 million in available cap space, which is 30th among the NFL’s 32 teams.
Salary cap commitments: $12,912,601. Dontari Poe $3,601,820, Allen Bailey $3,231,250, Mike DeVito $2,618,750, Jaye Howard $660,000, Mike Catapano $610,781, Vaughn Martin $585,000, Jerel Worthy $585,000, Hebron Fangupo $510,000, Nick Williams $510,000. Note: Only the 51 highest figures currently count against the Chiefs’ salary cap, according to NFL rules, so all of these salaries may not figure into the team’s current cap number.
Percent of Chiefs’ total salary cap: 9.0.
NFL average salary cap spending on defensive line: $23,076,525.
Chiefs’ rank in defensive line spending: 27th among 32 teams.
Analysis: The Chiefs are paying their starters significant but certainly not exorbitant salaries. Poe, the Chiefs’ first-round pick in 2012, is still playing on his rookie contract. Bailey received a new contract last year but is still a good value considering how much he plays and how much he accomplished last season, his first as a starter. DeVito accepted a restructured deal to remain with the Chiefs. Meanwhile, the backups are getting minimum money. Overall, the Chiefs seems to be getting a lot from these players even though they’re spending a little more than half of the league average.
