Mike Danna’s declining usage and rising costs in 2026 will force a difficult decision for the Chiefs going forward.
The 2026 offseason is going to be a very interesting one for the Kansas City Chiefs. While Andy Reid and his coaching staff are focused on the Denver Broncos and righting the ship from a fairly frustrating first half of the season—given the team’s position in third place in the AFC West—the front office is undoubtedly hard at work figuring out how to bolster the team’s weaknesses in the bigger picture.
If the Chiefs want to course correct going forward, then addressing the defensive front is going to require a massive undertaking. Chris Jones’ contract is a major commitment for the team in ’26 and beyond, and yet his skill set will decline as he gets older. Unfortunately, general manager Brett Veach has had a tough time finding complementary players who can consistently take advantage of the double teams drawn by Jones.
Looking ahead to 2026, one player who will require more of the Chiefs’ cap space than ever before is Mike Danna.
Mike Danna’s declining usage and rising costs in 2026 will force a difficult decision for the Chiefs going forward.
Danna is another feather in Brett Veach’s draft cap, a former fifth-round pick who was a one-season transfer to Michigan after showing off greater production at a smaller school (Central Michigan). Danna was overlooked as a prospect, but the Chiefs liked his well-rounded game, and Michigan coaches raved about his work ethic and ability to glean what coaches asked him to do.
The risk was quickly rewarded as Danna became a favorite of Steve Spagnuolo and his staff up front. Danna’s percentage of defensive snaps played tell the story of his own success, climbing the team’s depth chart to become more and more important for what Spags wanted to do in the trenches. From a rookie season as a rotational lineman earning 38 percent of snaps to 48 percent with 6 starts in his second year, Danna proved he could handle as much as the Chiefs wanted to give him.
In his fourth season, in 2023, Danna played in 74 percent of all snaps and became the full-time starter opposite George Karlaftis. From there, Danna has slipped a bit in terms of overall demands (snaps) even as he maintained his starter status. He was the first draft pick of Veach to receive a contract extension, and he’s now in his sixth season with the team.
But going into his seventh year, Danna is getting a bit more expensive right as the Chiefs are leaning on him a little bit less. After signing a three-year deal worth up to $24 million, the bill is coming due on an $11.16 million cap hit in 2026. That’s lofty for a player who might have reached his ceiling. It doesn’t help Danna’s case that the Chiefs already have so much committed up front with Jones and Karlaftis.
The dead cap hit if the Chiefs decided to release Danna would amount to $2.16 million, which isn’t what any team wants to take on, but that amount might be easier to swallow if the Chiefs needed to cut ties. It’s also possible the Chiefs and Danna figure out a way to rework the deal and keep him around for the sake of depth, given the lack of certainty at the position going forward. After all, Karlaftis and Ashton Gillotte are the only sure bets on the roster for 2026 and beyond.
Either way, Danna has a lot of incentive to play well in the second half as the Chiefs are needing someone to step up and help the pass rush. It’s impossible to say what Veach willl do with any certainty but it seems like the front office could be on the fence about paying Danna that amount in 2026.
