The Mike Caliendo experiment appears to be over for the Kansas City Chiefs.
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The Kansas City Chiefs won’t be retaining one of their starters from Super Bowl LIX, according to a new report.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Chiefs will not tender OL Mike Caliendo a contract offer, allowing him to reach free agency. In three seasons with Kansas City, Caliendo has 10 combined regular-season and postseason starts, including a start at left guard in Super Bowl LIX against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The undrafted free agent out of Western Michigan essentially replaced Nick Allegretti as the team’s No. 4 interior offensive lineman in recent seasons. Unfortunately, Caliendo’s play didn’t yield the same results as Allegretti’s play. In over 550 pass-blocking snaps over three seasons, Caliendo allowed 40 pressures and five sacks per Pro Football Focus.
Caliendo was a restricted free agent, meaning the Chiefs could keep him under a few different contract tenders. The right of first refusal tender, which is the lowest possible restricted free agent tender amount, is $3.52M for the 2026 NFL season. Caliendo could technically still return to Kansas City on a cheaper deal, but I’d wager the Chiefs opt for the younger and cheaper approach here.
Who will step up in place of Mike Caliendo for the Chiefs?
There are four names you need to know on the current 90-man roster when it comes to replacing Mike Caliendo:
- Hunter Nourzad
- C.J. Hanson
- Matt Waletzko
- Ethan Driskell
Hanson is the natural replacement for Caliendo. He was even listed as the backup right guard on the final depth chart of the 2025 NFL season. Nourzad has the ability to play the guard spot in a pinch, but I do think the Chiefs envision him strictly as a backup for Creed Humphrey at center, and also as an extra blocker on formations with six offensive linemen. Waletzko was reported to have had some success playing guard during his time with the Cowboys, but the jury is out on exactly where Kansas City envisions him long term. Driskell is the wild-card here. I think he’s too big to be playing the guard spot, but the Chiefs did play him some at right guard last offseason before he dealt with an appendix issue that saw him miss the entire 2025 NFL season.
All-in-all, there are some cheaper and intriguing options on the roster that made this a move Brett Veach felt comfortable with.
About the author
Charles Goldman
NFL Managing Editor
