ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs and defensive end George Karlaftis agreed to a four-year, $93 million contract that includes $62 million guaranteed, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Sunday, keeping one of the best young players on the roster through the 2030 season.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal, which was agreed to the same day that the players reported to training camp at Missouri Western State University, is still pending a physical.
“He's a heck of a player and he's done a great job here, and he's profiting from that,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “And our team has profited from him being around. So it's a win-win.”
It is the second high-profile contract that Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has finished in the past week. The Chiefs signed Pro Bowl right guard Trey Smith to a four-year, $94 million extension on Tuesday, setting the market for his position.
Karlaftis, the second of two first-round picks by the Chiefs in the 2022 draft, has started 44 of his 49 regular-season games for them. His best season came two years ago, when he had 10 1/2 sacks while starting every game, while he had eight sacks in 16 games last season, helping the Chiefs to reach a third consecutive Super Bowl.
Karlaftis has rings from the first two of them. The Chiefs lost to the Eagles in their latest Super Bowl in February.
“I mean, he's always been a consistent player. Always a relentless player,” Reid said. “You know what you're going to get with George. He's smart. Relentless. You can trust him. You can trust that he's going to be there and do the right things.”
Karlaftis is the first of a heralded 2022 draft class in Kansas City to sign a new contract, though he's not expected to be the last.
The Chiefs are interested in signing their initial first-round pick that year, Trent McDuffie, to a long-term deal. The cornerback was a first-team All-Pro two years ago and a second-team pick last year, and he has emerged as not only one of the premier slot defenders in the NFL but a versatile, capable defensive back who can player just about anywhere on the team.
What could complicate the negotiations is the fact that the Jets recently signed cornerback Sauce Gardner to a record-setting four-year, $120.4 million extension. McDuffie is likely to demand a contract that meets or potentially exceeds that deal.
“The tough job is to juggle all that, the financial part of it,” Reid said, “but we love having that. Continuity is a big thing with your young players. Veach has done a real nice job with his group in the drafts, so you sort all of that out.”