Chiefs working on contract extensions for key players, but can they afford everybody?

Even as the Chiefs prepare for a season they hope will end with an NFL-record third straight Super Bowl triumph, the work continues for future years.

With contracts expiring after this season, the team is already working on deals for players like kicker Harrison Butker, and the Chiefs are interested in extending several others, including Creed Humphrey, guard Trey Smith and linebacker Nick Bolton, all in the final year of their rookie contracts.

“Every single one of these guys we would want nothing more than to extend and re-sign,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told The Star. “They’re beyond, ‘They have to prove something.’”

But can the Chiefs afford to keep them all? They’re in line to be paid at or near the top of their positions.

“They all want close to or top of market deals,” Veach said. “They all deserve it. You have to systematically work through it.”

Those four have contributed in major ways to the Chiefs’ success. Humphrey, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, and Smith were members of the NFL all-rookie team in 2021. Humphrey has started all 51 regular season games in his career, Smith 50, and neither has missed a playoff snap in 10 games over three years.

Both were included in ESPN’s list of top 10 NFL interior linemen, with Humphrey at No. 7 and Smith at No. 9.

Bolton missed eight games with injuries last season, but he was the Chiefs’ leading tackler in each of his first two seasons and delivered a signature play in the Super Bowl LVII victory over the Philadelphia Eagles when he returned a fumble for a touchdown.

Butker has become one of the greatest kickers in postseason history. He has the most field goals (nine) in Super Bowl history, and the longest at 57 yards, booted against the San Francisco 49ers in last season’s overtime triumph.

“Come playoff time there’s no one I’d want kicking for me more than Harrison Butker,” Veach said.

The Chiefs have opened talks with Butker and Humphrey and have “touched base” with Smith and Bolton. A new deal for Butker could be announced soon. The top player at his position, Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens makes $6 million annually.

The top paid center, Frank Ragnow of the Detroit Lions, makes $13.5 million annually; Landon Dickerson of the Philadelphia Eagles tops the guards at $21 million, according to overthecap.com

The Ravens’ Roquan Smith is the highest paid linebacker at $20 million.

“It’s a goal to talk to all three, and we’d love nothing more than to get all three done,” Veach said. “There’ll be an effort from us to get all three done. But from a player’s perspective, it has to make sense to them.

“They’ve earned that. They won’t be lacking a market. They’ll get good money.”