Tamba Hali re-worked his contract last year so that he could come back to Kansas City this year. The deal was written as a five-year deal that voids after this year so that the Chiefs could spread his cap hit out and save cap space in 2015.
As a result of that contract, the Chiefs have a $4 million cap hit next year. Something I think I knew but just realized today is that the Chiefs will be on the hook for that dead money next year whether Tamba comes back in 2016 or not.
This exchange came in the context of Dee Ford's big game last week.
@LRiddickESPN Dee Ford's breakout game could mean the Chiefs will be comfortable letting Tamba Hali walk as a UFA or a pay cut to re-sign.
— Joel Corry (@corryjoel) December 16, 2015
@corryjoel Chiefs are on the hook for Tamba's dead money next year either way right
— Arrowhead Pride (@ArrowheadPride) December 16, 2015
The Chiefs are going to have a $4M 2016 cap charge from Tamba Hali's contract voiding whether he re-signs or leaves. https://t.co/wP3zAeicAZ
— Joel Corry (@corryjoel) December 16, 2015
Another question on top of this: Is Tamba Hali going to come back next year? I think we all thought at the time that this would be Tamba's last year because he started to fall of a little bit last year. But this year Tamba has performed very well and it's a reasonable request to consider bringing him back next year.
There are consequences of this, mainly a certain 2014 first round pick's future. Dee Ford played well last week but it's just one game. The Chiefs know more about what they have in him than we do; they'll have to consider that in the Tamba decision, too.
If the Chiefs do want to bring him back or if Tamba leaves or retires, the Chiefs will still be on the hook for $4 million in dead money.