Drue Tranquill: Everything you need to know

Tranquill had his base pay for 2026 lowered from $6 million to $3.5 million, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. The move helps Kansas City save $2.5 million in cap space, per Garafolo, who also said Tranquill could have been a cap casualty if not for this renegotiation. Tranquill finished with 103 tackles (55 solo), including 2.0 sacks, a pass breakup, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 2025.

Tranquill recorded 103 tackles (55 solo) including 2.0 sacks, one pass defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 17 games with Kansas City in 2025. Tranquill was once again a steadying presence at linebacker next to Nick Bolton this season, and thanks to a higher defensive snap count (881) than last year (760), he was able to tally 100-plus tackles for the first time since 2022 with the Chargers. With that said, his per-snap tackle production was slightly down from 2024, and he was sometimes viewed as a liability in coverage. He will turn 31 in August, but he still figures to play a significant role in the Chiefs' front seven in 2026.

Tranquill finished Thursday's 20-13 loss to the Broncos with nine tackles (seven solo). Tranquill finished Thursday's loss as the Chiefs' third-leading tackler behind Nick Bolton (12) and Chamarri Conner (10). It snapped Tranquill's double-digit tackle streak at three games, and at 98 combined tackles through 16 regular-season games, the seventh-year pro is on the cusp of cracking the tackling century mark for the second time in his NFL career. Week 18 against the Raiders is Tranquill's final opportunity to reach that milestone.