Since the official start of free agency this offseason, activity has been mostly slow, particularly for the Patriots, who haven't made as many moves as some fans were hoping for. They have, however, let some players who might have been good re-signings go to other teams, with one of the most notable being defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga.
The elite run stopper was a big part of the defense's identity during the 2025 season, as he was among the biggest contributors in their streak of not allowing any running back to log 50+ yards for much of the season. But that wasn't enough to keep him around, and instead, Tonga signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs.
Many fans were disappointed that he wasn't returning, as he had become a favorite last year, particularly because of how good he was.
And now the Chiefs will benefit from his insertion into their defense, but NFL analysts believe they massively overpaid, and for that reason alone, it looks like it was a good decision for the Patriots not to bring him back.
Chiefs' desperation might have led them to overpay a Patriots free agent
Every year, teams prove to either sign a player that received a lot of hype but doesn't necessarily fit their identity or their needs, or they appear to have overpaid players in hopes they will be the upgrade they need.
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report believes both of those things are true in the case of the Chiefs signing Tonga, naming him as one of the players who signed with the wrong team this offseason, and also received too big a payday for what Kansas City really needed for their defense.
"Kansas City signed defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga to a three-year, $21 million contract. In 67 games, he's yet to record a full sack. The 6'2", 335-pounder is a run-stopper who's played fewer than 41 percent of the defensive snaps in all five of his seasons.
The Chiefs massively overpaid for a run-stuffer when they needed a pass-rusher."
It's clear that no matter where Tonga signed with next, he will be a producer and perform at a high level, just as he proved with the Patriots last year. But Moton raises a fair point about how much he has seen the field in recent years, and they awarded him a big-time contract despite it.
The Chiefs are in desperation mode after the last two seasons didn't go according to plan. Not only did they lose their chance to record the first three-peat in NFL history when they lost the Super Bowl to the Eagles in 2024, but they didn't even make the playoffs in 2025.
Now they're hoping they'll get Patrick Mahomes back on the field by Week 1, after he tore his ACL late last season, and hope that won't derail their chances of making another Championship run. It's likely why they have overpaid a few players in free agency, Tonga included, and that's just something that works in the Patriots' favor, as they can use the money they saved to sign more players instead.