NFL free agency begins: Follow the latest moves involving the Kansas City Chiefs

The NFL’s open-negotiation period officially opened Monday at 11 a.m. Central Time.

For the next two days, the Chiefs and other NFL teams are allowed to contact and enter into negotiations with the agents of pending unrestricted free agents around the league.

Deals can be agreed upon during this period, but contracts can’t be finalized until Wednesday at 3 p.m. Central, which marks the start of the NFL’s new calendar year.

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach should be busy behind the scenes trying to keep some of their own unrestricted free agents — a list that includes wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and safety Juan Thornhill, among others.

The Chiefs will also use this period to apply qualifying tenders on their restricted and exclusive-rights free agents before the start of the NFL’s new calendar year.

From a financial perspective, the Chiefs appear to be in good shape.

The NFL’s official salary cap number won’t become official until Wednesday afternoon, but Spotrac — a site that tracks various sports financials — projects that the Chiefs will have $17.8 million in available cap space. Another such site, Over the Cap, estimates the Chiefs will have $16.9 million.

Here are the Chiefs-related happenings that have transpired so far:

• KC moved toward a significant transaction, reaching an agreement with Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor for four years and $80 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. $60 million of that total, Schefter said, would be guaranteed.

Taylor, who played right tackle last season, was ranked the 16th-best free agent available this offseason by Pro Football Focus. His greatest strength was his pass blocking, as he allowed just 21 pressures in 19 games last season.

The run-blocking hasn’t been as impressive thus far. Taylor’s 39.7 PFF grade in that aspect was lowest among all tackles who played 80% of their team’s snaps in 2022.

Taylor has primarily been a right tackle in the NFL; he has 4,282 snaps at that position, compared to 18 at left tackle. The Star’s Sam McDowell reports, however, the Chiefs believe Taylor is athletic enough to make the switch to the left side.

• Chiefs right tackle Andrew Wylie plans to reunite with former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, agreeing to terms on a three-year deal with Washington Commanders, a source familiar with the situation confirmed with The Star. Ari Meirov first reported the deal, noting that Wylie’s deal is for $24 million.

Wylie started all 17 games at right tackle for KC last season.