Will I Stay or Will I Go? – 2020 Free Agency and the Chiefs. The Super Bowl is behind us, and “We are the C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N-S of the world”! Repeat about 2,917,426 more times (just because). We won, and the front office can’t rest, because the combine starts February 24th and the new league year starts March 18. You all know what happens at the start of the new league year, don’t you? Contracts expire… players become free agents… and Free Agency (legal tampering) begins March 16. One problem with being a SB team is the other 30 teams get extra scouting time on your pending free agents. Another problem is everyone thinks they are the star and want a bigger paycheck. Heck even Eric Berry is cashing in!
Win a Super Bowl! I want another one! No worry. Veach and the boyz are on it. But since the front office is drunk with victory, I think we should help help them out.
2020 Free Agents
Quarterback
Chad Henne, Matt Moore
Let them go and run with Kyle Shurmur as the cheap backup. If we need them, they are literally a phone call away.
Running Back
LeSean McCoy, Spencer Ware, Anthony Sherman
McCoy and Ware can go. Sausage only costs $800M. Replacement possibilities are Elijah MacGuire, Mike Weber, Marcus Marshall, plus the 2020 draft. My other brother Darrel Williams comes off IR.
Tight End
Blake Bell, Deon Yelder (ERFA), David Wells (ERFA)
Bell is a decent blocker, Yelder shows more receiving capability and is ERFA, as is Wells. Re-sign them. I want to draft a real TE2, but don’t see it happening. John Lovett, Alize Mack and David Wells are potential replacements. Lovett could replace 1 TE and possibly Sherman.
Wide Receiver
D’Marcus Robinson, Marcus Kemp (ERFA)
The quagmire begins, starting with Sammy Watkins. My gut reaction is cut him and save $14 million. Then either flip a coin about Robinson or draft a WR. (Note: it’s a great draft for WRs). If Sammy renegotiates, Robinson is gone. Kemp is re-signed on the cheap.
Robinson does not have stellar production, but makes the highlight reel. He could be the 2020 version of Albert Wilson and Chris Conley – “take the money and run.” Or he realizes his value is tied to Mahomes and stays at a reasonable price. Pringle saw the field – can he or Kemp replace Watkins? Gehrig Dieter, Joe Fortson and Felton Davis are replacement possibilities. A drafted WR is not out of the question, if we cut Sammy and Robinson flies.
P.S. I just watched Sammy highlights on NFL.com and we need to extend his contract 2 more years, shaving $7-10 million off the 2020 cap hit. He is too valuable.
Offensive Line
Andrew Wylie (ERFA), Stefan Wiśniewski
Quagmire #2 begins with cutting Cameron Erving, a $3.25 million cap savings. Wis may retire on top, but the OL solidified once he became the full-time starter. Reiter and LDT’s play settled down in the stretch run, so they are back. Martinas Rankin, Greg Senat, Ryan Hunter and Jackson Barton are signed, but only Rankin is a known factor. A Swing Tackle spot is at stake here, so can Wylie return to 2018 form and be the starting LOG or is he a swing tackle/backup guard? Can Rankins or Senat play OT? Sign Wis and sign Wylie as ERFA. Drafting an OT happens next year. Drafting a top-notch OG may happen this year, but with Wylie and Rankins returning, and Allegretti developing, I would bet against it. (sorry guys)
Defensive Line
Chris Jones, Xavier Williams, Mike Pennell, Emmanuel Ogbah, Terrell Suggs
If WR and OL were quagmire’s then DL is a horrible mess… in a good/bad way. The good is we have options. The bad is paying CJ95 may cost PM2 his first born and all the 2020 cap space. Honestly I think we can keep CJ but the contract must be back-loaded with a light 2020. Otherwise, expect a 3rd round comp pick. Pennell and Ogbah are must signs. XWill is a nice piece, but made expendable with Pennell, Ogbah, and Speaks coming off IR. Cutting Okafor saves $3 million to resign Ogbah (just throwing it out there). An early draft pick could replace CJ95 (not really), Demone Harris played well, Tim Ward is off IR, Anthony Lanier is on the PS. Suggs is pure luxury and will retire… but… if he came back… see, lots of options.
Linebacker
Reggie Ragland, Darron Lee
Reggie along with Pennell solidified the run defense. Reggie might stay on the cheap, otherwise expect a comp pick. Fans want to draft a speed LB to cover RB’s and TE’s, and that may be a need (see Aaron Jones). Whether quality can be had in Round 1 or Round 2 remains to be seen. Say goodbye to Lee and maybe O’Daniel. Darius Harris is coming off IR and may be the coverbacker we covet.
Cornerback
Kendall Fuller, Bashaud Breeland, Morris Claiborne, Keith Reaser
Another hot mess, because we only have 3 CB’s (2 proven in Ward and Fenton) on the roster. Claiborne is gone, Reaser can’t stay healthy, Breeland and Fuller may come back with raises, but how much is the question? Fuller seems to be a better Safety vs. a CB. At least 1 draft choice should go to the CB position, and many suggest 2 choices. The wildcard here is who is available in FA that we might grab for $2 million: like Breeland and Claiborne in 2019? Or, do we invest a little more and grab Chris Harris?
Safety
Jordan Lucas
Lucas is definitely gone if we resign Fuller, however with Thornhill most likely on IR to start the season, Lucas may be back, but cheaper. Sorenson stays even though we save $3.75 million in cap by cutting him. Dirty Dan deserves that much. Lucas could be replaced by a draft choice or UDFA. CB is the position of higher need anyways. I would rather drop to 4 safeties, and resign Fuller and Breeland, if possible, but Fuller is young, and some team will throw cash his way, so expect a comp pick.
Scorecard
Here’s a list of all the players the Chiefs have hitting Free Agency.
As always, the roster holes after free agency affects the draft and could increase the possibility of moving out of the 1st round. There you have it folks. Share your thoughts and help out the front office.
Think Abundance and Think, Eat, Drink, Believe, Repeat.
David Perkins — ArrowheadOne
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