Chiefs: Contract Longevity

Chiefs: Contract Longevity – I can tell you are won over with just the headline. Can it really be this boring? Kind of. I guarantee this will be better than boring, almost to the point of humdrum. But in today’s NFL it is necessary analysis.

This discussion is not about the salary cap (that will come later) it is about contract longevity: meaning, how long do the Chiefs have players locked up and at what positions. This is the fun part!

The Legend for the Charts

What you are about to see is legend, but it needs explanation.

• • • Green shade = starter
    • Yellow shade = IR
    • -E = exclusive free agent
    • -R = restricted free agent
    • The designated year is the year a contract expires.

Offensive Contracts

The most interesting observation is not a single offensive player is locked up beyond 4 years (or 2022). The good news is most of the core is locked up for the next 3 years (the Hill extension furthers this trend), and better yet the OL stays largely intact for the next 3 years.

• • OC – is in good shape assuming Allegretti grows as a player.
  • OG – needs help with Wylie coming due although he is exclusive, but we can’t rely upon Allen and Erving.
  • OT – is in good shape for the long haul, 3 years.
  • TE – is still a problem unless Bell or Yelder outperform expectations and get extended.
  • WR – is potentially decimated after this year and no doubt Veach is working on Hill’s extension, although Kemp and Deiter are exclusive. The question to address after 2020: is Sammy returning at a lesser rate, and/or do we want him?
  • QB – will be addressed most likely with Shurmur being the backup next year and Henne/Moore released. I hate to think we add another cast-off as a back-up.
  • FB – the Sausage will continue to receive 1 year deals until he retires or Lovett knocks him out
  • RB – is in good shape for another year and if McCoy excels this year expect him to sign another 1 year deal

Defensive Contracts

The sirens instantly call attention to the CB core (already a concern for most) which is non-existent after 2019. Really? Arguably our weakest position is virtually gone… kaput… poof! Can you say rebuild? Ugh. As many argue on this site, CB is still not addressed, and it is about to get worse.

• • DT – Stone Cold needs extended. Ivie and Williams have a chance to play themselves in or out of 2 year contracts
  • DE – is solid with Frank around until 2023. Ogbah will play into an extension or a comp pick. KPass hopefully lives up to expectations this year, or assuredly is gone after 2019.
  • LB – the core is around for 3 years, and hopefully Lee re-signs. Niemann takes over for Ragland in 2020.
  • CB – is dumpster fire the right visual? We can only hope 2 of the trio (Breeland, Fuller, and Claiborne) step up and play worthy to be re-signed. Fuller is the youngest with the greatest likelihood to be re-signed. If not, Veach has nearly no choice but to address the CB position in the 2020 draft with the #1 (pick #32) and/or San Francisco’s #2 (pick #33 – #40 range). Otherwise we are stuck with second-hand FA’s like Breeland and Claiborne.
  • S – the core is good for 3 years

Special Teams Contracts

• • ST – is solid and Colquitt retires a Chief. If the offense can reduce his punts to 30 a year, he may stick around until 2025.

Summary of Chiefs Contract Longevity 

All in all, the core team is in place for the next 2 to 3 years, with depth tweaked, based upon production. Huge undercurrents lurk below the surface however with the Jones and Hill extensions, as both are game changing talents. The 2020 draft and free agent periods should address certain lingering concerns and provide stability into 2022 at certain positions. Even though we may lose players to FA (Robinson, Lee, Ogbah, Fuller), we do receive comp picks to partially offset the loss. CB is the single greatest concern. Again.

We know PM2 isn’t going anywhere, but the price tag is the question. Salary cap questions will be addressed later, so hold the shrieking and gnashing of teeth until then.

Regardless, as Chiefs fans we have a lot to look forward to the next 3 years (for sure Ollie)! Think abundance, not lack.

David Perkins — ArrowheadOne

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