I have been thinking about the situation the Chiefs find themselves in, this moment, this hour, on this day. As of yesterday, drumming up a topic was very difficult, at least viewed from the place I was posited in my easy chair, stumbling across the room to the PC and working a bit on the concise article that came to fruition was published on Tuesday. But suddenly today, my brain downshifted, and the result follows. Part of the Q&A deals with the cap. I wanted to resolve when the Chiefs had to be under the cap so I could understand any potential Free Agent Signings that arise from Phase Two of Free Agency.
I observed in Tuesday’s article that Veach had managed the Off-season work very effectively while preventing having “Dead Money” increased significantly. By the signing of JuJu Smith_Schuster(WR), Justin Reid(S), Andrew Wylie, and Geron Christian(OT) resolved three extensive worry areas that existed for the team, determining position group exposures in the process.
Asking and Answering Questions
Question: When Do The Chiefs Need to be Under The Top-51 Roster Cap?
Answer: NFL Rules follow the protocol of the total monies within the spending cap for each season. For 2022, that amount has been established as $208.2M. A team can only exceed that cap hit by employing unused cap space from the last year, but they have to notify the league the day after their final regular-season game. At first, the rule applies to the top 51 players on the roster. Then it extends to the 53-man roster.
For 2022: The Cap date was March 16th. The top 51 salaries count against the cap. At that point, teams had one week to resolve Over-the-Cap situations.
Today, the Chiefs Cap monies, which are available, stand at about $750K Cap Space Available. On March 8th, teams were required, by rule, to have tendered Franchise Tags should they be used in any season for players. Those salary amounts counted for the cap monies on March 16th. In the Chiefs example, Orlando Brown, Jr. was tagged with the Non-Exclusive Franchise Tag. If Another team offers Brown more money, and the Chiefs declined to match it, Brown would depart, and the Chiefs would receive Two first-round picks from the other team. Keep in mind the dead money influences the Salary cap monies available. Today, the Chiefs have about $6.5M in ready money, which will be part of the resolved spending for 2022.
Suffice it to state: The Chiefs are not Over-the-Cap at present.
Question: Is The Low Amount of Cap Space detrimental to Brett Veach’s Actions?
Answer: No. Brett Veach is working on extending, re-nogotiating, and restructuring contracts to gain significantly more Cap Space. Brett Veach’s management of the Cap Space will include additional funds to sign Free Agents, pay for the incoming rookie salaries, and provide an operating buffer for the upcoming season.
Question: To Whom are The Chiefs paying dead money?
Answer: See the table below. The actual Dead Money is far less than I anticipated. An example of why this is the case was the re-signing of DE Frank Clark. Instead, Brett Veach re-negotiated Clark’s contract to a Cap hit of less than half of what it would have been and at the same time eliminated adding to the dead money category.
| Name | Cap Number |
|---|---|
| Anthony Hitchens | $4,223,750(Chiefs gained $8.4M on Hitchens Release) |
| Laurent Duvernay-Tardif | $2,000,000 |
| Cornell Powell | $180,114 |
| TOTAL | $6,532,236 |
Question: Does anybody know what the hell is going on?
Answer: Yes. Not me though
Random Topics
- The NFL Free Agent CB market is depressed. The reasons for this is probably extensive, but the NFL draft is replete with highly rated Cornerbacks and Safeties.
- Free Agency of Defensive Ends is also depressed for the same reason.
- Quarterbacks in 2022 are a commidity lack in attraction for NFL Teams. That is why we see movement of QB’s in the hiring and trading scenarios that are taking place. For example, Matt Ryan moving to Indianapolis, is via NFL GM-Speak, a great move for the Franchise. I see it this way: Matt Ryan was not the answer though well rated as an NFL Quarterback and highly thought of in NFL Circles. In Atlanta? I would posit that the Falcons made a decision to go with a place holder QB – Marcus Marietta and they will plan to draft a quarterback to replace him. Houston moving on from Deshaun Watson was a necessity. The accrued draft picks are a windfall for GM Nick Caserio. At this time, Houston does not have a “Franchise Quarterback” and the pickin’s are thin in 2022.
- GM’s and Head Coaches – Taking into account Houston’s situation at QB? The Fact that Caserio garnered a huge pile of picks, I believe Lovie Smith is a placeholder HC at the same time, as was Dave Culley before him. VP of Player personel Jack Easterby and GM Nick Caserio are both of Patriot origins. It is my view, that Smith will hold the HC role for one season and be replaced by a HC in the Bill Belichick coaching tree.
Remarkably Close
But not surprising. Seth Keysor’s list of things that need to get accomplished(excerpted from his article at Chiefs in the North-It’s only March. And yet… what is the plan for the Chiefs defense?):
Sure, it’s only March. And yet as of this moment, right now, the following statements about the Chiefs are true:
- The Chiefs do not have a second high-level or even above-average pass rusher outside of Chris Jones (Clark has not been that outside of a short stretch in 2021). Their best edge rusher from last year, Melvin Ingram, is still a free agent.
- The Chiefs do not have a second interior pass rusher who has shown consistency.
- The Chiefs do not even have a third proven rotation-level defensive end on the roster.
- The Chiefs do not have a proven 3rd linebacker (their signing of Elijah Lee notwithstanding, he hasn’t been a starter since 2018, so we’ll see).
- The Chiefs do not have a proven 3rd cornerback (and frankly, lost their best cornerback from last season in Charvarius Ward).
- The Chiefs do not have a proven 4th cornerback.
- The Chiefs do not have a proven 3rd safety.
My list, from a different framework excerpted from the article I published a couple of days ago: https://arrowheadone.com/brett-veach-has-served-the-pie-were-waiting-for-the-a-la-mode/
The View of Chiefs Free Agents
QB#2 Chad Henne – Re-Signed.
S Tyrann Mathieu–His position was filled by adding Free Agent S Justin Reid(Houston).
S Armani Watts and S Daniel Sorensen. No signing and no replacements identified.
DE Melvin Ingram–signing or replacement yet to be identified
WR Demarcus Robinson & WR Byron Pringle–I expect existing players will replace these two WRs but who that will remain unidentified.
LB Dorian O’Daniel and LB Ben Niemann--Not signed and no replacements identified
CB Mike Hughes, CB Chris Lammons–No replacements identified. Lammons was an ERFA but has legal problems & won’t return to the Chiefs.
I am pleased that Seth and I see basically the same things.
Chiefs: Two Free Agent Signings – Maybe Flyers, maybe not – Who Knows?
#1 Chiefs to sign free agent CB Luq Barcoo
According to his agency, Synergy Sports International, The former Jaguar who had been on the Cardinals and 49ers roster is signing with KC. He had 1 start for the Jags in 2020. He came to the NFL with credential From SDSU having been the co-leader of the FSB for interceptions(9) in 2019.
Barcoo is 23 with measurements: At 6-1-190 LB.
He did not get an invite to the Combine and did not have a Pro Day either. His career was sharply affected by the Covid season.
#2. Chiefs Sign WR Corey Coleman(Former Giant WR)
Coleman was first drafted in 2016 and was a round 1 draft pick. This fits the Veach profile of signing former #1 draft picks. in 2020 he was suspended for using PEDs. Coleman was out of football in 2020 and didn’t play in 2021 due touse of PEDs. In his career, he suffered an ACL injury and he missed that season as well. I suspect that the Covid season also affected his ability to get back to football.
Coleman Metrics: age 27, 5-11-195 pound WR – Baylor who was selected in round 1 by the Browns.
At this point, let’s call them Flyers. An example of the Veach tenure was recent: Mike Hughes and Deandre Baker. Baker will be part of the CB group when the Chiefs take the field in Pre-Season games. I suspect that Dicaprio Bootle will also get a ton of snaps and a long look.
There is more to come as Brett Veach works through the financials.
David Bell – ArrowheadOne