What Do We Do Next Mr. Brett “Maverick” Veach?

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Moving Swiftly along, Brett Veach has shown, to this point that he is willing to delay actions until the right moment to execute each move. Right now? Pro Days are underway – a tremendously busy time for Veach & the Scouting team. Several questions arise due to the free-agent situation of the Chief’s own players, another side of the coin which Veach, his staff, and front office personnel work through with the coaching staff, ranking players in import for retention, and making decisions about whom will be on the “non-tender” list.

Today’s offering should at least provide some enticement for your consumption.

Hazarding A Free Agent Keeper List

Chiefs Free Agent List(Tagged or Signed F/A’s Included)

Player	Pos.	Type	Snaps	Age	Current APY	Guarantees
Tyrann Mathieu	S	UFA	89.20%	30	$14,000,000.00	$26,800,000.00
Jarran Reed	IDL	UFA	63.70%	30	$5,500,000.00	$5,000,000.00
Melvin Ingram	EDGE	UFA	52.00%	33	$4,000,000.00	$2,925,000.00
Charvarius Ward	CB	UFA	67.30%	26	$3,384,000.00	$0.00
Mike Remmers	RT	UFA	13.10%	33	$3,300,000.00	$3,050,000.00
Mike Hughes	CB	UFA	45.40%	25	$2,466,871.00	$8,689,994.00
Daniel Sorensen	S	UFA	62.40%	32	$2,462,500.00	$2,462,500.00
Byron Pringle	WR	UFA	49.00%	29	$2,133,000.00	$0.00
Chad Henne	QB	UFA	2.60%	37	$1,625,000.00	$2,000,000.00
Darrel Williams	RB	UFA	47.70%	27	$1,600,000.00	$880,000.00
Ben Niemann	LB	UFA	49.80%	27	$1,570,000.00	$800,000.00
Kyle Long	RG	UFA	0.00%	34	$1,500,000.00	$1,450,000.00
Demarcus Robinson	WR	UFA	58.20%	28	$1,127,500.00	$987,500.00
Blake Bell	TE	UFA	26.90%	31	$1,127,500.00	$887,500.00
Alex Okafor	EDGE	UFA	41.40%	31	$1,075,000.00	$0.00
Austin Blythe	C	UFA	1.00%	30	$990,000.00	$990,000.00
Josh Gordon	WR	Signed	18.30%	31	$1,120,000.00	$0.00
Jerick McKinnon	RB	UFA	14.40%	30	$990,000.00	$150,000.00
Michael Burton	FB	UFA	7.90%	30	$990,000.00	$275,000.00
Derrick Nnadi	IDL	UFA	40.20%	26	$930,600.00	$959,400.00
Andrew Wylie	LG	UFA	44.10%	28	$920,000.00	$920,000.00
Orlando Brown	LT	Tagged	94.40%	26	$16,662,000.00?	$0.00
Deandre Baker	CB	Tendered	18.90%	25	$Details to come	$0.00
Marcus Kemp	WR	UFA	6.30%	27	$850,000.00	$0.00
Dorian O’Daniel	LB	UFA	2.10%	28	$830,785.00	$761,516.00
Armani Watts	S	UFA	4.00%	26	$780,308.00	$632,232.00
Chris Lammons	CB	RFA	1.20%	26	$727,500.00	$0.00
Justin Watson	WR	Signed	0.00%	26	$1,035,000.00	$0.00
Derrick Gore	RB	ERFA	9.60%	28	$660,000.00	$0.00
Jody Fortson	WR	ERFA	4.50%	27	$660,000.00	$0.00

To deal with the above list, the players that are signed or who are priority players to get aboard are:

Priority Free Agents to Sign

As I start, keep in mind that players familiar with Reid’s playbook have a leg up for both skilled and OL roles. Otherwise, Depth and Tier-2 players are replaceable.

Due to the potential to depart in Free Agency is pending for Safety Tyrann Mathieu, Dan Sorensen, and Charvarius Ward, it appears to me that it is necessary to re-tender Mike Hughes, Armani Watts, and Deandre Baker. Dorian O’Daniel is at least a solid Special Team player but should be re-evaluated by the new LB coach Brendan Daly. I am resolved in my mind, that Veach should finish the re-work of the LB crew and a LB should be among the 2022 Draft picks. It could be they believe that Ben Niemann can do the job as the 3rd LB but I think he can be a 4th — but is not quick enough to play outside nor speedy enough for pass coverage. Brett Veach left the door open for Hitch to return on a lesser contract. I also have a negative view of that as well. What is needed is a third young player who stops the run in the gap and is also capable enough in pass coverage when in base 43 and nickel coverage schemes.

Between Mecole Hardman and Byron Pringle the Chiefs have at least a pair of WR’s for the 3 and 4 positions in the group. Of course, the ace target is our #1 WR Tyreek Hill. It appears to me that the Chiefs will sign a #2 Possession WR in Free Agency from outside the organization, and on the roster is Josh Gordon, whom I have not given up on, and Cornell Powell, a rookie that I still think has promise.

CEH, Darrel Williams, Jerick McKinnon, and Derrick Gore are all three familiar with the playbook and give the offense a base group for the RB role. Blake Bell could return at TE and the Chiefs have Noah Gray and Jody Fortson behind Kelce plus several UDFA’s. Armani Watts, Jody Fortson, and Mike Burton. Chris Lammons may be out due to legal problems. Keeping Offensive Linemen for Depth and backup might consist of Andrew Wylie and Austin Blythe. Young players would then be on board to compete for the OL Group.

Who is the most crucial Player to get signed back?

The next part of the work may involve not only Brett but Bart, his brother being naturally Andy Reid.

It is my view that the most crucial free agent, in my view, is Melvin Ingram. The Secondary players are next. It is not assured that Mathieu and Ward are departing. It is probably 40-60 type percentage break that they depart. Andrew Wylie impressed me in 2021. I see him as valuable for both Guard Positions and the ROT role. All Whoopla aside, I really would prefer that both Mathieu and Ward return as well.

How Brett Veach can get more “Spending Power”

Rather than go through the same girations that others have written about, such as Charles Goldman, here: https://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/nfl/chiefs/2022/02/03/chiefs-salary-cap-outlook-heading-into-2022-nfl-offseason/49759183/

or

Seth Keysor’s work. If you subscribe to his substack, I am referring to a series of four articles with titles beginning with “If I Were Brett Veach…” You can see some of his work without subscribing. In the first article of the series, he deals with the Cap: If I were Brett Veach, Part 1: Salary cap fun and a look at problems that need solving this offseason. The Address is here for the “Chiefs in the North Newsletter” which is $12 annually: https://mnchiefsfan.substack.com/

Seth makes the observation that the Chiefs can restructure contracts to gain . A quick quote from the first article: “For example, a restructure in 2022 can save the Chiefs a whopping $22.7 million against the cap in 2022 (putting them at $37.2 million in space) while only adding only a measly $5.7 to their 2023 cap.”

Then consider Veach immediately gained $8.4M by cutting Anthony Hitchens and could gain $19.4m by cutting Frank Clark at the Post-June 1 date. As Seth is wont to say, the cap is a lot of “funny money” and dealing with it is monkey business as I name it. Goldman’s suggestions led to about $60m. And so it goes, as much as they need to do. Coming to terms with Orlando Brown, Jr. will surely result in added Cap Space.

In the sad event that both Ward and Mathieu Leave In Free Agency?

This is the most problematic situation for the defense aside from Rebuilding the Front Four. The Chiefs lose a very solid Corner and a top Safety who is a jack of all trades. Brett Veach will certainly move the two positions up the board for consideration, both by finding an experience Free Agent to replace both players. At the same time, I see the need to find two players to bring aboard in the draft.

Not long ago, I wrote about the importance of the Defensive Line to pressure, hit, and sack the opposing QB. In general, at least the pressure must come to bear in 2.5-2.7 seconds. That is how quickly the opposing Quarterbacks are releasing the passes. Also observed in the same article, was my observation that the defense picked up AS Melvin Ingram’s “Juice” expanded along with his game snaps. This led to a feast of a Chief’s 6-0 run until they lost the regular-season game to the Bengals and why I feel this is ‘Free Agent Job One’ for Brett Veach. Getting Melvin Ingram back to the fold is going to be an important action as Free Agency opens up on March 14th(The Tampering Period). When seen this way, then you must believe that a second and third action is planned. Brett Veach has stated that Clark won’t be back under the same contract structure. Clark has not been enough of a factor in terms of performance since the post-season, 2019. Veach also verbalized the need to revamp the defensive line.

The lack of a pass rush is always felt by the players in the secondary. When coverage must last for 3 or 4 seconds or more, is when it is most felt, as coverage breaks down. We saw the result of a poor pass rush in the two losses to the Bengals. The positive view of this is that the Chiefs could solve the defensive line problem with two Free Agents. For example, tender an offer to Von Miller and get him to pair with Ingram. Other Choices might be Emmanuel Ogbah who is already familiar with Spagnuolo’s method!

or possibly Chandler Jones. We do not know how much progress Josh Kaindoh made last year. We didn’t see enough to know about Kaindoh.

Anticipating two Defensive ends signed to the roster is one thing. Chandler Jones is the youngest consideration but Miller has the “Juice” and we in KC are quite familiar with him and he with the Chiefs. Maybe that could be a solid match to add opposite Ingram. In fact, I like this idea a lot. We loved to “hate” Ingram and learned to love him last season. Let’s make a pitch to Brett Veach to go get Miller and do the same thing(and draft the future foundation player who has “Juice”.

The 2021 draft is the perfect place and time to draft a top DE that the Chief’s staff under Veach and the coaching staff present the team with that future DE. He would have Veterans who could help bring him along quickly. Of course, the first-round selections in the draft will determine whether Brett Veach will use the first-round pick for a defensive end or not. It may be an opportunity to select a top Safety or Cornerback. A Wide Receiver would be a great choice as well. Veach could trade out of the first round to get another top-100 draft pick because the players on their board are possibly going to be available on day two. We just won’t know until we get there. The Draft begins on March 28th – more than a month away.

Finding an Interior Defense Line player who is good at stopping the run and also can boost the pass rush opposite Chris Jones, would be another addition that would help. Nnadi, Saunders, and Wharton are role players. But such a “dual tool” player is tough to find.

The Chiefs could find a RB to add to the mix and they have a slew of Tight Ends already signed. I certainly can see signing a #2 WR in free agency as well as a draft pick. Many names have been bandied across the Kingdom as Free Agent proposals, such as JuJu Smith-Schuster. Last year KC tendered him an offer and Patrick Mahomes spoke to him to encourage JuJu to sign on. It didn’t happen but it seems to me to be more encouraging possibility than it was in 2021 — and “Steelersgab”is proposing that fans not dismiss him being re-tendered.

After Free Agency has run it’s cour for Kansas City, What’s next? Well, the draft of course.

David Bell – ArrowheadOne