LB Willie Gay Jr
Projected Contract: 1 year, $5 million
Max offer: 3 years, $20 million
Willie Gay Jr was one of my favorite players for the Chiefs throughout his 4 year career in Kansas City from 2020 to 2023. Gay left in free agency and signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Saints last offseason. Now the Chiefs are facing the idea of Nick Bolton hitting free agency, and they have a need at linebacker and a reunion with Willie Gay makes a lot of sense to me.
Chiefs fans loved Willie Gay, and many (including me) still do. Gay was a really great locker room guy who provided energy for the whole team, as well as being an incredible athlete who had range to make plays all over the field. Gay is an exceptional athlete, even playing running back in high school and running a 4.46 40-yard dash at the combine. Gay was a second-round pick for the Chiefs in 2020, and I think his skillset is very valuable. A reunion with him and Kansas City would be very valuable for both sides going forward.
Cornerback Amani Oruwariye
Projected Contract: 1 year, $2 million
Max offer: 2 years, $7.5 million
I have been a huge fan of Amani Oruwariye ever since he declared from the draft out of Penn State in 2019. Oruwariye lit up the combine where he came in at six feet two inches with 31 ⅜ inch arms and ran a 4.47 forty yard dash. He then went on to be a fifth-round pick for the Lions, where they hoped he could develop into a solid contributor at outside corner
He has a great frame as well as incredible movement skills that set him up for success, and he is the type of player the Chiefs like at corner. As expected, Oruwariye has been up and down in his career, but I think Kansas City would be a great fit for him and the future of his career. The Chiefs should be able to get Oruwariye on a cheap short-term deal to prove himself, and he could be a contributor for the Chiefs in 2025 and beyond.
S Damontae Kazee
Projected Contract: 2 years, $7 million
Max offer: 1 year, $5 million
Kazee is a versatile, undersized safety who has great instincts and veteran leadership that will be valuable in Kansas City. The Chiefs are facing the reality that Justin Reid will be hitting free agency, and they may need to look forward if he departs. Jaden Hicks and Bryan Cook were promising in 2024, and Deon Bush provides depth, but adding a veteran, experienced safety like Kazee could be valuable this offseason.
The Chiefs need a guy who can line up all over the field and can play that Swiss army knife role that Spagnuolo loves. Kazee has been a productive safety between his time in Atlanta, Dallas, and Pittsburgh, and I think his skill set would be valuable in Kansas City. Kazee may want to play for a championship contender, and if he is interested in joining the Chiefs as veteran depth, he should be an affordable addition for them this offseason.