Kansas City Chiefs: James Winchester Signs Extension

The Kansas City Chiefs have made their first significant offseason move by re-signing long snapper James Winchester to an extension.

The upcoming 2017 NFL offseason doesn’t figure to be too exciting for the Kansas City Chiefs. There simply isn’t a lot that needs to be done with the roster besides re-signing in-house talent. However, the Chiefs are getting a jump on the in-house talent by signing long snapper James Winchester to a contract extension

It is pretty easy to overlook a long snapper, yet they are one of three positions on the field that teams have no real backup for. The Chiefs backup option at long snapper was star tight end Travis Kelce. So getting a reliable player in that role is of vital importance for the Special Teams unit. Keeping one in place for an extended period of time is even more important.

James Winchester has been with the Chiefs since 2015. Prior to coming to Kansas City that year, he had spent one preseason with the Philadelphia Eagles. Winchester spent the beginning of his time in KC battling for his job with Andrew East.

It was a pretty solid season for James Winchester. The Chiefs Special Teams unit had very few issues on the whole, which is always a good sign. Winchester also displayed his ability in coverage, racking up a pair of tackles and a fumble recovery (good stats for a long snapper). All in all, he earned a contract extension.

The numbers aren’t out yet, but don’t expect this to be any kind of a blockbuster arrangement. James Winchester was good as a long snapper, but the price tag for that isn’t very high. His extension should have very little effect on the salary cap this year.

Next: Kansas City Chiefs: Pros and Cons of 2016 Season

The Kansas City Chiefs know that they are in position to contend next year and are working to keep the talent on this roster. A signing like this will go under the radar, but is very important for stability and cohesion. John Dorsey is “Mr. No-Days-Off”.