Kansas City Chiefs: Dontari Poe Looking For $10 Million Per Year

Reports are claiming that pending Kansas City Chiefs free agent Dontari Poe is looking for around $10 million per year in a new contract.

After initial hopes that the Kansas City Chiefs would be able to re-sign defensive tackle Dontari Poe, the speculation has now turned to where he’ll end up. The Chiefs refused to use the Franchise Tag on Poe, which many have taken as a sign that no deal will happen. Reports have now surfaced that the star defensive tackle is looking for around $10 million per year.

Technically, the Chiefs are not out of the picture yet. In fact, it is mathematically possible for the team to make that kind of a deal work. The question is whether or not that is prudent for a franchise that already has a number of high priced players on the roster. It’s hard to argue in favor of it.

At $10 million per year, Dontari Poe would be the eighth highest paid defensive tackle in the NFL. That’s a hefty price tag for any player, though it can be argued that a disruptive force like Poe is worth it. Such a deal would actually be good for the rest of the league after mega deals have been shelled out for players like Ndamukong Suh and Malik Jackson.

If the Chiefs do indeed allow Dontari Poe to leave in Free Agency, there are some options available to them to serve as a replacement. While Poe is a disruptive force, he has not held up as well against double teams as he used to. That is really what the Chiefs need in the middle of their defense, so it makes sense not to pay big for him.

Next: Kansas City Chiefs: Free Agency Tracker

Ultimately, I expect Dontari Poe to get the contract he is looking for with another team. Hopefully it is someone the Chiefs don’t have to play against very often. While he may have slowed down a little recently, Poe is still not the kind of guy you want to face on Sundays.