Kansas City Chiefs: Cameron Erving extension sends all the wrong messages

Cameron Erving, a recently demoted offensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs, received an extension that sends all the wrong signals.

Never before in recent memory can I remember a player given both a raise as well as a demotion. Before this week, I’d have guessed that wasn’t possible. Then the Kansas City Chiefs agreed to terms with the starting left guard/now backup swing tackle Cameron Erving. What that new deal does is not good on multiple levels.

While the numbers of the new contract are not huge, the numbers are far greater for a player that to this point his career has been a major disappointment. This move was brought on by a variety of factors and could have somewhat of a far-reaching impact on the future of the Chiefs spending along the offensive line.

First off, current starting center Mitch Morse is set to be a free agent after this season and the Chiefs don’t exactly have a bunch of money to spend. The big problem, however, comes from the fact the Chiefs, by doing this contract, have established a floor of what a Mitch Morse extension would look like.

OT/OG Cam Erving has agreed to a two-year extension with the Chiefs worth up to $15.7M, depending on how much he plays, per source. Deal also includes $6.45M in guarantees and makes him one of the highest-paid swing linemen in the league.
— RIP Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) September 4, 2018

Considering Erving received a deal that appears likely to pay him just under $8 million for the 2019 and 2020 season, one can expect a Morse deal (if it gets done) would be for a greater dollar amount.

Perhaps the Chiefs anticipate Erving moving to center and let Morse walk in free agency. While I’m certainly not going to sit here and tell you Morse is a great, elite level player, he’s certainly a superior player to Erving. Paying this money can eventually make this team worse. That’s not what a team is looking for when they extend football contracts.

Secondly, and this is somewhat stunning, in 2019 and 2020, if the numbers that have been reported are indeed accurate, Erving will have a higher salary than current starting right tackle Mitchell Schwartz.

Yes, there are guarantees and the such that eventually allow Schwartz to be paid more, but yes, based on salary, Erving’s next two seasons will be more money than Schwartz. The former Browns right tackle has been a solid performing player ever since arriving in Kansas City on what appeared to be at the time and certainly appears now to be an under-market value contract.

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Does Schwartz hold out this upcoming offseason looking for a new deal, using the Erving contract as an example of his worthiness of a raise? It is widely believed that previous general manager John Dorsey was let go in part due to his issues with the salary cap. That Dorsey had issues with the salary cap is a fair argument a legitimate issue during the Dorsey regime.

But there is a different picture beginning to develop. Current general manager Brett Veach appears to have his own issues with the salary cap and knowing value. Large contracts (for the position) have been handed out since the change was made, and with a slew of high-level players due to hit free agency in the coming two seasons, concerns about the cap are already starting.

Thirdly, and some will dismiss this, but the Chiefs decision to use a sixth-round pick on a defensive tackle to convert to the offense has played a part in this decision. Had the Chiefs used the selection on a player that had perhaps played offensive line before, especially center, the Chiefs would already have the person in place and would not feel compelled to use precious free agent dollars to lock up a backup offensive lineman.

There were two players available when the Chiefs moved up that fit the bill. LSU’s Will Clapp went to the Saints and Bradley Bozeman was selected by Baltimore. Both players were starting centers for the respective programs and obviously had played against high-level defensive competition coming from the SEC West. Certainly not arguing that either player is or will ever be elite, but as a backup interior offensive lineman with experience playing center, well, they’d have provided insurance that would not have necessitated the Chiefs claiming Austin Reiter and Ike Boettger on waivers just after cut down day.

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A player I originally anticipated would have to show something to stick on the 53 has now been given an extension, so obviously, the Chiefs view Erving’s production and potential differently then I do. They had better be right, because if they are wrong, it could very costly, far more then the decision to make Erving perhaps the highest paid backup offensive lineman in the league.

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