KC Chiefs: Five free agents to target at five positions of need
By Shade Piper
The KC Chiefs will need to start revamping their roster soon in hopes of returning for another Super Bowl run. Here we will look at some free agent targets for some of their biggest needs.
Due to the NFL’s CBA going to a player vote and now being delayed, this offseason is moving a little slower than expected. It should pick up soon though hopefully and free agents will start coming off the market quickly.
This means that the Kansas City Chiefs need to have a plan of attack moving forward, even if they decide to wait until after the CBA passes to execute the plan. Let’s look at some potential free agents the Cheifs could sign to help with some of their biggest positions of need, starting with maybe their biggest offseason need: cornerback.
Cornerback
1. Chris Harris, Denver Broncos
Chris Harris has had a solid career as a leader of the division rival Denver Broncos’ secondary. He is a vet that could bring valuable experience to the Kansas Chiefs’ cornerback group. He is on the wrong side of 30, but did still have a solid year last year.
He also has three times as much experience as KC’s current returning cornerbacks (Rashad Fenton and Charvarius Ward) have combined, so he could be a much-needed veteran presence in Kansas City.
Harris also played college ball at Kansas, so it would be nice if the Chiefs could get him at a hometown discount. Harris’ market value is currently $11 million per spotrac, so a short-term deal with the nine-year vet would probably be best for the Chiefs, but that’s assuming Harris would be willing to go that route.
2. James Bradberry, Carolina Panthers
James Bradberry is in a tough division to play in at the cornerback position, going up against Julio Jones, Michael Thomas, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin twice per year. Despite these difficult match-ups, he has held his own and earned his payday.
He is younger than Harris and has more upside at this point in their careers, but he will likely be too expensive for the Chiefs. Nevertheless, he is too talented not to be mentioned on this list. Who knows, maybe he doesn’t go for as much dough as expected?
3. Trae Waynes, Minnesota Vikings
Trae Waynes has never really lived up to his expectations as a former first-rounder with lighting fast speed. He had a couple of solid seasons, but also had some uninspiring seasons. He is still on the good side of 30 though and Brett Veach has shown a propensity for taking chances on former first-rounders in the past.
Wayne’s market value is estimated at $8.4 million, which isn’t terrible, but it is very possible that he actually signs for less than that, potentially making him a good option for the Chiefs.
4. Eli Apple, New Orleans Saints
Sticking with the same thought process here, Eli Apple looks like another Veach guy. He is another former first-rounder, who has played inconsistently and to this point has not reached his expectations though he did make more waves in New Orleans than he did in New York.
Apple is probably the biggest question mark on this list, but is also the youngest and likely the cheapest, making him an interesting low-risk high-upside consideration for the Chiefs.
5. Kendall Fuller/Bashaud Breeland, Kansas City Chiefs
Two of the KC Chiefs’ biggest free agents are both cornerbacks, so I combined them into one spot on this list. I know these are probably not the guys you wanted to read about in this article, but hey – They were great this past season and it helped the Chiefs win a Super Bowl!
It isn’t quite as exciting to stick with your in-house guys sometimes, but why try to fix what isn’t broken? This year’s cornerback free agent group is not outstanding, so if Kendall Fuller and/or Bashaud Breeland don’t get overpaid due to being Super Bowl champs, they might be the best options.
Fuller, for the most part, had an underwhelming season, but really came on late in the season displaying his versatility moving around to play at both cornerback and safety. His versatility might stir up interest with other teams, but if not, the Chiefs would be smart to retain him at the right price.
Breeland played well most of the season and may have earned himself a contract that Veach is unable to match. However, it doesn’t seem like there is a lot of outside hype for him right now, so who knows maybe the Chiefs will be able to re-sign him!