The Kansas City Chiefs could use some help in the pass-rushing department. Chris Jones may have lost a step, George Karlaftis hasn't lived up to the hype, and they averaged just 2.1 sacks per game last season, tied for 22nd in the league according to Team Rankings.
That's why the idea of making a run at Dexter Lawrence made some sense. He wants a trade after failing to get the New York Giants to give him a raise, and he's still one of the best pass-rushing defensive tackles in the game.
Unfortunately, he might be a bit out of their price range. According to CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones, he's looking to cash in on a big payday, and the Chiefs have already spent a lot of money at the position.
"The acquiring team will likely have to pay Lawrence a salary in the high-20s upon trading for him," Jones reported. "That would be OK for a contending team needing an interior defensive lineman and realizing this is not the year to hope you'll get one in the draft."
The Chiefs Can't Afford to Pay Dexter Lawrence
While it's reasonable that a player of Lawrence's caliber has those financial aspirations, the Chiefs just can't afford him. They just gave Khyiris Tonga a three-year, $21 million deal, and they're paying Chris Jones an annual average value of $31.75 million.
The Giants reportedly want a first-round pick in return for Lawrence's services. They can do so because they have two first-round selections after the Trent McDuffie trade, but landing him would force them to make sacrifices elsewhere. The salary cap exists for a reason, and even if they can go around him by giving him most of the money as a signing bonus, they'll still have to deal with the cap hit eventually.
GM Brett Veach might be better off just finding two cost-controlled options in the first round of the draft, even if whoever they get isn't a proven commodity like Lawrence. Also, as good a player as he is, he's coming off the worst season of his career, logging just 0.5 sacks in the final year of the Brian Daboll era.
The Chiefs could certainly use another pass rusher, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo must find a way to put more pressure at the line of scrimmage. Unfortunately, the Chiefs will have to look elsewhere for a long-term solution in the middle of the defensive line.
More Kansas City Chiefs News and Rumors:
Add us as a preferred source on Google