Chiefs Lost Out On Lineman To Miami Dolphins
September 30, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel (7) scrambles from a tackle attempt by San Diego Chargers defensive end Vaughn Martin (92) in the second quarter at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The Kansas City Chiefs have had a pretty successful run in NFL Free Agency this offseason but we learned today that head coach Andy Reid and GM John Dorsey didn’t get every player they wanted.
According to the Sun-Sentinel, the Chiefs had an offer on the table for former San Diego Chargers defensive lineman Vaughn Martin.
From the Sun-Sentinel:
"Martin started 27 games for the Chargers the last two seasons and amassed 66 tackles and two sacks. His strength is playing the run and at 6-foot-4, 308 pounds he’s a better fit for defensive tackle in Miami’s 4-3 scheme.Martin said defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers, who is viewed in NFL circles as one of the league’s best, was one of the main reasons he signed a two-year deal with the Dolphins.“Everyone wants to win. You can see it in their eyes and I was flattered they see me as a piece of their puzzle,” said Martin, who said he had offers from the Patriots, Eagles, Chargers, Chiefs and Seattle.Martin, a fourth-round pick out of Western Ontario (Canada) College in 2009, started 12 games last season, but was rated by ProFootballFocus.com as the NFL’s 70th best 3-4 defensive end based on his 474 snaps."
Based on the Pro Football Focus rating, it looks like Martin would have been more of a role player/depth move than someone who would be fighting for a starting job.
Still, there must be something on tape that indicated Martin can improve or I doubt so many teams would have been interested in him.
The Chiefs will certainly need to add more defensive line depth but they have plenty of time to do that. The NFL Draft is just weeks away and after that there is usually a second wave of free agency as teams rush to fill holes they were unable to address in the draft.
(h/t Arrowhead Pride)