Do the Chiefs have enough of a pass rush as things stand?
By David Thomas
The Kansas City Chiefs finished the 2016 season ranked 27th in pass rush. What could the Chiefs do to improve in 2017?
Over the past decade, the signature of the Chiefs defense has been their pass rush. Tamba Hali, Jared Allen, Justin Houston, Derrick Johnson, and many others have helped contribute to the narrative. However going into the 2017 season, do the Chiefs have enough of a pass rush? Hali is no spring chicken, Houston has been hurt, and Dee Ford maddeningly inconsistent.
The Chiefs ended the 2016 season ranked 26th in the NFL in adjusted sack rate by Football Outsiders, and that’s with Ford notching 10 sacks in 14 starts. Houston only managed to play in 5 games and garnered 4 sacks. Hali, despite playing in 16 games, only started 2 and put up 3.5 sacks. The Chiefs 2016 2nd round rookie Chris Jones was 4th on the team with just 2 sacks in 11 starts.
The Chiefs don’t appear to have any glaring holes on the roster, but an outside pass rusher should be a target at the top of the draft. Potential targets in the draft could be:
- Charles Harris, OLB, Missouri, 6′ 3” 253lbs
Comes from a long line of Missouri linebackers making it into the NFL. Harris has great size and an explosive first step. A hand fighter whose trademark pass rush move is the spin move. He isn’t a particularly strong run defender and is poor at maintaining contain.
2. Takkarist McKinley, OLB, UCLA, 6′ 2” 250lbs
Non-stop motor and has excellent pursuit to the ball. Maintains contain and has ability to disengage from his blocker to flatten out the run. Little development in hand technique with a slow punch. Need to continue to add strength to maintain control in the NFL. Reminds people most of Tamba Hali.
3. Jordan Willis, DE, Kansas St., 6′ 4” 255lbs
Listed as a defensive end but has plus size for a 3-4 outside linebacker. Willis has excellent play recognition vs. zone read. Good hand technique with power and control. Deliberate pass rusher who gives away his moves early and is slow to counters. Little creativity in his pass rush moves, but is coachable.
The only notable available OLB free agent would be Elvis Dumervil who is 33 and has struggled over the last two seasons.
2017 could be the last season we see from Dee Ford and Tamba Hali. The Chiefs have yet to pickup Ford’s 2018 5th year option, and cutting Hali would save the Chiefs $7mil against the cap. Dee Ford’s option will likely be picked up, but there is no guarantee. Ford had a career year in 2016, but was still just as inconsistent throughout the season. Ford did not have a single sack in the last 6 weeks of the season. Tamba Hali despite still being an effective rotational player is simply not worth the $8.5mil price tag for 2018. The only way I see Hali staying with the team is if Ford’s 5th year option is not picked up and he is not retained.
If both were to leave after the 2017 season the Chiefs would be left with just Justin Houston and Frank Zombo on the outside for 2018 as the current roster stands. The Chiefs do also have 6th round rookie Dadi Nicolas on the roster, but Nicolas notched just 28 snaps on defense. Nicolas ruptured his patellar tendon in the final weeks of the NFL season and was placed on IR. His current condition is unknown. Justin Houston did appear to continuously suffer from knee problems in the final quarter of the 2016 season. There’s no reason to believe that his condition will continue, but will need to monitored throughout the offseason into training camp.