Free Agency: Walter Thurmond III would fit perfectly in Kansas City
By Joseph Hoyt
Nov 17, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Walter Thurmond (28) runs the ball in for a touchdown after intercepting a pass by Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) (not pictured) during the second half at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Minnesota 41-20. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
It’s difficult for Kansas City Chiefs fans to erase the images of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck carving up their team’s defense with big plays to receiver T.Y. Hilton.
If not for the defensive deficiency in the Chiefs secondary, and some key injuries, the Chiefs might have made it to the second round to bout with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Instead, the Chiefs were sent packing with an early first round exit.
Although it was a single loss in a season filled with wins, the game against the Colts highlighted Kansas City’s weak ling in their talented defense: their secondary.
The Chiefs were led this year by a dominant running game and a talented front seven. When the defense was healthy, the skill of the other positions allowed the secondary’s weakness to be hidden. However, when the team wasn’t completely healthy, the secondary showed that it was beatable.
Feb 2, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Walter Thurmond during Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium. The Seahawks defeated the Broncos 43-8. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sportsensive back Walter Thurmond III.
This off-season, the Chiefs have the opportunity to upgrade its secondary with players via the draft and through free agency. One player they should target on the free agent front is former Seattle Seahawks defensive back Walter Thurmond III.
Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com thinks Thurmond could be on the move.
“He’s a great nickel back, but that might be a luxury the Seahawks can’t afford,” Rosenthal wrote about Thurmond earlier this month.
Thurmond had an interesting career in Seattle. After being selected in the fourth round of the 2010 draft, the former Oregon defensive back showed skill that warranted him being a starter in the NFL. However, he missed a major chunk of the 2011 season with a broken leg and was suspended for four games in 2013.
Coming off a Super Bowl winning season, Thurmond could be the perfect addition to the Chiefs secondary in 2014.
The Seahawks showed in this year’s edition of the Super Bowl that a good defense will be a good offense when they routed the Denver Broncos 43-8. They tormented Peyton Manning, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, and effectively shut out any run game Denver thought they possessed in the process.
The Chiefs defense of last season has been compared to a less talented version of Seattle’s defense. Plucking away a member of the “Legion of Boom” would be a nice addition for the Chiefs. Especially with the team releasing Dunta Robinson earlier this week.