Cutting Brandon Flowers Would Be A Mistake
By Ben Nielsen
Dec 30 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers (24) returns a fumble for sixty four yards in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
TRADE FLOWERS INSTEAD?
The only way parting with Flowers now that would make sense to me is if the Chiefs could gain a second day pick or better in a trade. At least then the Chiefs would gain the salary cap space for extension and earn the rights to selecting a high quality player in the draft. A player plus immediate cap flexibility may be enough to even out the value Flowers could have on the field for the Chiefs for one more year.
How a deal for Flowers would work, I’m not sure. Flowers is owed $5.5 million in salary this season, which is what his cap number would be in a trade. Some sort of deal would have to be worked out between Flowers and most teams in order to fit him under the cap. This adds another hurdle in a trade discussion between the Chiefs and any other team. A good rule of thumb would be “the more hurdles, the harder it is to get a trade done.” $5.5 million is a big hurdle.
There are three teams who could be interested in a deal for Flowers who also have enough cap space to work with this season to fit him in comfortably: Houston, Philadelphia, and New England. All three have reasons to add Flowers to their team, but Houston would seem to be the best fit.
Houston needs an upgrade in the secondary and some level of stability with a player who knows and understands the defense. Flowers excelled under Romeo Crennel as the left cornerback in his cover two scheme, and can help other players understand where they are supposed to be at any given time. His knowledge and level of play may be considered to be too valuable to pass up on.
Would Houston be willing to part with a second or third round pick? I’m not sure, but that has to be the level of compensation the Chiefs would have to receive in a deal for Flowers.
Tennessee and Indianapolis are also rumored to be interested in adding Flowers. Indy already has a history of trading high draft picks for players, but it may be in their best interest to hold onto their top picks after the way Trent Richardson has worked out for them.