Kansas City Chiefs’ 2015 Free Agency Outlook: Part 1

Guard

1. Orlando Franklin (Broncos)

Franklin’s another player the Chiefs have an intimate knowledge of. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second-round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He may be an intriguing option for Andy Reid because of his versatility. In four seasons, he’s logged starts both at right tackle and left guard. In fact, he spent most of his time at the University of Miami at left guard. Franklin struggled in pass pro when he was on the right end of Denver’s offensive line, but his PFF pass-blocking grades improved once he was moved inside. As a run blocker, he plays the physical, drive-blocking style that Reid likes. The Broncos have lots of cap space available, but will need to address at least a half-dozen marquee players with expiring contracts. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Franklin’s versatility and durability (he’s made 63 of 64 career starts) may come at a premium on the open market.

2. James Carpenter (Seahawks)

Carpenter likely checks in as the least talented player on this week’s list. I’d go one step further and say he’ll probably be the lowest profile player in both parts of this piece. He’s little more than a serviceable guard in the NFL. He won’t get anyone excited in Kansas City, but he is absolutely an upgrade over the Mike McGlynn’s and Jeff Linkenbach’s of the world. As previously mentioned, the Chiefs do have Allen returning from injury, but on the chance that his progress is delayed, it might be wise to have some competition during the offseason program. The major concern with Carpenter is his injury history. He’s never played a full season during his short NFL career.

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