Chiefs Free Agency: Best of the Rest?
The first week of free agency was fast and furious at One Arrowhead Drive. This past week, there was nary a sound from the stadium. Linebacker Dezman Moses was re-signed, but that’s as low-profile a signing as it gets. The 2015 NFL Draft is five weeks away and it appears general manager John Dorsey may be done shopping for veterans until the second wave of free agency gets rolling (typically after the draft). There are still a few affordable options available though, and the Chiefs are rumored to be linked to at least one of them.
Today, I present to you, the “Best of the Rest.” Here are three more free agents who fit the Chiefs’ offensive schema and are likely to fit within their cap constraints.
Michael Crabtree
Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
There’s been little interest in the former first-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers. Some NFL pundits have speculated that it’s largely due to Michael Crabtree’s overestimation of his worth on the open market. Recent rumors suggest the Miami Dolphins may be intrigued at the possibility of bringing him in. Their two trades this month (Mike Wallace away to Minnesota and Kenny Stills from New Orleans) still leaves them with a vacancy at the position. Two weeks into free agency, it seems unlikely that Crabtree will command a mega, multi-year deal.
I’d venture to guess that a one or two-year deal is the ceiling for Crabtree at this stage of his career. He’s still just 27 years old, but he hasn’t been highly productive since the 2012 season. Kansas City may be one of his best options for reviving his career. There’s some thought that he may have trepidation about reuniting with quarterback Alex Smith, but he’s a familiar quarterback who aided him in turning in the two best years of his NFL career. The addition of Jeremy Maclin gives the Chiefs a bona fide No. 1 target, but they still need a complement to him on the other side. Michael Crabtree is an interesting and ostensibly inexpensive candidate for the role.
Greg Jennings
Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
The tenth-year man out of Western Michigan is yet another option who could fill the role vacated by former Chiefs wideout Dwayne Bowe. He’s a 6-foot, 195 pound target who can be the possession-type receiver the Chiefs may be looking for opposite of Maclin. Jennings is not the same receiver Dorsey remembers from his final few years in Green Bay, but he did have a fairly successful stint as a No. 2 receiver in Minnesota. He certainly didn’t play at a level commensurate with his contract, but he amassed over 1,500 yards and 10 receiving touchdowns in his two seasons with the Vikings.
If healthy, Jennings can still play the game and would bring a veteran presence to the Chiefs’ offense. Kansas City lacked sure-handed targets in 2014. Jennings would bring much-needed reliability in that area and provide a big target for Alex Smith in the red zone. That’s certainly something Reid’s offense was starved for last season. He’s light years away from the hefty contract he got from Minnesota in 2013. Several teams have expressed an interest in Jennings, but Kansas City might make the most sense.
Stefen Wisniewski
Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
John Dorsey learned a valuable lesson last season when he lost three starting-caliber offensive lineman in the first 90 minutes of free agency. The draftees and second wave signees lacked the talent to shoulder those losses. He lost another key ingredient to the offensive line a few weeks ago when center Rodney Hudson departed for the Oakland Raiders. Since then, he’s added two-time Pro Bowler Ben Grubbs and fringe starter Paul Fanaika to the fold. Both of them are upgrades over guards Jeff Linkenbach and Mike McGlynn from the 2014 free agent class.
A recent rumor suggests Dorsey may not be done re-tooling the offensive line. Hudson was signed just days after it became clear the Raiders would be moving on from Stefen Wisniewski. Recently, Brad Briggs of the Chicago Tribune named Kansas City as one of several teams interested in acquiring Wisniewski. Eric Kush is next in line now that Hudson’s gone, but the Chiefs may want an insurance policy in case he’s not quite ready to be thrust into the starting role. A Wisniewski signing creates competition and gives a young player like Kush a veteran to apprentice under.
Are there other inexpensive free agent options out there that I omitted from my list or do you think the Chiefs are set until the draft? What defensive players might you kick the tires on over the next month? Does the roster have any glaring holes left? Use the comment section below to weigh in. As always, we appreciate your readership and support.
Until next time, Addicts!