Chief concern: Another deal just around the “corner”

3. If either Smith or Poe required the tag, the cap hit at DT would be lower. 

Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Suppose the Chiefs have to use the franchise tag to retain and widen the negotiating window of opportunity with either Sean Smith or Dontari Poe. Which of them would it make more sense to tag? Using the 2015 numbers as a reference point, an average of the five highest salaries at cornerback would cost the Chiefs $13.05 million. Compare that number with $11.17 million for the defensive tackle position.

That might seem like a small differential, but that $1.88 million of cap space is larger than the 2015 cap numbers for both safety Husain Abdullah and wide receiver Jason Avant. In other words, it’s enough space to sign two significant role players with.

These numbers are subject to change over the next two seasons, but for the next calendar year, it’d be more expensive to keep Smith with a franchise designation. I think that makes him the prohibitive favorite to beat Poe to an extension. He’s on the final year of his contract and the Chiefs have a much smaller margin for error in getting him re-signed. Exercising their fifth-year option gives them another two seasons to address an extension for Poe.

How would you best utilize the available cap space? Which current Chiefs’ player would you extend first? Can an argument be made for standing pat and rolling cap room over into 2016? Use the comment section below to begin the debate. As always, we appreciate your readership and support.

Until next time, Addicts!