All signs point to the Chiefs re-signing free agent S Eric Berry. He’s a transcendent player both on and off the field and owner Clark Hunt has even said recently that the Chiefs are trying to get a deal done. So, let’s count Berry in.
I also believe that ILB Derrick Johnson is coming back on a minimal deal. Say, 3 years for 15-20 Mil. So, let’s count him in for argument’s sake.
The Viking Age
I also believe that OLB Tamba Hali is coming back on a minimal deal but even if he doesn’t the Chiefs have Dee Ford to step in… whether he’s ready or not. So, I wouldn’t expect John Dorsey to use one of these four key positions on an OLB. Although… not impossible. Dorsey has been known to say, “You can never have enough guys who can rush the passer.”
When speaking about Derrick Johnson and Mike DeVito and the way they pushed each other last year to recover from similar Achilles injuries, Dorsey said, “… both those guys represent the culture thing that we talk about within the organization.”
Also, here’s Dorsey on negotiating contracts with the Chiefs own free agents this off-season,
"“When I go through anything, I have to, from a business part of it, I have to take the emotion part of it out and I have to be very professional. I have to be very ineffectual in terms of how we’re going to do what’s in the long term interest of this organization.”"
Does a player represent the “culture” that the teams wants? That sounds like an important piece to remember as the offseason progresses.
Re-signing his own players may be dependent upon John Dorsey’s observations of prospects while at the Shrine Game and Senior Bowl weeks. Here’s John Dorsey, from a Terez Paylor piece called “Chiefs’ John Dorsey optimistic team can take the next step in 2016”
"“It gives you a chance to really put your hands on these players, watch them move around, watch them compete. It also gives you a chance to kind of, for the first time, really to see who they are as people as well.”"
Next: So, Which Prospect Would be the Best “Fit” in the First?