Chiefs free agency: Don’t be ‘that guy’
Every year, NFL free agency drives people to the brink of insanity.
It’s an annual right for those who love the game. They watch as their team waits forever to sign its own free agents, and then seems to take time going after players around the rest of the league. Of course, this kind of process leaves fans impatient, and they become irrational maniacs.
Last offseason, it was fun watching folks meltdown on Twitter. We got to witness people calling for John Dorsey’s job 20 minutes into free agency, because the Miami Dolphins had landed Ndamukong Suh, the San Diego Chargers nabbed Orlando Franklin, and the Chiefs had signed … Josh Mauga.
Dorsey was being patient and in the eyes of some, lazy. People who only watch football but truly understand it went insane, believing that the Chiefs were about to sink to the bottom of the AFC standings. Why wasn’t Dorsey involved with every free agent? What is this clown doing in a job that seems so easy?
Immediately, Dorsey was a chump. Voices of reason were shouted down by a legion of angry fans who demanded better. All hope was lost.
A few hours later, Kansas City struck a five-year, $55 million deal for Jeremy Maclin. Dorsey was immediately the smartest man in the room again. Only days later, Dorsey traded for guard Ben Grubbs, and suddenly, Kansas City was the odds-on favorite to win the next five Super Bowls.
The point of all this? Use your brain. Don’t be the mouth-breathing guy on Twitter who acts like a child that didn’t get the toy it wanted at the exact time it was begged for. Relax and trust a man who has a record of 29-19 in his three years with the team, plus its first postseason victory since 1993.
Kansas City is going to lose some players. There is a very good chance that both Jaye Howard and Sean Smith are leaving, perhaps even going to divisional rivals. It’s going to be a bummer, but Dorsey has no choice. If he wants to add a few new pieces and a draft class, while keeping Dontari Poe and Eric Fisher for the long haul, he has little choice. If we’re lucky, one stays.
It’s about being the smarter fan. It is about knowing that the Chiefs will build a good, contending team under Dorsey, because the franchise has continually gotten better each campaign under this leadership group. There is no reason to believe Dorsey will fail this offseason, after crushing the previous three.
Be patient. Trust the process. It might be more fun to scream and yell on Twitter, but it’s the right move for a smart fan to wait until the dust settles.