Does a Dontari Poe reunion make sense for the Kansas City Chiefs?

One of the least favorite releases following the 2016 season was defensive tackle Dontari Poe. It’s possible he could be on the market in 2018 as well.

When the Kansas City Chiefs decided to part ways with nose tackle Dontari Poe during the 2017 offseason, many fans were not pleased. The 2012 first round pick was asking for more money than the Chiefs were willing to pay and decided it wasn’t worth using the franchise tag. Poe set off to free agency and found himself accepting a one year deal for another team as everyone had concerns about his health and stamina.

There are not many injuries that give general managers uncertainty when it comes to linemen like a back injury. The 350 lb. nose tackle had noticeable regressions when coming back from surgery, and while he showed flashes at times, it was consistent. It’s possible that the overworking of Poe in his first five years in the league were a big factor in his decline as well.

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In his rookie season in 2012, Poe’s 743 defensive snaps (74.4%) and the snaps got increased just about every year he was with the Chiefs. Poe’s number of snaps shot through the roof in 2013 logging 975 snaps (87.8%). Then, in 2014, the percentage grew to 944 snaps (89%). Due to a back injury along with others in 2015, he took a step back missing three games, good for 759 snaps (69.8%) and then 821 in 2016 (73.4%).

The Chiefs were almost forced to plug Poe into the lineup more in 2016 due to the injuries of defensive linemen Allen Bailey and Jaye Howard. None the less, Poe has still been overworked because of his skill set especially in the Chiefs scheme.

The Atlanta Falcons signed Poe to a 1-year $7.5 million deal along with a $500k bonus ($8.5 million cap hit) before the 2017 season. Moving into a 4-3 scheme in Atlanta, Poe found himself on the field for 868 defensive snaps, the second-highest along the line. Even though the snap counts were still high, according to Pro Football Focus, Poe had his best year since 2013.

Finishing his first season with the Falcons Poe totaled 39 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Even with having a better year than his previous couple, it’s possible that Poe still hits the market in 2018.

Will the Falcons retain Poe?

By no means was Poe an elite player in 2017 for the Falcons, but he helped solidify the defensive line. Coming to a long-term deal with Atlanta might prove difficult with their limited spending money this offseason and other players contracts that are up. Teammate Adrian Clayborn is one of those names that the Falcons have to consider bringing back in 2018 after he led the team in sacks with 9.5.

If the Falcons want to sign Poe to a long-term deal, they will have to release talent elsewhere on the roster to free up space. With the number of names that the Falcons are looking at to hit free agency, it’s unlikely that Poe will get a deal done and will hit the open market.

Should the Chiefs try and bring Poe back to Kansas City?

Poe’s unique ability to be a three-down defensive tackle is rare to find. His ability to play along the entire defensive line also increases his value. While he holds this wide range of traits that prove valuable, he’s not a dominant force in the run or pass game like he was projected to be coming out of Memphis in 2012.

He tends to show flashes against both run and pass but the consistency is not there. If the Chiefs can find a way to bring him in for a cheap contract with incentives then it is worth a shot. However, Poe will draw enough attention from other teams to make that short of impossible.

Poe will likely sign with another 4-3 scheme based team like the Tennessee Titans or Detroit Lions. Other teams that were interested in Poe the last offseason include Oakland, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, and Miami. Having a better year in 2017, Poe will likely find a better deal than the Chiefs can offer him.

Playing in the middle of a defensive line has also proven to increase his abilities in Atlanta where coming back to Kansas City would mean going back to more two down linemen sets. Poe is not the lineman that will transform the entire defensive line. If there are already pieces in place along a line, Poe can solidify it with his abilities to play three downs.

Last but not least we cannot forget about Poe’s back injury. Between Poe’s size and the 5,404 snaps he has already endured in his six years in the NFL, it’s simply not a bet I want to place. The former Chiefs lineman has been overworked and his body has paid the price. It’s not worth spending a great deal of money on someone that’s already had issues with his back.

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