Why the Kansas City Chiefs should make a play for Obi Melifonwu

The Oakland Raiders cut Obi Melifonwu on Thursday and the Kansas City Chiefs would be wise to make a play while they can.

The free agent safety market just got a bit more interesting, assuming at least that Obi Melifonwu makes it that far after being released by the Oakland Raiders on Thursday.

The release of Melifonwu is quite a surprise from the outside looking in, although the reality is that Jon Gruden in this new chapter for the Raiders franchise is shocking everyone with the moves he (or his team) has made. After all, the safety was a second round pick for the team only last year, and it can’t hurt to keep a player around for at least a couple season after such a high investment, even if they are inconsistent or injured.

For Melifonwu, it was largely about the latter—that he couldn’t stay healthy for the Raiders which ultimately led to his release. He only made a single start all of his rookie campaign and played in five total games. This year, he’s been out for the last two weeks due a “lower body injury” that the Raiders haven’t detailed any more than that. Suffice it to say, the Raiders said it was being evaluated after it began on August 9 and they never had anything more than that before releasing him on Thursday.

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Melifonwu could have been a candidate for injured reserve but clearly Gruden was just done with him as a raw project. He certainly was that entering the NFL, but the Raiders struck on him in the second round because his draft stock was so high due to his incredible size and physical presence. He was a four-year starter at UConn so he has plenty of experience, but he was going to need time to adjust to the competitive level of the NFL coming from the American Athletic Conference.

For a team like the Chiefs, however, this could be a great time to stash a once-promising asset. Melifonwu stands an incredible 6’4, 225 lbs. so he would have no problem matching up against almost any tight end coming off the line. He’s also a very willing tackler and someone who could learn from a dynamic presence and leader like Eric Berry. As for the Chiefs, they’re already down Dan Sorensen and could be open for a safety prospect, especially one who could be placed on IR without taking an active roster spot.

All of this will also come down to Melifonwu taking a physical with a new team and getting more information than “lower body injury.” But there’s no denying that the Raiders have given up quickly on a player that everyone knew would need some time. He might have been a reach in the second round but that doesn’t mean he’s not worth the investment and effort.