Frank Zombo is an intriguing veteran in free agency

As we look at former Chiefs still available in free agency, Frank Zombo is an interesting character with skills someone should appreciate.

If you’re looking at a stat sheet, this past season might have been the last in the NFL for Frank Zombo.

The outside linebacker originally wasn’t even supposed to make the Kansas City Chiefs this past season. He was cut when active rosters were due out of training camp, and the team only re-signed him mid-season in October when injuries forced the team to reach back for a familiar product. It was the same exact situation that played out at safety, when the Chiefs asked Ron Parker to come back and fill a familiar role.

In the interim, it was good news for Zombo. The ability to return to a team he knew so well made for a seamless transition in the locker room and on the field. No other teams had come calling in the first full month after being released by the Chiefs, so any employment is better than none at all. The fact that it was the same team that paid him for the last five years was a bonus.

But the stat sheet tells the story here for a player like Zombo, when a team comes calling only when emergency strikes (and even then only because they are familiar). For five years in a row, Zombo played in all 16 games for the Chiefs. In 2017, he even started 9 games after starting 11 the year before. This last year, he played in only nine with zero starts. It’s the downside of a career arc that hits every player who doesn’t leave on his own terms.

So does this mean Zombo is done in the NFL? It’s a certainty that he’s done with the Chiefs. Bob Sutton is gone and the defense has already started to transition under Steve Spagnuolo. That means K.C. is almost as foreign as any other team, which means any advantage Zombo had as an insider is now gone. Given that the Chiefs also added Jeremiah Attaochu, Darron Lee, and Damien Wilson this offseason, the competition is plenty stiff without Zombo.

However that doesn’t mean that Zombo has to be done in the NFL. Specifically, Zombo has always been a coaching favorite, the sort of glue player who always does what is asked of him. He can step in when necessary into a linebacking spot, but he also excels on special teams. For a young team who has struggled to piece together their S/T units, a veteran import like Zombo could provide some important mentorship on the field and in the locker room.

Even last year, Pro Football Focus graded Zombo as an above average performer on special teams and an average defender. In his career, Zombo has ranged from “above average” to “high quality” and he’s always been a dependable performer able to play in every game.

Given too much playing time, any capable offensive coordinator will expose him for a mismatch. However, Zombo is a nice depth player who can sub in a pinch and help in every aspect of special teams play. He’d also be a solid teammate and locker room presence. For some young team who could use another rudder and step up on S/T, Zombo is still a nice find.

Zombo had 2 tackles in 9 total games last season for the Chiefs.