Taco Charlton could be an intriguing addition for Kansas City Chiefs
By Matt Conner
The Dallas Cowboys just released pass rusher Taco Charlton, and the former first rounder has intriguing length and technique enough to warrant a look.
A familiar name was surprisingly released on Thursday when the Miami Dolphins decided to let go of former first round pick Taco Charlton in a post-draft move. And while Charlton has never lived up to expectations—or even come close to them given his draft status—he’s exactly the sort of chance Brett Veach should take for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Charlton will be known to most casual fans of the NFL as a member of the Dallas Cowboys, mostly from when Jerry Jones‘ team decided to take the former University of Michigan pass rusher at No. 28 overall.
Remember this is the draft that the Chiefs traded up to get Patrick Mahomes from No. 27 overall and grabbed a pass rusher of their own, Tanoh Kpassagnon, in the second round. Just like Kpassagnon, Charlton has great length (although not quite the reach that the incredible specimen from Villanova has). Standing 6’6, Charton has an arm length of 34-plus inches and that reach can give him the advantage in getting after the passer or making a play on the ball.
Charlton bottomed out with the Cowboys after only two seasons in Dallas. He had 4 sacks and 1 forced fumble in that time in 27 games including 7 starts. The Dolphins quickly jumped on Charlton on waivers and put him to good use last year—or at least it seemed that way early. Charlton had 5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles in only 10 games and showed some development at the pro level.
Unfortunately the same fate awaited Charlton in Miami as it did in Dallas: becoming a healthy scratch. Somehow Charlton would sit on the bench for such a young team as he did in Dallas. Attitude issues, inconsistent production, and injuries got in the way of Charlton ever earning steady playing time and, at this point, both a contender and a rebuilding team have given up on a first round pick.
That’s not a glowing recommendation for Charlton to this point, but the Chiefs are the sort of team who could benefit most from taking a chance on him. Veach has showed a penchant for taking on such projects on former heralded top-ranked prospects (Reggie Ragland, Cam Erving, Darron Lee) and Charlton would fit that mold as a player looking for the right coaches and scheme in which to thrive.
Charlton doesn’t have a great first step and there are faster linemen than him to be sure, but his combination of length, athleticism, hand usage, and physical strength have been his calling card when he has enjoyed success. It’s also important to note that many defensive linemen need time at the pro level to really flourish. The Chiefs just saw that first hand when Dee Ford became a Pro Bowl performer in his final season before being traded. Before that, injuries and inconsistency plagued his production. Sound familiar?
That’s not to say Charlton and Ford are even remotely the same player. They both rush the passer, but their skill sets vary widely. Rather it’s just important to note that Charlton came into the league with a promising blend of attributes and those haven’t faded. In fact, Charlton is still only 25 years old.
The Chiefs did well to bring in a low-risk signing like Emmanuel Ogbah last year and he thrived in that rotational pass rusher role. Charlton could compete for those lost reps alongside rookie Mike Danna and holdovers Breeland Speaks and Kpassagnon on a veteran minimum deal. The cost to the Chiefs is negligible but the idea of a coach like Brendan Daly getting a chance to work him out is worth a closer look.