KC Chiefs: Under-the-radar free agent targets on offense
Offensive Linemen
The Chiefs are in an interesting situation with their offensive line because it was clearly the biggest problem in the Super Bowl, but there are a bunch of in-house options still on the table. The guard position was kind of a mess, but could the return of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and a healthy Martinas Rankin fix that? The tackles were a mess in the Super Bowl too, but the futures of Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fisher are uncertain. Will Lucas Niang be a legit option in 2021?
If the Chiefs feel like they need a day one high quality starter on the offensive line, they will likely have to pay for it, and I’m not sure any of those guys can be labeled with the “under the radar” sticker. If K.C. wants a guy with starting experience at multiple spots along the offensive line to come in, compete, and provide depth Jermaine Eluemunor could be a good option.
Eluemunor was a valuable piece of the New England Patriots offensive line last season where he started games at guard and both tackle spots. While he wasn’t originally slated to be a starter, he ended up starting eight games in 2020. Eluemunor is a big man at 6-foot-4 and 335 pounds. He graded out with a 70.3 pass blocking grade and a 63.4 run blocking grade with Pro Football Focus, which were pretty similar to the grades they had on Mike Remmers.
Side Note: you could make a strong case for Remmers being on this list as well. Despite his bad Super Bowl at left tackle, Remmers was really solid at right tackle most of the season. However, Remmers will be 32 next season and Eluemunor will be just 26. So basically, Jermaine Eluemunor would give the Chiefs a younger version of Mike Remmers who could compete both at guard and right tackle if Mitchell Schwartz isn’t back/healthy next season. At worst, he would provide depth off the bench.
Look, I know a lot of people aren’t going to like seeing Austin Reiter on this list. I wasn’t originally going to put any current Chiefs on this list, but when I looked over the possible free agent centers and looked at which guys that played well last season could be had at the most reasonable price, Reiter is the clear pick. That’s not to say that the Chiefs couldn’t upgrade over Reiter, but I think they would have to pay to do so via a big contract for someone like Green Bay’s Corey Linsley or even Jason Kelce (who could be released by Philadelphia at some point for salary cap reasons).
Other than that, it’s hard to find a better fit for KC’s offense who had a good season last year and could be had for a reasonable amount. After all, while K.C. had some clear pass protection problems at times last season, it wasn’t because of Reiter. His 77.7 pass blocking grade from PFF was 5th best in the NFL for centers and he didn’t allow a sack at all during the regular season. The Chiefs may be able to find a better run blocking option, but pass protection will always be the primary target in this offense and that is where Reiter shines. It may not be an exciting signing, but it is probably the smart one for Veach.
So there you have it Chiefs fans, my possible under the radar signings for Kansas City on offense. What do you think? Do you like any of these guys? Are there other under the radar options out there that you like better? Do you think Brett Veach will find a way to sign bigger name guys than these? I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below.
Next. Five moves to help the Chiefs get under the cap. dark