The K.C. Chiefs have been, in a word, lackadaisical the last couple weeks of free agency.
That wasn’t the case at first, the Chiefs started the new league year off with a bang by signing New England Patriots offensive line stalwart Joe Thuney to a multi-year mega deal. They followed that up with attempting to make a post-30-year-old left tackle the highest paid offensive lineman in league history, only to lose by minutia in the final hours. They were swinging for the fences, and fans expected a rebounding major move right around the corner.
They signed Kyle Long, son of Hall of Famer Howie Long and Pro Bowler in his own right, but he’s been semi-retired for a year. This wasn’t the move Chiefs Kingdom was looking for. Surely there was a blockbuster, big-name deal right around the corner.
Since, the Chiefs have mainly re-stacked their roster with familiar faces. They brought back Blake Bell, backup tight end from the Super Bowl campaign. They re-signed Demarcus Robinson, an average producer but one of the mainstays of the Andy Reid era. They resigned Taco Charlton, Mike Remmers, Darrell Williams, just to name a few. They also finally added a player out of nowhere, signing Jarran Reed to a one-year deal. Reed should have sizeable impact on the interior and give flexibility along the defensive line. Still, the early offseason has left something to be desired.
K.C. Chiefs fans shouldn’t be concerned about a perceived lack of urgency in free agency.
This is the Kansas City Chiefs, led by Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. Surely there are a bevy of superstars chomping at the bit to come and don the red and gold, to sprint out of the tunnel at the fabled Arrowhead Stadium. Now the home of two championship banners, and likely more to come in future years.
While I agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly, I think Chiefs Kingdom needs to take a step back, breathe in deep, and realize the situation for what it is. There are many elements to this, but the first and most important is that the Chiefs have a number of the biggest stars in the league.
Andy Reid is one of the most prominent coaches in league history. Patrick Mahomes is possibly one of the biggest sports icons of the last couple generations. Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, Tyrann Mathieu, Tyreek Hill, the list goes on and on.
They lost a handful of starters in free agency, holes that will need to be accounted for before the start of the season. That said, there is a lot of offseason left to go. I’m not sure if anyone noticed, but the new league year just started.
There’s still the draft, a likely batch of secondary cuts following the draft, and then preseason cuts. Given the cap situation in 2021, the secondary and preseason cuts will likely garner some serious names. Players cut at the last minute will want winning more than money, to prove a point to the team that cut them, and there are only a couple teams that can guarantee them that opportunity.
A final thought: most in Chiefs Kingdom have expressed disappointment in the same old faces being re-signed by the team. Consider this, is bringing back the majority of a roster that won a franchise record 14 regular season games (and if healthy would have had a chance at a second straight Super Bowl) really a negative? The truth is, in a very short time, Chiefs Kingdom has become spoiled. I’ll admit, I have as well. We expect a Super Bowl championship every single season now, as if the history of the franchise—or any franchise—would lend itself to that reality.
Let’s be real, if the Chiefs even win two Super Bowls in the Patrick Mahomes’ era it will be the greatest era in the history of the franchise. It arguably already is. If they win three Super Bowls it would be a top-10 era in the history of the NFL.
So let’s not miss the forest for the trees. Buckle up, be patient, and realize the men and women responsible for the Chiefs three straight AFC Championship games, two consecutive Super Bowl appearances, and one Lombardi Trophy are still running the show. While we’re used to instant gratification in a social media driven world, most things worth while don’t present themselves instantly. It’s okay to be critical, but let’s also be rational. Sometimes plans take a while to develop.
Brett Veach, Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and all the other stars in the red and gold have a bright future ahead.