KC Chiefs: Five most underrated moves of the offseason
By Matt Conner
Taco Charlton
Last year at this time, we likely would have said the same thing about Taco Charlton as we’re going o say this year.
The pass rusher signed with the Chiefs in ’20 on a one-year deal as a free agent flyer hoping to step into the role vacated by Emmanuel Ogbah, who found big money from the Miami Dolphins in free agency. As a former first round pick, Charlton was known more for his draft status than anything else, especially as a pick by the Dallas Cowboys, but Charlton had showed up solid with five sacks for the Dolphins in 2019 and the Chiefs hoped to unearth a hidden gem in ’20.
While Charlton showed a real penchant for disrupting the quarterback in limited duty, he ultimately was robbed of the majority of his season with a fractured ankle. Just like that, Charlton’s stock became fuzzy once again. No one was quite certain what to make of Charlton’s natural skill set and whether or not it would ever translate into a successful, consistent product with the right coaching staff.
The Chiefs are making the same bet again with another one-year deal worth just over $1.1 million. The good news here for Charlton is that the Chiefs have kept the runway clear for him to take off on a defense that will be in primetime on several occasions. Without any major acquisition in the wake of Tanoh Kpassagnon and Alex Okafor leaving the team, Charlton should earn more reps than ever before and showcase what he can do—or at least that’s the hope.