KC Chiefs have options to add some pass rush depth

The K.C. Chiefs are widely viewed as one of the best teams in the NFL. They have a great roster and huge stars, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes who may just be the best player in the sport right now. So the question facing the Chiefs in 2021 isn’t whether or not they are good enough to compete for a Super Bowl this season, Instead, the question is about what could go wrong that could prevent them from doing so.

If you had every fan of the Chiefs list their biggest potential weak spots on the roster heading into next season, I would imagine that production at the edge rusher spots would be at or near the top of most lists. After all, their production off the edge was woeful last season, and other than planning for Chris Jones, their Pro Bowl defensive tackle, to start getting some reps on the outside, the Chiefs haven’t made any impactful moves their this offseason.

The edge/outside pass rush situation was already one of the primary concerns for this team before Frank Clark got himself arrested on suspicion of having a concealed firearm in his vehicle last week. It was apparently Clark’s second arrest on gun related charges since the season ended as reports of a similar arrest in March have now surfaced.

I am not here to speculate on what will happen with Clark and these charges. The fact that these are victimless, non-violent arrests probably help him in terms of a NFL suspension. The NFL is much more likely to let the legal process play itself out before taking action with these type of charges, as opposed to situations where there is reported violence or a victim and media/public pressure to take action and send a message. It seems unlikely to me that this legal situation will be wrapped up and finalized by the time the season starts, so it is certainly possible that Clark could play the entire 2021 season before this situation is resolved and any potential suspension is or isn’t handed down.

However, it is also possible that more information could come to light and the Chiefs could end up being without Clark for at least part of the season. We’ll just have to wait and see, but Clark’s arrest just magnifies the current shortage of proven starting-caliber players they have at one of the most important positions on the defense. I understand that the Chiefs apparently have big plans for Chris Jones at defensive end this season, but even if that is the case, surely they don’t plan on playing him exclusively on the edge, right? I mean, Chris Jones is one of the most dominant interior pass rushers in the entire NFL. Why would you just completely stop using a guy where you know he is flat out dominant?

My guess is that the Chiefs will likely use Jones at defensive end in the base defense and then slide him inside on clear passing downs. That just seems smart to me. That means that the Chiefs still need two starting caliber outside pass rushers on clear passing downs. If Frank Clark misses any games who fills those two spots? Taco Charlton and who? Mike Danna? He was solid versus the run last year but didn’t offer much in the pass rush department. Tim Ward? I know he’s flashed a little, but he has almost no experience. Joshua Kaindoh? The rookie was drafted as a long term project that needs time to develop.

Let’s face it Chiefs fans, the cupboard is pretty bare at the edge right now. I feel okay about Clark and Jones being outside in the base defense and Charlton coming in and Jones kicking inside on clear passing downs, but if any of those three guys miss any time this season it starts to get pretty questionable from there. Plus, Clark has definitely under performed his contract, Jones has never played on the edge before, and Charlton is coming off an injury and has largely been viewed as a bust so far in his career. So it’s not even like the three guys we’re counting on are rock solid bets when healthy/available.

The Chiefs need to add another starting-caliber edge player before the season starts. Period. Yes, they could make a trade for someone or wait for rosters to cut down, but there are still some options out there in free agency that they should consider. There’s no need to give up draft capital for next year or wait until training camp has come and gone to bring someone in if there are guys that could help this team that are available right now.

So let’s really take a look at some of the edge options that are still available in free agency, starting with the biggest names out there.