KC Chiefs have options to add some pass rush depth

The Long Shots

The four players in this tier all have more reasons to doubt them than to believe in them, but there is at least one reason why each of them might be an option with the Chiefs. Once again the player’s age, height/weight, sacks/games played for the last three seasons, and 2020 Pro Football Focus grades are included.

Vic Beasley

• 29 years old
• 6-foot-3 and 246 pounds
• 2020: 0 sacks/10 games, 2019: 8 sacks/16 games, 2018: 5 sacks/16 games
• 2020 PFF Grades: 51.6 overall, 50.0 pass rush, 73.5 run defense

Vic Beasley has been viewed as a bust for most of his NFL career. He had one great season in Atlanta, but otherwise disappointed. He didn’t register a single sack last season and is definitely smaller than what Spagnuolo typically looks for in his defensive ends. That said, he is only 29 years old, one year removed from an eight sack season, and graded out pretty well against the run in his limited snaps last year. The Chiefs love reclamation projects so maybe Brett Veach will consider kicking the tires on Beasley.

Dion Jordan

• 31 years old
• 6-foot-6 and 284 pounds
• 2020: 3 sacks/13 games, 2019: 2 sacks/7 games, 2018: 1.5 sacks/12 games
• 2020 PFF Grades: 61.1 overall, 59.7 pass rush, 59.6 run defense

Speaking of reclamation projects, there isn’t a bigger one among the free agent defensive ends than Dion Jordan. Jordan has played for four different NFL teams and even missed a couple of seasons because of substance abuse issues. The elite traits were once there, but that was a long time ago. Still, he has the size to be an inside/outside player along the defensive front like Spagnuolo likes, but if the Chiefs want someone with some outside pass rush upside I’m not sure he’s the right guy.

Bruce Irvin

• 33 years old
• 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds
• 2020: 0 sacks/2 games, 2019: 8.5 sacks/13 games, 2018: 6.5 sacks/16 games
• 2020 PFF Grades: 68.8 overall, 56.5 pass rush, 73.9 run defense

The Chiefs seem to be collecting former Seattle Seahawks on their defensive front and Bruce Irvin could be added to that list. The problem here is that Irvin is 33 years old, is undersized for a defensive end, and barely saw the field last season. Still, he had 8.5 sacks in 2019 and graded out well against the run in his limited snaps last season. Would I be excited by a Bruce Irvin signing? No, but out of the four players in this “long shot” tier he would probably be my top choice given his solid sack production in 2019 and experience playing with Frank Clark and Jarran Reed.

Alex Okafor

• 30 years old
• 6-foot-4 and 261 pounds
• 2020: 3 sacks/11 games, 2019: 5 sacks/10 games, 2018: 4 sacks/16 games
• 2020 PFF Grades: 53.7 overall, 55.5 pass rush, 61.6 run defense

If there was some way to insure that Alex Okafor would be healthy for the entire 2021 season, it might make a lot of sense to bring him back to KC. The problem is that Okafor has had huge injury issues the past few seasons. Last year he missed time on three separate occasions, all for leg issues (one calf pull and 2 different hamstring issues). He knows the system and is a decent pass rusher when healthy, but the availability part is just too big of an issue to ignore.

So there you have it Chiefs fans. Those are the free agent options at defensive end right now. Do you agree that the Frank Clark arrest really shed a light on just how bad this team needs to add another edge rusher? Do you agree with my overall assessments of these players or do you think I’ve got it wrong with any of them? Who would the Chiefs sign if it was up to you? I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below.