Who will get the next contract extensions from the Chiefs?
By Jacob Milham
Linebacker Willie Gay Jr.
If fans need a glimpse of life without linebacker Willie Gay Jr., just look at the past four games.
Gay will make his return against the San Francisco 49ers, after serving a four-game suspension. His presence has been sorely missed in Kansas City. The Chiefs have struggled against the run, and Kansas City has no better coverage linebacker than Gay. He will get eased back into action, with the Week 7 game followed by the team’s bye week.
Gay compliments linebacker Nick Bolton very well, and both players are better with the other on the field. Bolton is the thumping, stout linebacker while Gay has sideline-to-sideline speed and uber athleticism. If Gay was on the field against the Buffalo Bills, the defense might have done even better against quarterback Josh Allen and company. Gay’s return could be the change this defense needed, and that would only increase Gay’s value to the team’s championship aspirations.
Like Sneed, Gay is important to Kansas City’s defense and Veach could lock him up following this season. He is not even 25 years old, so a five-year deal would keep Gay in Kansas City for his prime years, after developing more in Spagnuolo’s scheme. This extension might be the most improbable but would give Kansas City a solid one-two punch at linebacker beyond 2023.