Kansas City Chiefs: Three underrated players to re-sign

The headlines want the Kansas City Chiefs to retain a few high-profile free agents. Who are some depth players the team should prioritize this offseason?

If Kansas City Chiefs fans only read CBS Sports or scrolled Twitter, the team would only have one or two crucial free agents. Offensive tackle Orlando Brown could be the premiere tackle in free agency this year, while safety Juan Thornhill and wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster are heading toward big paydays. And the Chiefs can’t pay them any more—or that is the spin going on this off-season news cycle.

In reality, the Chiefs have plenty of players to re-sign this offseason, possibly. The team has 23 pending free agents, all varying degrees of importance.

The Chiefs need more cap space to be big spenders this offseason, making their internal free agents even more critical. The Chiefs re-signed offensive tackle Andrew Wylie to a one-year, $2.5 million contract after the 2022 season. Wylie went on to play 1.093 snaps for the Chiefs in 2022 and started on the offensive line that surrendered no sacks in the Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Running back Jerick McKinnon returned to Kansas City for $1.05 million but was worth $4.4 million in 2023 alone, according to Over the Cap. These two represent a lower level of internal free agents the Chiefs need to pursue this offseason.

Who are three underrated free agents the Chiefs need to re-sign, and how do they bring value to the 2023 roster?

Tershawn Wharton—2022 OTC Valuation: $243,000 (Five games)

Chiefs fans would be hard-pressed to pick a more impactful undrafted free agent than Wharton. The 25-year-old is now a restricted free agent, while most of the Chiefs’ interior defenders are hitting unrestricted free agency.

A torn ACL in Week 5 complicates Wharton’s free agency profile, but the Chiefs should be retaining him at a reasonable cost. He has appeared in 38 games, carving out a critical rotational role for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. It took the Chiefs weeks to recover from losing Wharton for the 2022 campaign. That alone should show fans how important he is on the depth chart.

Nick Allegretti—2022 OTC Valuation: $2.1 million

There are fewer offensive line depth players with better resumes than Allegretti. 11-1 record when he starts. No sacks given up since 2020. Two Super Bowl championships. All that on a minuscule rookie contract. The Illinois alum and former seventh-round selection will not command a big payday on the open market, but his services may be popular once free agency opens.

That resume is hard to replicate, and Allegretti would at least bring a reliable veteran presence to any team, but he has years of experience and camaraderie with the Chiefs. His availability should net him another contract with the Chiefs, if not a multi-year one.

Tommy Townsend—2022 OTC Valuation: $2.6 million

According to PFF, Townsend was the league’s best punter in 2022. Chiefs fans will not disagree with that one, especially after Townsend earned All-Pro honors this past season. He has one of the longest punts in Arrowhead history and a head of hair worthy of a Head and Shoulders commercial.

Somehow, Townsend is one of the most recognizable and productive players in Kansas City. He set career-highs in yards per punt, net yards per punt, and longest punt. Townsend could be in line for a top-tier contract, at least to punter’s standards. He has been the lone constant among Chiefs kickers since 2021, and the Chiefs do not have a plan if he has gone. If the team opens up some more cap space, Kansas City should retain Townsend for his prime athletic years.