The Chiefs have earned near-universal praise for their signing of former Chargers linebacker Drue Tranquill.
On Friday, the Kansas City Chiefs made a surprising move in free agency when they landed former Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Drue Tranquill.
Tranquill reportedly signed a one-year deal worth up to $5 million in incentives to join the Chiefs, which made him the highest-priced linebacker on the team.
The signing was a bit of a surprise for a few reasons. First, the Chiefs were already as loaded at linebacker as they have been since Brett Veach took over as the team’s general manager with young players that should only get better. Former second-round picks Willie Gay Jr. and Nick Bolton have starting spots locked down and should improve with greater experience and chemistry. Meanwhile, last year’s third-round choice, Leo Chenal, should grow into a greater role in his second season.
Adding Tranquill to the mix complicates everything that was already known about the Chiefs, but in a good way. Now the Chiefs have better coverage in the heart of the field than ever before, and that might even mean competition for reps with Willie Gay (or displacing him from his expected role). Chenal won’t have to be pressured into a greater amount of reps, but instead competition will force all parties involved to be at their best. Tranquill was even the on-field communicator for the Chargers and can supplant Bolton in that role, if needed.
In other words, the Chiefs’ second-level defense is going to be as good as ever with the sort of overlapping talent that will keep offenses guessing. They are also about as prepared as a team can be for any issues or injuries. It’s a stellar signing that almost feels like an unfair luxury.
The good news is that Tranquill himself sounds happy to be in Kansas City:
Hey there @Chiefs 👋🏼
— Drue Tranquill (@DTranquill) March 17, 2023
BIG TIME ENERGY ❤️🔥#ChiefsKingdom
And his joy is just the start of the chorus of excitement over the signing on Twitter.
Chiefs’ signings of Drue Tranquill and Charles Omenihu are kinda niiice
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) March 18, 2023
Ex-Chargers LB Drue Tranquill reminds me of Lofa Tatupu. Does everything well, and I do mean everything. Someone's probably going to get a stupid bargain in free agency with him. pic.twitter.com/Os24MbIHsn
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 11, 2023
Mike Edwards and Drue Tranquill are both good football players. Now spend all the rest of the money on getting any sort of NFL caliber weapon besides Kelce
— Double Champ (@SullyFootball) March 17, 2023
Drue Tranquill is a really good signing. He’s an excellent coverage LB and can also be used in blitz packages. This is an excellent signing from Veach
— Gandalf’s staff (@GandalfStaff) March 17, 2023
Tranquill's probably the best blitzing LB Spags has ever had and that's a huge part of his utility on passing downs. Coming through A-gap here, pushes with motion, fakes B-gap run then move inside
— Nate Christensen (@natech32) March 17, 2023
Good fluidity in his COD and setup, he set up this blitz pic.twitter.com/WGnOrIiAzV
There's 42 linebackers who took a min. of 50% coverage snaps this past season. PFF grades Drue Tranquill as the 11th best in coverage. Not too shabby. Not too shabby at all!
— Chiefs Hive (@chiefshive) March 17, 2023
A desperately needed coverage specialist. Chiefs linebacker depth hurt them badly at times last year. Now a very solid top 4 with Bolton and Gay as starters, Chenal as a blitz specialist, and Tranquill in coverage https://t.co/DeQgJ5Oua0
— Based and Ant-pilled (@smiley_moth) March 17, 2023
Some folks were even surprised that the Chiefs were able to pull off the signing while only handing out a single season of commitment, and it only sounds even better when you realized they beat out other franchises in the process.
Chiefs sign a Notre Dame player on St. Patrick's Day. Very fitting.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 17, 2023
And I really like Drue Tranquill as a player. Surprised he was available for a 1 year deal
Drue Tranquill had to have taken a pay cut and (probably) a demotion man I just do not see how that could’ve been his highest offer
— Tyler Weiss (@TylerMWeiss_) March 17, 2023
Sources: One-year, up to $5M for Drue Tranquill to the #Chiefs, who I’m told chose Kansas City over five other suitors. https://t.co/NjlxDZVhlk
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 17, 2023
In fact the only people who weren’t excited by this were, predictably, Chargers fans.
Tranquill to the Chiefs just sucks on so many levels. Don’t get that one at all.
— Steven Haglund (@StevenIHaglund) March 17, 2023
How in the world do the Chargers not re-sign Drue Tranquill? Absolutely baffling.
— Matt Overton (@MattOverton_LS) March 17, 2023
But the Super Bowl Champs see him as an asset. Snagged an absolute baller on a one year deal.
#Chargers let both Kyzir White and Drue Tranquill walk for pennies on the dollar in consecutive offseasons only to keep Kenneth Murray. Make it make sense!
— Eric Vrsalovich (@EVrsalovich) March 17, 2023