4 free agents the Kansas City Chiefs were wise to stay away from

Saquon Barkley, Running Back

The contract: 3 years, $37.75M ($26M guaranteed) with the Philadelphia Eagles

Another former second overall pick that the Chiefs were wise to not be involved with.

Although Saquon Barkley is one of the most marketable players in the NFL, he hasn't exactly enjoyed the illustrious career many people in the NFL expected. Don't get me wrong, he's had success, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018 and making the Pro Bowl in 2022, it's pretty telling that the Giants didn't even offer him a contract prior to him leaving for Philadelphia in free agency.

Admittedly, I'm the classic nerd who doesn't believe elite running backs move the needle that much more compared to average ones. There are exceptions, like Christian McCaffrey, but for the most part, running backs have not been wise investments in recent years.

Brett Veach and Andy Reid have proven that they can find value at the running back position for next to nothing. Although Clyde Edwards-Helaire was a miss, Isiah Pacheco was a 7th-round pick and Jerick McKinnon cost very little for three years of service.

Though the Chiefs offense struggled for most of the 2023 season, signing an elite running back would not have helped enough to justify the price tag. Would Saquon Barkley have made the Chiefs better? Sure, but not enough to where $26M in guaranteed money is worth it for a player who's struggled to stay healthy for a lot of his career.