Veteran edge players who could still be an option for Kansas City Chiefs
Should the Chiefs Trade for Danielle Hunter?
News that the Minnesota Vikings were open to trading Danielle Hunter hit very close to the news that Frank Clark was signing with the Broncos. Naturally, this led to many Chiefs fans being interested in KC trading for the Vikings pass rusher.
For comparison purposes, here are Hunter's numbers from last season.
- 6'5" - 263 pounds - 28 years old
- 10.5 sacks in 966 snaps
- 72.3 PFF run defense grade
- 80.1 PFF pass rush grade
Hunter is far and away the best player mentioned in this entire piece. He was PFF's 7th highest overall graded edge player last season. Would adding Hunter be a massive boost to K.C.'s defense and increase their odds of winning the Super Bowl next season? Absolutely.
That having been said, there are three issues I see with adding Hunter. First, the draft pick return for Hunter is going to be steep and I don't know if I want the Chiefs paying it. Second, in order to make giving up the draft picks worth it, the Chiefs would need to sign Hunter to a lucrative long term contract. What would doing that mean for re-signing Chris Jones or other key players who will be due for a new contract soon?
The third issue is that KC just spent two first round draft picks on defensive ends. Yes, having three good defensive ends would be fantastic, but when looking at how you achieve overall roster contstruction with a big contract quarterback like Patrick Mahomes I don't know if you can invest that many resources in any one other position. That's why I think a much cheaper one year veteran edge player that doesn't involve giving up future picks makes a lot more sense for KC despite how intriguing adding a player of Hunter's upside is.
So what do you think Chiefs fans? Do you agree the Chiefs should add a veteran edge player who can play outside on passing downs is a smart move? Do you like any of the six free agents that I reccomended or is there someone else you think would be a better fit? Would you be in favor of trading picks to get Danielle Hunter instead? I'd love to read your thoughts in the comments below.
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