The Kansas City Chiefs have some important players heading into free agency, and they have some tough decisions to make. Some of them are highly rated, while others are more important to the Chiefs, which is where it gets tough to put the puzzle together.
Jesse Newell of The Athletic did a rundown that rated them, while his colleague, Daniel Popper, put together a list of free agents by positional group that included both ratings and their projected contract value. Put them together, and you can make some intriguing conclusions about who gets paid and what they might get on the market.
Jaylen Watson, Cornerback
Watson is the highest rated player on both lists, which is interesting because he’s not a nationally-known name at this point. The name most people know is slot corner Trent McDuffie, who’s been mentioned as both and extension candidate and a trade possibility, based largely on the fact that he’s gotten Pro Bowl recognition.
But Watson is a huge success story, especially given that he’s a seventh-round pick. Popper had him rated fourth among cornerbacks and 33rd in The Athletics’ list of Top 100 free agents, and his contract number was for four years, $73 million, which Newell says will likely be out of the Chiefs price range.
Bryant Cook, Safety
Cook was rated third in a strong group of safeties, according to Popper, while Newell used his advanced metric from Pro Football Focus, which was a grade of 83.5 that was fourth highest among the 65 safeties who took at least half of their team’s snaps.
Popper thinks Cook will be a true star, but his contract number was a lot lower because safety isn’t considered a high-value position. He had Cook at three years, $40 million, and if that’s the actual number the Chiefs should definitely make a serious attempt to bring him back, even though Newell added that he’ll likely get larger offers elsewhere.
Leo Chenal, Linebacker, and
Chenal was rated tenth among free agent linebackers, but he’s one player who probably fits the Chiefs a lot better than other potential suitors. He struggles in coverage, as Newell noted, but he’s an elite run stopper whose nickname within the facility is “The Beast.” The Chiefs used him as an edge rusher occasionally, and he’s elite on special teams as well. Popper’s contract number was three years, $24 million, which feels a little high, but if the Chiefs can get him back at a lower number he should also return.
Travis Kelce, Tight End/Kareem Hunt, Running Back
Kelce probably isn’t a true free agent given his unique situation in Kansas City, but he landed at sixth on Popper’s list of tight ends, and his contract value was one year, $10 million. That’s in the ballpark, although the Chiefs will probably try to structure any agreed number with much of the money as a signing bonus.
Hunt landed at tenth among running backs, which was surprising. Popper’s contract number was one year, $4.5 million, which feels high, but the Chiefs should be able to get him for less money given the fit.