Nationwide ESPN insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano lately “emptied their notebooks” from the NFL Scouting Mix in Indianapolis, and the article included a number of nuggets pertaining to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
The Tremendous Bowl champion Kansas Metropolis Chiefs can have a troublesome time maintaining a number of free brokers. They’re bracing to lose receiver Mecole Hardman, who ought to have a sneaky-good market regardless of enjoying simply eight video games final season. Some groups consider he’ll hit a fairly good quantity on a per-year common. Security Juan Thornhill also needs to do very effectively. Some groups are taking a look at him because the No. 2 security, a viable choice for individuals who can’t afford Jessie Bates III.
The expectation is the Chiefs will franchise-tag offensive sort out Orlando Brown Jr. and try and re-sign receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, however that can price them. Some groups have working again Clyde Edwards-Helaire on their radar as a possible commerce choice, although I don’t consider Kansas Metropolis is actively procuring him. It might be extra of a “we are going to pay attention” scenario.
WR Mecole Hardman and S Juan Thornhill
As basic supervisor Brett Veach has famous, constructing a championship roster comes with its challenges given the league’s wage cap. Generally, troublesome choices should be made, and it feels like there will probably be a query as as to if the Chiefs are capable of retain the providers of vast receiver Mecole Hardman and security Juan Thornhill.
Kansas Metropolis drafted two gamers — vast receiver Skyy Moore and security Bryan Cook dinner — within the second spherical of final yr’s NFL Draft. That would point out the membership is able to lean into the now-second-year gamers relatively than paying a premium for Hardman and Thornhill.
LT Orlando Brown Jr. and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
It hasn’t occurred on the time of this writing, but it surely’s a foregone conclusion that Veach will choose to franchise-tag Orlando Brown Jr., and we should see if the 2 sides can come to an appropriate settlement this time round. Brown in the end performed on the tag final yr after Veach and Brown’s workforce couldn’t get a long-term contract completed. The Chiefs have maintained they like vast receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster as a praise to tight finish Travis Kelce. Regardless of his six years of NFL expertise, the receiver remains to be solely 26, which is within the age vary of gamers Kansas Metropolis has agreed to cope with up to now (extra on Smith-Schuster right here).
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
For some time, it has appeared that working again Clyde Edwards-Helaire might be due for a change of surroundings coming into the ultimate yr of his rookie contract, particularly contemplating the emergence of seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco. At this level, discussing whether or not Kansas Metropolis ought to have used a first-round decide on Edwards-Helaire is meaningless. Maybe the Chiefs can flip the participant right into a conditional day-three decide from a workforce trying to bolster the depth of its working again room. And hopefully, Edwards-Helaire can thrive with a brand new group.
