The approaching NFL season would be the final in Kansas Metropolis Chiefs star defensive deal with Chris Jones’ present contract. So this offseason — to be able to hold Jones from hitting free company in 2024 — the workforce must decide about extending his deal.
Fortuitously for the workforce, this received’t be a tricky resolution. Jones’ 2022 dominance — particularly down the stretch and within the postseason — has elevated his standing. He’s not simply an excellent go rusher. As a substitute, he’s now an all-time nice who has earned the fitting to be thought of among the many league’s greatest at his place.
One other essential issue is that Jones is one among few inside defensive linemen on the roster. Derrick Nnadi, Khalen Saunders and Brandon Williams are all unrestricted free brokers. Tershawn Wharton missed most of 2022 with a torn ACL — and is now a restricted free agent. Solely Danny Shelton and Daniel Sensible — each signed to order/futures contracts — be a part of Jones within the place group.
Jones’ present contract provides him a $28 million cap hit this season — though an extension would virtually actually lighten that speedy load, liberating up desperately-needed cap house.
Who may very well be becoming a member of Jones within the trenches? Let’s take a look at some choices.
Free company
Picture by Scott Taetsch/Getty Photographs
Nnadi was additionally a free agent in 2022 earlier than returning to the Chiefs on a one-year deal. He then continued in his function because the workforce’s early-down gap plugger who can eat double groups within the working sport, however has to come back off the sector on passing downs.
In 2021, Kansas Metropolis tried to make use of free-agent acquisition Jarran Reed as a three-down participant, each defending the run and speeding the passer alongside Jones.
Whereas that didn’t work in addition to the the Chiefs had hoped, Reed may nonetheless signify the sort of participant they need to discover. There are some free-agent gamers who may do the job — together with the Philadelphia Eagles’ Javon Hargrave (age 30), the Washington Commanders’ Da’Ron Payne (26), the New Orleans Saints’ David Onyemata (30) and Sheldon Rankins (29) of the New York Jets.
Payne had 12 sacks in 2022, making him a franchise-tag candidate in Washington. Hargrave had 11, however is extra prone to be out there. Onyemata and Rankins are high quality veterans who’ve every been disruptive items on good defenses in latest seasons.
If the Chiefs needed to proceed rotating in a particular participant for passing downs, they’d nonetheless want to exchange Nnadi’s early-down function. There are a couple of cheap free brokers who may do this — together with the Los Angeles Rams’ Greg Gaines (age 26), the Las Vegas Raiders’ Andrew Billings (28), the Indianapolis Colts’ Byron Cowart (27) and former Chief Rakeem Nunez-Roches (29) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gaines is contemporary off his rookie contract with the Rams, holding up the center throughout their championship run. He’d be the clear improve of this group — and could possibly demand a multi-year deal.
Commerce situations
Picture by Grant Halverson/Getty Photographs
With Washington prone to tag Payne, he turns into a commerce goal if the Commanders will not be keen on paying him — and Kansas Metropolis is keen on holding the 26-year-old round for greater than this season.
The Chiefs may additionally the Carolina Panthers if Derrick Brown is on the block. Whereas he solely earned one sack final season, he defended seven passes and tallied 12 quarterback hits. Now getting into his fourth season, the previous first-round choose is ready for Carolina to resolve whether or not it can train his fifth-year choice. For the reason that Panthers are beginning a brand new regime, there’s an opportunity they’ll see Brown as a possibility so as to add draft capital with out dropping a real cornerstone of the workforce.
Draft
Picture by John Fisher/Getty Photographs
I’ll be sincere: I selected to jot down in regards to the inside defensive position simply so I may say a couple of phrases about one among my draft crushes: Wisconsin defensive deal with Keeanu Benton.
At 6 ft 3 and 312 kilos, Benton is a gigantic participant. He has used that dimension to be a really stout A-gap defender towards downhill Huge 10 working offenses. Whereas he can plug holes within the working sport, he additionally has the motion abilities to run the road of scrimmage on exterior runs and bounce gaps to keep away from blocks.
That spectacular motion (for a participant his dimension) additionally reveals when he rushes the passer, utilizing an array of strikes to get previous go protectors. When he will get after a quarterback, he has a plan — and he has the highly effective palms (and motor) to execute it. He’s additionally snug looping round to the sting on stunts,
At present, Benton initiatives as a second-round choice. If the Chiefs get the chance, they need to draft him to pair with Jones. He may very well be that three-down inside participant who may give Kansas Metropolis a extra threatening go rush on first and second downs, whereas additionally taking over loads of house towards the run.
