Kansas City Chiefs: Will RB Jamaal Charles Be Ready?
Notable Free Agents: RB Thomas Jones, WR Dwayne Bowe, S Sabby Piscitelli, CB Brandon Carr, FB Le’Ron McClain
The Kansas City Chiefs have some decisions to make this offseason. One they already made. They placed a Franchise tag on Bowe guaranteeing him $9.5 million this season and giving the Chiefs another year to sign him to a long-term deal. Since they tagged Bowe, CB Brandon Carr is probably out the door, which is too bad because he was an integral part of the Chiefs 6th best pass defense in the league. They did sign former Raider CB Stanford Routt to take his place and the Chiefs also have CB Brandon Flowers and S Eric Berry signed long-term as well. Signing Carr long-term could’ve jeopardized signing Bowe long-term.
KC should re-sign FB Le’Ron McClain to open holes for stud RB Jamaal Charles, who went down with a season-ending ACL tear in the second game of the season last year. He is scheduled to be ready for training camp, but it usually takes until the first few games are out of the way before a player looks like his pre-injury self. Signing another RB like LaDainian Tomlinson to help ease Charles back would be wise.
As for the draft, the Chiefs rush defense was 26th in yards allowed last season despite drafting DT Glenn Dorsey and DE Tyson Jackson in the first round, two of the past four years. The remedy? Ultimately, sign free agent DE Mario Williams. But then they wouldn’t have anything for Bowe next year and he will certainly look for a big pay day if the Chiefs don’t offer him one during the season. So draft another defensive lineman. They have to get some pressure on the QB and Dorsey just isn’t doing it. I love DT Dontari Poe at this spot. He’s a physical freak and has power to burn. Maybe that will light a fire under Dorsey and make him work for his paycheck. Or maybe he’ll go the way of Albert Haynesworth. Get fat, take his eight-figure paycheck and saunter his way out the door in disgrace. For the Chiefs, here’s hoping Poe (or whomever is drafted) can help a run defense that should be better than it is.
On the Clock: Seattle Seahawks (Pick #12)
