The Chiefs have signed free agent cornerback David Amerson, the club announced tonight. Amerson will stay in the AFC West after being released by the Raiders earlier this week.
Amerson agreed to a one-year deal that contains a $2.25MM base salary, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link). The pact comes with escalating incentives, and can max out at $6MM, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
While Amerson has only been in the NFL since 2013, he’s now set to join his third team. Originally drafted in the second round by the Redskins, Amerson went to the Raiders via waiver claim in 2015. After becoming a full-time starter in Oakland, Amerson inked a four-year, $38MM extension, but only saw two years of the deal before being released.
The 2017 campaign was a frustrating one for Amerson, as a foot strain forced him to miss the final nine games of the season. The year prior, Amerson was a 15-game starter for the Raiders, but offered a middling performance. He ranked 50th among 84 qualified cornerbacks in Football Outsiders’ success rate, and 61st in yards allowed per pass.
Amerson is the second former Redskins cornerback the Chiefs have acquired this offseason, as he’ll join Kendall Fuller — part of Kansas City’s return in the Alex Smith trade — in the club’s secondary. Both Amerson and Fuller excel in man coverage, a requirement in defensive coordinator Bob Sutton‘s scheme, and will play alongside Marcus Peters in what is rapidly becoming an excellent defensive backfield.
Before agreeing to terms with the Chiefs, Amerson took free agent visits with the Bears and Texans. The 49ers also expressed some level of interest in signing the 26-year-old Amerson, but no reports of a formal meeting ever surfaced.
Good this is breaking news. Also just saying i would play him at ss bc he can be a lockdown safety and you don’t have another good player to play there
As a Chiefs fan who watched every Raider game in the last few years, i hope he is better than Sean Smith. Maybe some solid coaching alongside the kid from washington we got in thenSmith deal and this may work out
Doesn’t free agency start next month? How can this already be announced with dollar figures and everything.
He was cut and could talk to teams. Raiders didn’t want to pay him and his 2018 salary became guaranteed Feb 7
Perky, that’s exactly what I was wondering!
Yeah I never I understand it. It happens every year. I can see if they said he has agreed with so and so team, and they will make it official next month. But how did he sign with the team for the salary, and announce it.
Unless it has something to do with him being released this week?
It’s not as if his contract ended and he became a FA. He was released from his contract and instantly became a FA. There is a difference between end of contract FA and FA due to being released.
So you’re saying any player realized now from a contract can be signed prior to the new season starting March 9th?
Yes. Pretty easy to understand
Seems that it is. I didn’t know this was the case. But good to know.