After deploying the franchise tag on edge rusher Dee Ford, the Chiefs may be willing to trade the veteran linebacker/defensive end, and the price might not be all that steep. Kansas City is looking for a second-round pick in exchange for Ford, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Fresh off a career year in 2018, Ford will be expensive next season. The linebacker franchise tag will cost $15.433MM, but there’s a chance Ford could push to earn even more. Ford is likely to file a grievance arguing that he’s a defensive end, and being tagged at that position would enable him to collect $17.128MM in 2019. That’s a hefty total, especially for a Chiefs team that only has roughly $10MM in cap space after accounting for Ford’s salary.
In addition to his cost, Ford’s role in new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo‘s 4-3 scheme has been questioned. Ford played defensive end in college, however, and the Chiefs faced three-plus wide receivers more than 80% of the time in 2018, per Warren Sharp. That means Kansas City was in nickel formations with Ford lined up as a pass-rusher. Indeed, Pro Football Focus charts Ford with only 107 coverage snaps all season, meaning concerns about a role change are likely overblown.
Ford, 27, hasn’t always been a star since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2014. He was relatively quiet in his first two pro campaigns before erupting for 10 sacks in 2016. An injury wiped out most of Ford’s 2017 season, but also forced the Chiefs to retain him via his injury-guaranteed fifth-year option. Ford subsequently posted the best results of his career, putting up 10 sacks and 48.5 pressures (second in the NFL) while grading as PFF’s 11th-best edge defender.
That’s not enough in return for him,as they should keep the tag and see if he can put up those numbers again .Then if he does they have the option next year to sign him
I disagree. Trade him now and get something for him. In return they get $15M added to their cap space to go and sign a CB and Safety and it gives them a third second round pick in this years draft, which means they would have a first round pick and (3) second round picks to add defense ect…. It’s worth trading him!
This is an incredibly deep draft. It’s top heavy but once you get to the bottom of the 1st and through the top of the 4th it’s got talent everywhere. I would trying to trade for sure. If they can get a 2nd, they can get a DL easily & cheaper. I am Lions fan so no dog in this discussion. I just love the draft!
Cleveland. Call it now
Works for me. I’d rather have Chief rejects land there than have Nagy recruit them.
Pathetic he’s trying to change his position to make more money. 9 outta 10 us civilians would kill to be paid that in one year these athletes act like there owed more to play a sport. Smh it’s insane how much they make vs our first responders who actually help others.
Athletes get paid that much money because they have exceptional talents the not many possess. First responders don’t work for free “to help others”. They do get paid for their services. I’m sure if they had the ability to be professional athletes, they would. I think the only pathetic thing is your thought process.
I tend to agree that’s it’s just a lazy line of thinking. It is Ford wanting to be paid fairly relative to his peers, but moreso Ford wants to be paid fairly for his contributions on the field.
It is what any half-way intelligent and hard-working professional would do in any line of work, regardless of your tax bracket. You are going to fight for what you feel you have earned and deserve, plain and simple.
It is a salary capped league, so there’s always going to be a push and pull over money between the players and front offices. Technically, Ford played primarily as a lineman, but the Chiefs want to get him at a cheaper price by tagging him as a linebacker. End of story.
Grow up
He primarily played edge rusher (OLB) in a 3-4 scheme and is now slated to play edge rusher (DE) in a 4-3 scheme. So it makes sense that he’s asking for the pay increase that comes with the change of position.
Trade ford for Clowney. Ford can then play OLB for the Texans and Clowney can play 4-3 DE for the Chiefs. I would imagine the Chiefs will need to send back a 3rd or 4th rounder as well though. Since Clowney > Ford.
Clowney and Ford are very similar players (with Ford actually having more sacks than Clowney) and are both seeking new contracts. It doesn’t make that much sense (unless KC front officer soured on Ford) to trade Ford for Clowney just to give Clowney the big contract that Ford was going to get.
Who will do the rushing with Houston and Ford gone?
Jones and idk, maybe Speaks or Ragland as an ILB/OLB gets more PT and opportunities to go after the QB…It is really tough to see anyone currently on the roster that could replace all that production. I’m guessing they’d have to replace Ford’s production through free agency, signing someone cheaper, and trying to replace Houston early on through the draft.
My best guess is they’ll use the money they save from Ford to try and fill two of their holes, one being safety and then an edge rusher. Then, they’ll hit the draft within the first two rounds, to get another edge rusher. The good news for the Chiefs is free agency is loaded with capable safeties and edge guys, and the draft is extremely deep with edge rushers.
Either way, it’ll certainly be interesting to see what the Chiefs decide to do, if they indeed trade Ford.
Many draft “experts” I’ve seen have the Chiefs pegged for a CB or S in the first. So if they trade Ford and Houston walks do the pivot to best D player available?