Andy Reid

Chiefs Rumors: Reid, Veach, Mahomes, Smith, Hopkins, Smith-Schuster, Hardman

November 14th, 2024 at 7:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Establishing himself as one of the NFL’s all-time great head coaches during his time in Kansas City, Andy Reid has also operated as the Chiefs’ lead decision-maker. The 12th-year Chiefs HC retains final say on the team’s roster, though he has ceded some power in recent years.

Reid worked with longtime Packers exec John Dorsey during the first four seasons of his Chiefs run but effectively orchestrated a switch in 2017, with Dorsey being fired and ex-Eagles staffer Brett Veach promoted to the GM role. Veach has been at the helm for all three Chiefs Super Bowl wins during the Patrick Mahomes era, and while Dorsey was at the wheel for the trade-up that secured the QB icon (after drafting future Hall of Famers Travis Kelce and Chris Jones as well), Veach was credited with identifying the Texas Tech prospect as a hopeful Alex Smith successor.

In recent years, Reid is believed to have given Veach more say in roster matters, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Not all GM positions are created equal. All answer to owners (or team presidents, in the Packers’ case), while higher-ranking front office types have stood over GMs in the recent past. Some teams still have head coaches installed as their top decision-makers, though this is not the norm anymore. The Patriots and Seahawks ditched their HC-first models this offseason, respectively firing Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll. The Chiefs have been the NFL’s premier team during Mahomes’ QB1 run and obviously have no reason to change their Reid-centered approach.

Veach did pitch the idea of Mahomes’ 10-year extension to CEO Clark Hunt following the 2019 season, Fowler adds; that deal quickly became a team-friendly pact, with the QB market now at $60MM per year. Mahomes is still tied to the $45MM-AAV accord, and while the Chiefs moved money around to help cover the rising market in 2023, they still have the NFL’s most accomplished active QB signed through 2031. The club has used this as a tool to create cap space annually, completing three restructures to inflate Mahomes’ cap figures down the line.

It is true the Chiefs have used Dorsey-drafted cogs as pillars while Veach’s supporting cast has filled in around the Canton-bound mainstays, but the likes of Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Nick Bolton and Trent McDuffie have become standouts after being Veach draftees. Veach’s early drafts did not move the needle too far, but his 2021 and ’22 hauls helped form a low-cost core to help support the contracts given to Mahomes, Jones and left guard Joe Thuney. The two-time defending champs will soon face decisions on two members of their standout 2021 class.

Kansas City already paid Humphrey, giving their standout center a deal that topped the center market by a notable margin. Coupled with Jawaan Taylor‘s $20MM-per-year contract already featuring a fully guaranteed 2025 salary, Smith is moving closer to free agency. The Chiefs are still interested in paying Smith, but a re-up for their right guard will be costlier than Humphrey’s, as a fairly wide gap exists between the guard and center markets. Rumblings around the league point to the former sixth-round pick becoming the NFL’s highest-paid guard if he reaches the market, and Fowler adds.

Landon Dickerson‘s $21.5MM-per-year Eagles extension currently tops the guard market, but Smith has been a key part of the Chiefs’ dynasty, having established himself as a Day 1 starter while grading out well in ESPN’s win rate metrics and seeing high Pro Football Focus marks. This has not produced a Pro Bowl yet, but Robert Hunt recently proved no such honors are necessary to fetch a $20MM-per-year guard deal. Smith’s lack of recognition may well change this season, which would further bolster his FA stock.

This year’s round of free agency guard paydays will make Smith tough to keep off the market. Guards are rarely franchise-tagged, due to the tag formula grouping all O-linemen together and thus raising interior blockers’ tender numbers, but the Chiefs could conceivably carve out enough space to cuff Smith with a tag that could cost around $25MM in 2025. The Chiefs are projected to hold just $20MM in cap space, with Bolton unsigned as well. Bolton will not cost as much as Smith to retain, and Kansas City has been more willing to let key defenders walk than cornerstone offensive talent during this run. The Chiefs have expressed interest extending Bolton as well, but the off-ball LB remains on his second-round deal.

Kansas City has allowed defensive regulars to walk frequently during this period, parting ways with the likes of Tyrann Mathieu, Frank Clark, Willie Gay, Juan Thornhill and just about every cornerback to come through under DC Steve Spagnuolo. Bolton has played more than 85% of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps in each of the past three seasons, however. That will create a decision soon. The tag formula also groups on- and off-ball linebackers together. While guard tags have occurred in the recent past (via the Patriots and Thuney and Washington with Brandon Scherff), off-ball LBs are never tagged.

Some in the agent community have not been too fond of the Chiefs for using Mahomes’ team-friendly contract as a talking point during negotiations. It is true Mahomes took less; ditto Kelce. That allowed the Chiefs to give Jones a wildly player-friendly extension this offseason. Agents have pointed to some players being irked by the Chiefs using Mahomes’ contract against them in negotiations. Mahomes and Kelce also have considerable income streams outside of their Chiefs contracts — something most of the team’s other players do not. That certainly impacts a willingness to take hometown discounts.

After clinging to a shaky wide receiver plan last season, the Chiefs indeed poured more resources into their offense this offseason by signing Marquise Brown and drafting Xavier Worthy in the first round. Their plan changed again thanks to the major injuries Brown and Rashee Rice sustained. The Chiefs retained Mecole Hardman, who said (via ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher) he received some outside interest but did not seriously consider leaving Missouri again. Kansas City also re-signed JuJu Smith-Schuster following his Patriots release, turning to their top 2022 wideout in a key role prior to acquiring DeAndre Hopkins.

Prior to obtaining Hopkins from the Titans, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes Veach’s staff approached Reid’s asking whether Hopkins and Smith-Schuster could play together. Week 11 is expected to be the first time Hopkins and Smith-Schuster will suit up together. That marked a key component in moving the Tennessee trade past the goal line, with that deal also illustrating the increased power Veach has assumed since his 2017 promotion.

Veach and Reid secured offseason extensions, with the three Super Bowl wins and four appearances placing the two in commanding position. Veach’s salary within the GM ranks is not known, but Fowler adds Reid is now the NFL’s highest-paid HC at around $20MM per year. Two coaches in Reid’s own division (Jim Harbaugh, Sean Payton) ranking in the top five in coaching salaries undoubtedly helped the Kansas City maestro, with Fowler noting the Chiefs’ latest Reid extension came after two years remained on his previous deal.

Reid’s previous contract had ranked near the bottom of the top 10 among HC salaries. Unlike player deals, teams do not have to disclose these terms. But the Chiefs took care of the architect of their ascent to the league’s mountaintop. Reid, 66, has been linked to retirement for a few years. But the ex-Eagles leader has continued to assure he is not yet strongly considering an exit. Matt Nagy is seen as a potential heir apparent, but the two-time Chiefs OC is also on track to receive outside interest in 2025. That will be an interesting storyline to monitor.

For now, however, the Chiefs’ Reid- and Mahomes-powered machine is still going. Although this year’s squad has offered a high-floor/low-ceiling presentation — thanks to a plus-57 point differential that ranks just ninth in the NFL — the team will chase its 16th consecutive win Sunday against the 8-2 Bills.

Chiefs Notes: Suamataia, Perine, Humphrey

September 2nd, 2024 at 6:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kingsley Suamataia represents the only new piece along the Chiefs’ offensive line this season. The second-round rookie beat out Wanya Morris for the team’s left tackle job, the Kansas City Star’s Jesse Newell notes. The Chiefs had brought in the BYU product for a “30” visit and traded up (via the 49ers) one spot for the rookie blocker in Round 2. The agile prospect will succeed Donovan Smith, who remains a free agent. Kansas City needed to adjust at left tackle after seeing Orlando Brown Jr. reject its extension offer at the July 2022 franchise tag deadline. Although that caused some frustration among Chiefs brass, the team got by with Smith (with Morris as his backup) in 2023. The team now has Suamataia signed through the 2027 season.

Here is the latest out of Kansas City:

Andy Reid has apparently shown notable hesitancy about adjusting to his current area code, as Samaje Perine confirmed the 12th-year Chiefs HC called him from a phone still tied to the Philadelphia region. The veteran running back said (via ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher) he heard directly from Reid when making his decision about where to sign. This reminds of Reid’s pitches to J.J. Smith -Schuster and Drue Tranquill, both of whom having now signed two Chiefs contracts. Kansas City added Perine shortly before placing Clyde Edwards-Helaire on the reserve/NFI list. The veteran, who served as the Broncos’ top passing-down back in 2023 before being cut last week, joins rookie UDFA Carson Steele as the Chiefs’ active-roster RBs behind starter Isiah Pacheco.
The Chiefs have not seen a player seize their No. 2 cornerback job, and they looked to the waiver wire for some depth. The two-time defending champions submitted unsuccessful claims on corners Samuel Womack and Shemar Bartholomew, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates. Waived by the 49ers, Womack ended up with the Colts. Bartholomew did not make it past the No. 1 spot on the wire; the Panthers made the rookie UDFA one of their six claims Wednesday. Kansas City will start Trent McDuffie, preparing to use him outside and in the slot once again, but has not landed on a full-time L’Jarius Sneed replacement. McDuffie 2022 draft classmates Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson saw the most time last year, and the team kept yet another 2022 draftee — seventh-rounder Nazeeh Johnson — on the roster as well. Reid said recently the team may use a rotational setup into the season.
Creed Humphrey reset the center market recently, agreeing to a four-year, $72MM extension. Of the fourth-year center’s $50MM guarantee number, OverTheCap indicates $35MM is guaranteed at signing. The Chiefs fully guaranteed Humphrey’s 2024 and ’25 base salaries and locked in $8.9MM of his 2026 base ($14.3MM) at signing. If/when Humphrey is on Kansas City’s roster on Day 3 of the 2025 league year, the remainder of his 2026 base locks in. That rolling guarantee structure is in place for Humphrey’s 2027 pay as well, with $10MM of his $17.2MM ’27 base salary becoming guaranteed on Day 3 of the ’27 league year. In terms of AAV, Humphrey’s $18MM number leads the center market by more than $4MM.

Chiefs Extend HC Andy Reid, GM Brett Veach, President Mark Donovan

April 22nd, 2024 at 7:24pm CST by Ely Allen

The Chiefs have put together a leadership group that helped the team go to six straight AFC championship games, advance to the Super Bowl four times in five years, winning three of them, and become the first franchise to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the Patriots did so 20 years ago. As a result, Chiefs chairman and chief executive officer Clark Hunt announced today that head coach Andy Reid, general manager Brett Veach, and team president Mark Donovan have all received contract extensions.

The trio has been responsible for one of the biggest franchise transformations over the last couple of decades. While we do not have details on the length of Donovan’s extension, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports Reid’s contract now runs through the 2029 season and that Veach will also be under contract through the rest of the 2020s. The Chiefs will embark on their threepeat quest soon, and they will have their top decision-makers locked down before the draft.

Kansas City had just finished last in the AFC West for the fourth time in five years when Reid and Veach arrived in 2013. Since their arrival, the team has missed the playoffs just once. This marks Veach’s second extension and Reid’s third with the Chiefs, who last extended their top two power brokers in 2020. Plenty has changed since.

Donovan has been with the team the longest of the three, being with the franchise since 2009. The longtime Chiefs president joins Veach in being an ex-Eagles staffer during Reid’s Philly tenure. Donovan served as senior vice president/operations for the Eagles, holding that role until coming to Kansas City. Two years after Donovan’s arrival for the Chiefs’ CEO gig, he earned his current role. After rolling through head coaches Herm Edwards, Todd Haley, and Romeo Crennel, Donovan played a role in reaching out to a familiar face.

Reid settled with the Chiefs on a five-year contract. In Philadelphia, Reid had made the playoffs in nine of 14 seasons, lost four NFC championship games, and Super Bowl XXXIX. In Kansas City, Reid has been even more efficient. The Chiefs are 10-for-11 in playoff berths under the all-time great. Reid’s team has won the AFC West in each of the past eight years, running the franchise’s Super Bowl championship count from one to four.

Donovan not only stole Reid back in 2012, but he also brought in a 35-year-old scout in Veach. The latter landed his first NFL job as a coaching intern for the Eagles in 2004. After Veach rose to the scouting level in 2010, Donovan and Reid lured him from Philadelphia with the position of pro and college personnel analyst. After two years in that role, Veach spent another two years as co-director of player personnel before officially earning his current job title of general manager in 2017.

Veach’s input has obviously been valuable over the years, as the team drafted the likes of Eric Fisher and Travis Kelce in his first year in Kansas City — during John Dorsey‘s GM tenure. In the two years before Veach was promoted to his current role, he contributed to a personnel department that drafted players like Marcus Peters, Chris Jones, and Tyreek Hill.

While Dorsey made the most important draft choice in Chiefs history by selecting Patrick Mahomes 10th overall in 2017, Veach has been widely credited as beginning the push for the future superstar. The Chiefs’ trajectory certainly changed as a result of the Mahomes investment, and the team booted Dorsey for Veach ahead of the 2017 season. Since then, Veach has overseen a personnel department that drafted L’Jarius Sneed, Creed Humphrey, Trent McDuffie, Isiah Pacheco, Rashee Rice, and several other contributors.

Aside from his draft hits, Veach has made a name for being unafraid to trade off top assets like Peters, Hill, and Sneed for draft compensation. He also has made a number of deft moves over the years in free agency, bringing in players like Joe Thuney and Jawaan Taylor in recent years and Marquise Brown this year.

Reid is the second-longest-tenured HC in Chiefs history, passing Marty Schottenheimer in longevity in 2023. Residing only behind Hall of Famer Hank Stram, Reid cinched up his Hall of Fame resume in Kansas City. Sitting fourth on the all-time wins list, Reid has shot down retirement rumors in each of the past two offseasons. His enduring commitment to the Chiefs has changed the franchise, with the Mahomes years quickly leading to an AFC power shift. Veach gave Reid and Mahomes a strong defensive safety net last season, and the Chiefs will almost definitely enter the 2024 season as Super Bowl favorites.

QB Carson Wentz Addresses Chiefs Deal

April 8th, 2024 at 11:15am CST by Adam La Rose

After spending much of the 2023 season without a deal, Carson Wentz secured his next pact much earlier with respect to the 2024 campaign. The former No. 2 pick joined the Chiefs on a one-year deal, one which came about after discussions with a former teammate familiar with coaches Andy Reid and Matt Nagy.

Wentz decided to sign with Kansas City in part due to the strong reference Reid and Nagy received from Nick Foles. Wentz explained in the wake of his deal becoming official that Foles spoke well of the coaching pair due to his time spent with them as an Eagles and Chiefs signal-caller.

“I remember all the good things [Foles] had to say about his time here,” Wentz said, via ESPN’s Adam Teicher. “He absolutely loved it. He loved working with those guys, and those things he said to me back then definitely still rang true in my head as I was making this decision… Those things were definitely a factor and gave me a little more peace and comfort in knowing what I was getting into.”

The 31-year-old held a number of starting positions as he bounced around the league in recent years. After putting up underwhelming totals with the Colts and Commanders in 2021 and ’22, though, Wentz did not land a deal this past season until joining the Rams in November. Los Angeles elected to bring in Jimmy Garoppolo to serve as Matthew Stafford‘s backup, leaving Wentz in need of a new team.

By heading to Kansas City, he will earn $2.2MM guaranteed while backing up Patrick Mahomes. Wentz could earn another $1.1MM via incentives, and his success (should he see the field during the 2024 season) will of course depend in large part on his ability to mesh well within Reid and Nagy’s scheme. In the event that were to take place, Foles’ recommendation would prove to be an effective one and Wentz could play his way into an extended stay in Kansas City.

Chiefs, HC Andy Reid To Discuss Extension

February 26th, 2024 at 10:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

Coming off a second straight Super Bowl title (and third overall), Andy Reid has cemented his legacy but also helped his case to land a new contract with the Chiefs. An extension was floated as a possibility in the lead-in to Kansas City’s latest championship, and one could soon be in place.

Reid and the Chiefs are expected to negotiate a new deal in the coming weeks, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. To little surprise, he adds that the extension could very well make him the league’s highest-paid coach. Given Kansas City’s success during the team’s run with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, Reid will certainly have considerable leverage in contract talks.

Sean Payton‘s Broncos pact averages $17MM per season, while fellow AFC West coach Jim Harbaugh will average $16MM with the Chargers. Reid’s current contract is believed to check in at $12MM per year, and a raise moving him to at least the top of the division would certainly be justified. With Bill Belichick out of the picture for at least the coming season, Reid comfortably leads all active coaches in terms of all-time wins (258), so a short-term accord reflecting his status amongst his peers would likely include a notable raise.

Retirement has become a question in Reid’s case in recent years. The 65-year-old has elected to carry on in his current capacity, though, a decision no doubt made easier with Mahomes still in place and the Chiefs managing to qualify for the AFC title game in each of the past six years. Reid has previously stated a willingness to coach into his 70s, and doing so would allow him to continue climbing the all-time ranks and competing for further hardware.

Mahomes is under contract through 2031, and while the Chiefs could lose at least one key defender in free agency this offseason, the team profiles as having a high floor with Reid at the helm. The latter sports a winning percentage of .715 in his 11 years in Kansas City, and the Chiefs are likely to remain Super Bowl contenders as long as he and Mahomes are in the fold. That may very well continue to be the case beyond 2024.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid To Return In 2024

February 12th, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Rory Parks

FEBRUARY 12: When speaking after Sunday’s victory, Reid confirmed he will indeed remain in place for 2024. As he foreshadowed last month, tight end Travis Kelce also stated he will play a 12th campaign in Kansas City, which comes as little surprise. Reid, Kelce and Co. are certainly well-positioned to contend for a third straight Super Bowl next season as they aim to continue building their respective legacies.

FEBRUARY 11: Andy Reid retirement rumors are becoming something of an annual tradition. Prior to Super Bowl LVII last February, the Chiefs’ head coach was non-committal about his future, and we heard just last month that the team had a potential Reid retirement on its radar.

However, ESPN’s Dan Graziano’s sources say they would be surprised if Reid walked away (subscription required). Now 65, Reid said in July 2020 that he would be open to coaching into his 70s, and at that time, quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Reid told him that he plans on remaining with KC for the duration of Mahomes’ thru-2031 contract.

In July 2020, Reid and Mahomes were coming off their first AFC championship and first Super Bowl victory. Since then, they have won three more AFC titles and one more Lombardi Trophy, and they will have the chance to secure their third Super Bowl ring today. Their run to Super Bowl LVIII has been perhaps their most impressive championship pursuit yet, as the offense rarely looked like its usual explosive self throughout the 2023 regular season. A top-flight defense, coupled with just enough flashes of brilliance from Mahomes — who muddled through the worst statistical season of his career — was ultimately enough to will the Chiefs to yet another title game.

Graziano does expect the Chiefs to address their HC’s contract this offseason. The belief is that Reid is presently earning $12MM per year, while AFC West rivals Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh earn (or will earn) salaries of $17MM and $16MM, respectively. Given Reid’s tremendous success during his Kansas City tenure — he has a 128-51 regular season record and a 15-7 playoff mark to go along with his two Super Bowl wins — it stands to reason that he should not be the third-highest-paid coach in his own division.

Of course, when Reid joined the Chiefs in 2013, he did so with a reputation as an offensive mastermind and a terrific head coach who was perhaps not quite good enough to win a championship. During his stint as the Eagles’ HC from 1999-2012, Reid guided Philadelphia to the NFC championship five times but advanced to the Super Bowl just once, and that appearance ended with a difficult loss to the Patriots. After his club failed to qualify for the playoffs at all in 2011 and 2012, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie had run out of patience, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer recalls.

Reid’s contract with Philadelphia was not renewed following the 2012 campaign, but if he had stayed, Reid likely would have been forced to cede his personnel authority to Howie Roseman, who had become the club’s general manager several years prior. Obviously, the change of scenery (along with the drafting of Mahomes) ultimately proved to be the right call for Reid, though the Eagles — who won their first Super Bowl at the end of the 2017 season and who nearly toppled Reid’s Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII last year — also found some success in their post-Reid era.

Chiefs Preparing For Potential Andy Reid Retirement?

January 20th, 2024 at 4:15pm CST by Ely Allen

We at Pro Football Rumors often report on actual transactions and recent news, but the word “rumors” is in our name for a reason. This most recent report comes from a rumor out of Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio and crew who say that “the Chiefs have a possible Andy Reid retirement after the current postseason on their radar screen.”

What does that mean, exactly? Not much, honestly. Reid hasn’t said much, if anything, to stir such rumors. The Chiefs’ brass hasn’t said anything hinting at such an attitude, either. Reid said in 2020 he was open to coaching past 70 and indicated following Super Bowl LVII he was coming back for the 2023 season.

Recently, the subject of retirement was only broached when Reid responded to a question about a potential retirement following the team’s win over the Dolphins last week. “I haven’t even thought about that,” Reid told reporters. “I’m thinking about one thing. I figured that would come up when you guys were asking these questions because I’m old, but (I’m) not that old.”

Reid, 65, is oft mentioned in those conversations concerning the top head coaches in the league, and he belongs there. In 25 years of head coaching experience with the Eagles and Chiefs, Reid holds a 258-144-1 regular season record (.641 winning percentage) and a 23-16 record (.590) in the playoffs. His time in Kansas City has rewarded him with two Super Bowl wins. It’s quite the resume to end with, but Reid’s Chiefs are still currently alive for a potential third Super Bowl, and despite taking a slight step back this year in the regular season, the team shows no signs of giving up ground in the AFC West.

There could be an easy solution to who may replace Reid in that unlikely scenario. It could also answer the question of why Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who has been an annual name in head coaching vacancy rumors, has only so far been mentioned as a candidate to step in for the team he’s already on. If there’s any truth to the possibility that Reid steps down, Bieniemy may be the natural choice to step in and take over after he spent 10 years on the Chiefs’ coaching staff from 2013-22.

Regardless, all of this is mere speculation for now. If the Chiefs fail to advance in the playoffs this weekend, we should be provided some clarity on the matter sooner rather than later. The Chiefs would be put in a difficult position if Reid waits too long to vacate the position and all the best head coaching candidates get hired. If Reid is going to retire, it’s likely to come soon after the Chiefs 2023 season ends.

Chiefs DT Chris Jones Hints At Extended Holdout

August 23rd, 2023 at 9:01pm CST by Ely Allen

Chris Jones has been ardently pursuing a new contract in Kansas City. The Chiefs’ star defensive tackle is headed into a contract year, and it seems, until he gets paid, he’s going to see as little of his contract year as possible. He found a couple of opportunities to drop hints on Twitter yesterday that he may not see the field until Week 8 of the regular season.

A disgruntled fan tagged Jones in a tweet demanding to know when he’s finally going to report. Jones gave the terse response of, “Week 8.” When pressed on that plan by a Twitter account made to monitor Chiefs coverage, Jones was once again brief, saying, “I can afford it.”

Now, this could be some bold-faced posturing as Jones utilizes the world’s most public forum to hint at his plans for future negotiations. But there is some method to his madness. As Mike Florio of NBC Sports points out, Week 8 is a key date in the season for any player heading into a contract year.

In terms of a season counting against the duration of a contract, Week 8 means a lot for any player looking to inch closer towards free agency. It is both the latest a player can be held on the exempt list and the latest a player can hold out and still reach the minimum number of games to account for being on the roster for the year. Sitting out that long, Jones would miss out on $7.5MM of the cash owed on his remaining contract in 2023. He would also be liable for $2MM of non-waivable fees for holding out.

There’s a potential hurdle in this plan if Kansas City decides to drop the franchise tag on Jones after this year, but in that case, Jones could hold out without financial punishment in a continuation of this year’s holdout and come back at the same time next season.

Some may be wondering about the rationale of Jones holding out. He’s set to earn $20MM in yearly cash for the 2023 season and would become an unrestricted free agent after that. Why not just play out his last year and play out free agency? Basically, because it doesn’t benefit him.

Jones completed an incredible three-year run of being a top 5 defensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), by being PFF’s top interior defensive lineman for the 2023 season. When starting at the top, there’s nowhere to go but down. As of right now, he is considered one of the best defensive tackles, if not the best, in the NFL. Playing in seven games he doesn’t need to in 2023 doesn’t earn him any more money.

While that may sound greedy, understand that Jones just turned 29 years old. Next offseason, suitors will be pursuing a defensive tackle heading into his 30-year-old season. This is likely the last meaningful contract negotiation of Jones’ career. He may find small, one-year deals to close out his career, but he likely won’t be signing more than one multi-year deal from this point forward. He likely genuinely wants to remain in Kansas City, but the offers they’ve floated his way have not been enough to convince him to accept his last multi-year contract.

Instead, he’s threatening to preserve himself, if need be. If the Chiefs don’t want to give him the last big money contract of his career, he’ll save some of his remaining football for a team that wants to pay Jones like the top DT he is.

Head coach Andy Reid hasn’t had much input into the situation, claiming that he hasn’t been able to discuss the holdout with Jones. “There’s been no communication, so I don’t know what’s going to go down,” Reid told the media, according to Pete Sweeney of Arrowhead Pride. “Whatever happens happens, and if he’s not there, the game goes on. They got to communicate and do their thing. There’s just been no communication.”

It won’t take long for us to see how serious Jones is about sitting out. If the Chiefs aren’t able to secure Jones under an extension, we’re just over two weeks out from Kansas City hosting the NFL’s season-opening game against the Lions. Jones is providing a clear picture to the Chiefs’ brass of what he plans to do at that time if a deal has not been reached..

Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney Undergoes Knee Surgery

July 25th, 2023 at 1:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

On the first day of training camp, Kadarius Toney suffered a knee injury which puts his availability for the beginning of the regular season in doubt. The Chiefs wideout underwent surgery to address the issue, head coach Andy Reid said on Tuesday.

Toney suffered the injury while returning a kick on Sunday before practice began. His resultant procedure was aimed at cleaning up cartilage in his knee, Reid added (Twitter link via Nate Taylor of The Athletic). The news represents the latest in a string of injury setbacks for the 24-year-old, who was acquired via trade last year in a disappointing end to his Giants tenure.

The former first-rounder played only 12 games in New York, battling hamstring issues along the way. Those followed him to Kansas City, and an ankle injury threatened to keep him out of Super Bowl LVII. The Florida product was able to suit up, though, and he played a pivotal role in the championship game. Toney scored one fourth-quarter touchdown and set up another with a long punt return. Now, however, his Week 1 availability is in doubt.

“There’s a chance for the first game,” Reid said when detailing Toney’s situation. “We’ll just have to see how the recovery goes with him. But I mean he’s bound and determined he’s going to be there for the first game. We’ll see how it goes” (h/t ESPN’s Adam Teicher).

The Chiefs lost JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman to the Patriots and Jets, respectively, during the offseason. That has led to increased expectations for Toney in his first full season in a Kansas City offense known for amplifying the strengths of its pass-catchers (especially those with the kind of speed the latter posses). This week’s setback will limit (if not eliminate) his ability to practice during the summer, however, which could impact his effectiveness upon his return.

LB Drue Tranquill Addresses Chargers Departure, Chiefs’ Pursuit

July 7th, 2023 at 2:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Drue Tranquill was part of an impressive inside linebacker free agent class, but he was only able to land a one-year contract on the open market. It came from the Chiefs, making his move an intra-divisional one after he began his career with the Chargers.

When speaking about his first foray into free agency, the 27-year-old reflected on his time in Los Angeles and the failure of talks for a new deal to materialize. That led him to head elsewhere, with Kansas City representing an appealing destination given their recent Super Bowl successes. The prospect of joining the defending champions was aided by the personal push made by their head coach.

“I poured my heart out there for four years in L.A. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out,” Tranquill said during an appearance on NFL Total Access (h/t Kevin Patra of NFL.com). “I was really honored by the way the Chiefs pursued me, all the way from the front office down to the coaching staff. Andy Reid literally texted me the morning of [when] I was going to make my decision… I just felt really valued over there, felt like they really had a role for me and really wanted me over there.”

The Notre Dame product served in a rotational capacity for his first three seasons, but he thrived as a starter in 2022. Tranquill racked up 146 tackles, five sacks and four pass breakups, the latter figure demonstrating his strength dropping back into coverage. In his absence, the Chargers will have free agent addition Eric Kendricks and third-round rookie Daiyan Henley in place alongside 2020 first-rounder Kenneth Murray at the linebacker position.

The Chiefs, meanwhile, still have 2022 starters Willie Gay and Nick Bolton on their rookie contracts. The pair were productive last season, combining to make 300 tackles between the regular and postseason. Despite having 2022 third-rounder Leo Chenal (who contributed both on defense and special teams) in the fold as well, Kansas City elected to bring in Tranquill on a $3MM pact. It will be interesting to see how the latter fits into Steve Spagnuolo‘s defense given the unit’s incumbent members.

Tranquill’s remarks illustrate how widespread support for signing him was throughout the Chiefs organization, though, so he will likely enter the 2023 season with a signficant workload and high expectations. A repeat of his success from last season could lead his new team to another title, while boosting his free agent value in the process.

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