Kansas City Chiefs: The 8 Biggest Contract Concerns on the Horizon

2010 saw the Kansas City Chiefs break out of a serious rut and become a competitive force in the AFC West. Lead by a group of talented young players and a few solid veterans, Kansas City will be looking to free agency to push the team to that next level.

Unfortunately for the Chiefs, free agency works both ways.

In the next couple of seasons, there are several players that could end up in a different jersey. Several of these players could hurt the progress that the Chiefs have made as a whole.

These are the eight contracts to be the most concerned about.

Tamba Hali

When coach Todd Haley arrived in Kansas City in 2009, he moved Tamba Hali from defensive end to linebacker. It seems the move was a smart decision.

Hali was one of the most productive defensive players in, not only Kansas City, but the entire league in 2010. Hali led the AFC with 14.5 sacks, more than twice what the Chiefs runner up produced. His blitzing ability caused the offensive line to focus much of their attention on him, allowing other players to stop opponents running games more efficiently.

A free agent this offseason, the Chiefs quickly slapped the franchise tag on Hali to keep him from getting away. While there are concerns about his shoulder after playing 2010 with an injury, the Chiefs cannot afford to let Hali get away. Kansas City should award Hali with a contract sooner rather than later.

Brandon Flowers

For the Chiefs to continue their success on defense, they will have to keep a strong secondary. In 2010, one of the main players that was able to make the big plays on defense was cornerback Brandon Flowers.

Flowers has become one of the best cornerbacks in the league so far in his short career. In 2010, Flowers recorded two interceptions and a forced fumble marking him as one of the more dangerous cornerbacks to go head to head against.

Flowers will earn $555,000 in 2011 before becoming a free agent in the 2012 offseason. He will be due a much bigger payday when that time comes and the worst thing the Chiefs could do is be slow to pull the trigger on a new contract. Hopefully the negotiations will be quick and painless and Flowers will spend a lot more time in Kansas City.

Wallace Gilberry

Defensive lineman Wallace Gilberry is one of the most underrated players on the Chiefs’ squad. While not garnering as much attention as other higher profile players, Gilberry recorded seven sacks, ranking second on the Chiefs, as well as forcing two fumbles.

In short, Gilberry is a very dangerous player.

Gilberry is a restricted free agent in 2011. If another team offers Gilberry a contract, the Chiefs would be foolish to not match the offer and keep this dangerous player.

Dwayne Bowe

On offense, there are two main weapons that the Chiefs had at their disposal in 2010: running back Jamaal Charles and wide receiver Dwayne Bowe.

Bowe came into his own last season, recording 1,162 yards receiving with 15 touchdowns and 55 first-down receptions. Without Bowe, the Chiefs’ receiving corps would have been very pitiful. 

After earning $2.765 million in 2011, Bowe will become a free agent in 2012. Bowe has, in the past, shown a bit of an ego and a delayed offer could possibly insult that ego. The sooner negotiations proceed, the better.

Brian Waters

While guard Brian Waters is now 34, he proved his value to the Chiefs in 2010, being selected to his fifth Pro Bowl.

Waters led an offensive line that was able to help running back Jamaal Charles achieve 6.4 yards per carry, helping the Chiefs running game to the next level.

Waters will take home $3.5 million this season, but after the season, he will be able to test free agency. Losing a player of Waters’ caliber, no matter his age, would not be in the best interest of a team that focuses so heavily on the run.

Brandon Carr

Much like Brandon Flowers, Brandon Carr was an effective cornerback for the Chiefs in 2010.

Carr led the team in passes defended, knocking down 25. Carr proved himself to be a good cornerback, to say the least. 

This offseason, Carr is a restricted free agent and will at least get some looks from other teams hoping to bolster their secondary. If this is the case, the Chiefs should do whatever it takes to keep Carr here.

Mike Vrabel

Linebacker Mike Vrabel’s best days are behind him on the football field. Despite this, he has become a much needed veteran presence on the Chiefs defense, offering stability for a young team.

Vrabel’s stats were far from great in 2010 and with as many talented young players as the Chiefs have on their defense, his presence is even less necessary then last year.

A free agent this year, the Chiefs should look at resigning Vrabel, retaining his veteran leadership. He is valuable other places besides on the field. Kansas City, though, needs to make sure not to overpay for him. Odds are Vrabel will not return to his past glory.

When it comes to Vrabel, unless he is willing to take a very small contract, he is not worth the price.

Casey Wiegmann

There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding center Casey Wiegmann.

Wiegmann is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but due to the NFL lockout, negotiations have not even started. To make things even more confusing, though, is the fact that Wiegmann is 37 and has mentioned that he might retire.

While the Chiefs drafted Rodney Hudson, a center, in the second round, he might not be ready when the season starts. The Chiefs would be best served to hang onto to the veteran Wiegmann if they can.