Keep or Cut Decisions for Kansas City Chiefs' 2015 Free Agents
The Kansas City Chiefs enter 2015 already in offseason mode, looking to adjust and make improvements to help get the team back to the playoffs. General manager John Dorsey knows the glaring holes on this team but enters 2015 with a challenge.
According to Joel Corry, the Chiefs have around $400,000 of cap space, which does not bode well for a team that has to re-sign its star outside linebacker and has to make plenty of improvements on offense. Granted, it will require the Chiefs to cut a veteran or two to create cap space, but the Chiefs still have to approach cuts correctly while making sure they bring back and re-sign the right players.
In this slideshow, we look at some of the notable 2015 free agents for Kansas City and whether they should be brought back.
Keep: OLB Justin Houston
1 of 10
This is an obvious one. The Chiefs had the NFL sack leader in 2007 in Jared Allen and let him go. Elite pass-rushers are hard to come by, and Chiefs fans would hate to see another great defender go.
Houston led the league in sacks with 22, coming one sack away from breaking Michael Strahan's record for most sacks in a season.
Whether it is Dee Ford or Tamba Hali lining up on the other side, Houston leads one of the most dominant front seven defenses in the NFL today. He helps his teammates up front and also makes life easier for defensive backs.
Keep: C Rodney Hudson
2 of 10
Rodney Hudson was Kansas City's best offensive lineman in 2014, staying consistent as a run-blocker and being the only reliable blocker for Alex Smith in pass protection.
Hudson started all 16 games for the first time in his career and has played in all 16 games in a season in three of his four years since coming out of Florida State. He allowed just three sacks this past year.
Good offensive line play was rare for Kansas City in 2014. Retaining Hudson is important for the team.
Keep: WR Jason Avant
3 of 10
Jason Avant made a minimal impact due to joining the Chiefs late in the season. But Avant has familiarity with Andy Reid's system and his expectations due to his experience playing for him in Philadelphia.
His 13 catches for 152 yards in five games are not a fair representation of what he can do. If he is given a full season, he may prove to be a serviceable wide receiver, something the Chiefs did not have throughout 2014.
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Keep: ILB Josh Mauga
4 of 10
With Derrick Johnson suffering a season-ending injury and Joe Mays missing the first half of the season, Josh Mauga quickly saw action on the field, starting all 16 games in 2014 after starting just one game in his three years prior to this season.
Mauga made an immediate impact, limiting opposing running backs against the run. Though Mauga was inconsistent midway through the season, he finished 2014 on a better note.
With Johnson beside him, Mauga will be an asset to Kansas City's dangerous front seven.
Keep: S/CB Ron Parker
5 of 10
Ron Parker had a very discouraging preseason as a cornerback. But early in the season when Eric Berry was absent with an injury, Parker shifted to safety and saw a little bit of time at cornerback.
Parker saw success as a safety and came through in the clutch in a couple of close games. With a year of experience under his belt, it is fair to expect more out of him in 2015. If Kansas City's secondary continues to be thin, Parker will continue to be one of the top defensive backs on the team.
Keep: LS Thomas Gafford
6 of 10
Thomas Gafford joined the Chiefs midway through the 2008 season and has served as a long snapper every year for the team. He's worked with very few kickers and punters and has been consistent with his snaps on special teams.
Gafford, who will be 32 later this month, should be brought back for a three-year deal. With Cairo Santos recently added as the franchise kicker and Dustin Colquitt on the roster, the Chiefs will be set on special teams, barring injury, for a couple more years.
Let Go: CB Chris Owens
7 of 10
It was not an easy year for some of the defensive backs for the Chiefs and Chris Owens tops that list.
While the team did finish as one of the best pass-defending teams, finishing second, Owens had little contribution to that. As far as individual performance goes, Owens ended the year on a bad note as the Chargers succeeded against him the most.
Letting Owens go would be wise as the Chiefs need to get a better cornerback in his place.
Let Go: G Jeff Linkenbach
8 of 10
Jeff Linkenbach did not play a lot for the Chiefs, appearing in all 16 games and starting in three.
Linkenbach allowed 2.5 sacks and a holding penalty in his limited playing time as an offensive lineman for the Chiefs. Chiefs quarterbacks got little help in pass protection and must change that for 2015.
With offensive line being a high priority this offseason, Linkenbach will either be let go or brought back as a backup.
Let Go: WR Junior Hemingway
9 of 10
The wide receivers lacked production, but it made things worse when they couldn't pull in passes.
Junior Hemingway was rarely seen in the second half of the season. He was targeted just 21 times, dropping three passes total, giving him a 14-percent drop rate.
Like the offensive line, wide receiver should be a key priority this offseason. Having players like Hemingway won't help Kansas City on offense and it is best to part ways with him.
Let Go: RT Ryan Harris
10 of 10
Another offensive lineman who was a liability this year was Ryan Harris. With Harris' contract up, it is hard to imagine a situation in which the Chiefs decide to bring him back.
Harris allowed seven sacks as a starter in 15 games, contributing to the 49 sacks the Chiefs allowed. With this being Harris' first year in Kansas City, it is safe to assume it is his last.
Special statistics courtesy of Sporting Charts and STATS, LLC.
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