Kansas City Chiefs Free Agents: What Will It Take to Keep Key Chiefs?
Joel Corry of CBSSports.com said late last month that the Kansas City Chiefs will have around $400,000 in cap space for the 2015 NFL season. The Chiefs don't have many key free agents. Even so, the Chiefs still have an elite defensive player in outside linebacker Justin Houston.
Chiefs general manager John Dorsey enters his second full offseason and third overall with Kansas City. This offseason will test his abilities as a general manager and negotiator.
Though only a handful of key players might be re-signed, Houston will return with a high price after he registered 22 sacks in 2014.
According to Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac.com, wide receiver Dwayne Bowe will likely be a cap casualty. If traded or released after June 1, the Chiefs save $11 million, and they open up $5 million of cap space if he is released prior to June 1. As for outside linebacker Tamba Hali, Ginnitti projects that he and the Chiefs will agree to restructure his contract.
Larry Hartstein of CBSSports.com reported that if Bowe and the Chiefs can't agree to restructure his contract, Bowe will be cut.
The Chiefs certainly have a couple of options with Bowe and Hali, who both took a step back in 2014 and have a huge chunk of the team's 2015 payroll. If the Chiefs can adjust their contracts or if they decide to let them go, it will be easier to sign a majority of the players you are about to read about in this slideshow.
OLB Justin Houston
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In order for the Chiefs to successfully retain Houston, they will need to give him a long-term deal and plenty of money.
Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac predicts that Houston will receive a six-year deal worth more than $92 million. If Houston signs for that exact deal, he becomes the third-richest pass-rusher behind defensive end Mario Williams of the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt.
Houston benefited from not receiving a contract before or during the season, as he got 22 sacks, giving him a reason to demand a lot of money.
After making no more than $555,000 per year in the first three seasons of his career, Houston earned $1.4 million in 2014. Considering he played with a cheap contract, he surely wants a lot of money to come his way soon. This means the Chiefs will likely need to get him a long-term contract and give him a lot of money early in that part of his deal.
C Rodney Hudson
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Though Houston is an important player the Chiefs can't afford to let walk, center Rodney Hudson should also be a priority and must return for 2015.
Kansas City's offensive line was atrocious in 2014. However, Hudson was the only viable offensive lineman for the Chiefs and was one of the best centers and interior blockers this past season.
If Hudson demands top-five money at his position, he will end up receiving an average annual salary of anywhere between $7.725 million and $9 million.
Given that the Chiefs are limited on cap space and will pay a lot of money to Houston, they must restructure Bowe and Hali's contracts or release one or both players in order to have the money to re-sign Hudson.
WR Jason Avant
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After Houston and Hudson, the Chiefs have some inexpensive free agents to re-sign. Jason Avant is a player the Chiefs will want to bring back because of his familiarity with Andy Reid's offense.
Avant joined the Chiefs midway through the 2014 season to try and help the team's passing department, but it made no difference. If Avant spends an entire offseason and training camp under a system he has knowledge of, he could become a valuable asset as a wideout.
Since 2012, Avant's production has gone down, making it easy for the Chiefs to sign him to a one- or two-year deal for a low price.
Avant had an average base salary of $1.583 million from 2011 to 2013 with the Philadelphia Eagles. Since he's been less of a factor through the past three years, the Chiefs could snag him to a deal where he makes $1 million per season.
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S Kelcie McCray
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The Chiefs traded away offensive guard Rishaw Johnson for safety and special teams player Kelcie McCray. Though McCray got little attention as a defensive back, he quietly shined behind fullback Anthony Sherman's 11 tackles. McCray was second on the team in special teams tackles with nine, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
In his three years in the NFL, McCray made $390,000 with the Miami Dolphins, $405,000 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and $570,000 with the Chiefs this past season.
After an impressive performance on special teams, McCray will likely be brought back and should make about $1 million per season on a brief, multiyear contract.
LS Thomas Gafford
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Kansas City must get back its long snapper, a key position that occupies only one space on a team's roster.
After brief stints with the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears, Thomas Gafford found a home in Kansas City and has been with the team for seven games. He's appeared in all 105 games since joining the Chiefs midway through 2008.
As for money figures, Gafford was 15th in base salary among all long snappers in 2014, making $730,000. Cullen Loeffler of the Minnesota Vikings was the highest-paid long snapper at $1.135 million.
Depending on how the Chiefs feel, re-signing Gafford should be a painless task.
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