The Kansas City Chiefs were hurting for safety help during the 2018 season. They didn’t do a great job utilizing their younger talent in the secondary until the season progressed. Veterans such as Eric Berry and Daniel Sorensen dealt with injury throughout the season. Their promising rookie Armani Watts suffered a season-ending injury early on. The depth they had in the end wasn’t viable for success.
The 2019 free agent market is loaded with safety talent. If the Chiefs choose to improve their safety group through free agency they have an overabundance of options to choose from. In order to narrow down Brett Veach’s options we’ll group them into tiers and select a player that fits from each grouping.
Keep in mind, these free agents are pending and could be re-signed before the free agency period begins in March.
Tier 1
- Earl Thomas S Seahawks
- Adrian Amos S Bears
- Landon Collins S Giants
There are three options in our top tier. Landon Collins is a popular choice for the Chiefs given his familiarity with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Collins played for most of his professional career in Spagnuolo’s defense. He also had his two best seasons with Spagnuolo as his defensive coordinator and interim head coach.
Bears safety Adrian Amos is a rising star in the league, and would be a welcomed addition to the Chiefs. The only problem is that the Bears are expected to bring him back, even with their massive financial commitment to outside linebacker Khalil Mack.
Earl Thomas is a name Chiefs fans are familiar with. The Chiefs were reportedly interested in adding Thomas in trade during the 2018 season. Then he broke his leg, effectively ending his season and any trade the teams were working on. Thomas is now a free agent, and many expect him to land in Texas with the Cowboys. That’s the destination because he’s from Orange, TX.
So who do the Chiefs choose out of these three options? Some of Steve Spagnuolo’s best secondaries have come together when he has a free safety with range. It turns out the Chiefs tried to trade for the rangiest safety in this free agent class already. If we know anything about Brett Veach, he will aggressively pursue the players that he wants. He tried to trade for Anthony Hitchens and Sammy Watkins, but instead signed them both in free agency the following season.
Choice: Earl Thomas
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Tier 2
- Lamarcus Joyner S Rams
- Ha Ha Clinton-Dix S Skins
- Tre Boston S Cardinals
- Tyrann Mathieu S Texans
The second tier has four options. Tyrann Mathieu was a player than fans and analysts thought the Chiefs could add in free agency in 2018. He ultimately chose to go with the Texans, and that seemed to be a good choice. He thrived in their system and showed people that he’s still a great player in this league. It’s unclear if Mathieu will return there in 2019, but there appears to be mutual interest.
Chiefs fans were upset when the Skins got Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in trade for peanuts in 2018. He didn’t perform too great after the trade, but the team was also in shambles after the injury to former Chiefs QB Alex Smith. Clinton-Dix has good size and turnover production throughout his career though.
If the Chiefs want to add players with Super Bowl experience, Lamarcus Joyner is a no-brainer. He went to Super Bowl LIII with the Rams and lost, so you know he wants to work to get back there. The problem with Joyner is that he’s undersized and I’m not sure how Veach feels about adding players below a certain height threshold.
Tre Boston signed late in free agency with the Arizona Cardinals. He didn’t sign a big contract, but he performed extremely well. It’s not yet official, but it’s been reported that the Chiefs hired former Cardinals defensive backs coach David Merritt to hold the same role. Merritt coached Boston in 2018 and could potentially bring him to Kansas City.
So who do the Chiefs choose out of these four options? I’m not confident Lamarcus Joyner and Tyrann Mathieu will hit the open market. I’m also not certain the Chiefs would sign them based on their height. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix will be seeking long term commitment, and the Chiefs probably won’t be willing to do a multi-year contract. Tre Boston makes a lot of sense based on his athletic profile, familiarity, age, and price tag in 2018. If they can get him to sign a one-year or two-year deal, it’d be a match made in heaven.
Choice: Tre Boston
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Tier 3
- Clayton Geathers S Colts
- Kenny Vaccaro S Titans
- Adrian Phillips S Chargers
There are only three options in our third tier and they all play the strong safety position. Kenny Vaccaro reignited his career with the Titans in 2018. He’s more of a fit in the box than playing in coverage. If the Chiefs need to add a safety who can stop the run, he did it better than most in 2018. It seems there is some expectation among Titans fans that the team will extend him before the opening of free agency.
The Colts defense had a really good year until they met the Chiefs in the playoffs. Clayton Geathers did a good job in their defensive scheme and mostly played the strong safety role. He’s been great in spots for the Colts, but he also is liability in coverage.
Adrian Phillips has been a solid contributor for the Chargers during the past two seasons. In 2018 he was asked to play a lot of linebacker because of the Chargers injury there, and he did a tremendous job. Rarely do you see guys attacking blocks the Phillips does. He plays like a linebacker, but has the body of a safety.
In this group the best move is to sign Adrian Phillips away from the Chargers. You get a solid safety to play the run game, and you hurt an AFC West opponent. Geathers and Vaccaro seem like they wouldn’t be much of an improvement over the talent the Chiefs currently have.
Choice: Adrian Phillips
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Tier 4
- Glover Quin S Lions
- George Iloka S Vikings
- Jimmie Ward S 49ers
- Chris Banjo S Saints
There are four options in our fourth and final tier. On Friday, the Lions announced they were releasing long time safety Glover Quin. Quin is 33 years old and lost playing time to Tracy Walker in 2018. He’s still playing at a high level, but it’s also clear he doesn’t have much left in the tank.
49ers safety Jimmie Ward broke his forearm toward the end the 2018 season. He’s been a more natural fit in his transition to safety, but he’s still a project and now he’s got the red flag of health issues. George Iloka joined the Vikings in 2018 and didn’t do a whole lot. He primarily played as a special teams player, and filled in on defense as a rotational piece.
Chris Banjo has primarily played special teams for the Saints during his career, but when he filled in for the Saints he’s done nicely. He notched career highs in interceptions in 2018. He’d be a stud special teams player for the Chiefs, but could also see an expanded role on defense if they signed him.
The final choice here has to be Quin. He makes a lot of sense for the Chiefs. If he doesn’t seek to retire, he could sign a veteran minimum deal. He’d help mentor some younger players in the Chiefs secondary like Armani Watts, and perhaps Jordan Lucas or a draft pick. It’d be one last ride for Quin, with the hopes of a Super Bowl win.
Choice: Glover Quin
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