The Kansas City Chiefs may have won Super Bowl LIV, but they’ll face as tough a road as any other team to return there. They have the same number of pending free agents as the New Orleans Saints (27), and could lose some big-time playmakers to the open market. Here’s each Chiefs player headed for free agency:
- CB Kendall Fuller
- CB Morris Claiborne
- CB Bashaud Breeland
- CB Keith Reaser
- DE Emmanuel Ogbah
- DE Chris Jones
- DE Mike Pennel
- DT Xavier Williams
- FB Anthony Sherman
- LB Darron Lee
- LB Terrell Suggs
- LB Reggie Ragland
- OC Stefen Wisniewsky
- QB Chad Henne
- QB Matt Moore
- RB LeSean McCoy
- RB Spencer Ware
- S Jordan Lucas
- TE Blake Bell
- WR Demarcus Robinson
- LB Damien Wilson (Club Option)
- OT Cameron Fleming (Club Option)
- RB Damien Williams (Club Option)
- OT Andrew Wylie (ERFA)
- TE Deon Yelder (ERFA)
- TE David Wells (ERFA)
- WR Marcus Kemp (ERFA)
The golden goose here is Jones, who took a step back as a pass rusher out on the edge after proving effective the year before when lining up on the inside. He would be a big get for the Saints defensive front, which could be missing both Sheldon Rankins and Marcus Davenport early in the year while they both recover from injuries. The challenge will be budgeting for him in addition to all the other free agents the Saints have to pay.
Sherman may be the most-likely name to land with the Saints. They’ll need a new fullback after Zach Line retired, and Sherman is an established veteran who fits the bill. While he’s on the older side (31) and only played 98 snaps in each of the last two seasons, it’s easy to imagine him fitting into the Saints offense for a year or two.
Other names to watch: Fuller, Breeland, and Ogbah would each make sense for the Saints depending on how their budget shakes out. The Saints need more cornerbacks (they have just three under contract right now) and Ogbah could be a more affordable alternative at defensive end if they think Davenport will be ready to start right away.
