It appears the Alliance of American Football has come to an end.
It’s not yet entirely clear why majority owner Tom Dundon has decided to suspend operations, but it was fun while it lasted. If the AAF succeeded in one thing it afforded people the opportunity to showcase their talents. Players, coaches, broadcasters, journalists, and more got an opportunity to show the world their enthusiasm and skill. That in itself is priceless.
Several of the players in the AAF earned another shot at playing in the NFL. As the Chiefs look to round out their 90-man offseason roster, they should look to add a few of these players to the team. Here are five in particular that I like for the Chiefs.
Karter Schult DE Salt Lake Stallions
Karter Schult has been a dominant force for eight games during the AAF season. He’s accumulated 25 total tackles, 7.0 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and 21 quarterback hits. Obviously the offensive tackles in this league aren’t all NFL caliber, but that is enough production to warrant a look in the NFL.
The Chiefs are revamping their defense and remaking it in the image of new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s 4-3 under scheme. At 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, Schult fits the mold that the Chiefs have been looking for in their defensive ends. While they’ve added some bodies there they still need to look to add competitive depth for the offseason. Adding a hungry player from this league to compete would be a wise decision.
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J.C. Hassenauer C Birmingham Iron
You won’t see a lot of offensive linemen getting love from this league, but one of them stood out to me above the rest. Birmingham Iron center J.C. Hassenauer has been one of the Iron’s best offensive players throughout the season and he even missed Week 4. He passes the eye test pass blocking, run blocking, and he fetched some strong grades from Pro Football Focus as well.
The Chiefs moved on from Mitch Morse this offseason, and while Austin Reiter is slated to be the starter, the depth behind him is quite unproven. Kansas City likes athlete’s at the center position and Hassenauer fits that description. Bringing in a player like Hassenauer to even just compete during the offseason program could prove to be promising.
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Charles Johnson WR Orlando Apollos
Charles Johnson has been the top receiver in the AAF from the get-go. He’ll finish the season as the league leader in targets, receiving yards, and receptions. He’ll also have the second-most receiving touchdowns to Rashad Ross. He certainly benefit from having the best quarterback in the league on his team. Imagine what he could do with the NFL’s MVP?
The Chiefs showed interest in adding a veteran receiver in Jordy Nelson this offseason. Nelson ultimately ended up retiring from the NFL, and the Chiefs haven’t been rumored to be interested in any other receivers. If they’re still looking for a veteran receiver, Johnson has 39 games played in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings.
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Derron Smith DB San Antonio Commanders
The San Antonio Commanders haven’t had the best defense in the AAF, but Derron Smith has been one of the top safeties in the league. He has 21 tackles to go along with three interceptions. He even got a pick six off of former Chiefs quarterback Aaron Murray. Smith has even seen quite a bit of praise from Commanders GM Darryl Johnston for his calm and collected demeanor.
The Chiefs are working to rebuild their secondary this offseason. They just traded away Eric Murray who from a physical standpoint is a very similar player to Derron Smith. If they could replace Murray with the 27-year-old Smith on a cheap contract, it’d be a good move even if he ultimately doesn’t make the final cut.
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Keith Reaser CB Orlando Apollos
Chiefs fans should be familiar with this one, because Keith Reaser played for the team in 2017. He started off on the practice squad and was promoted late in the season. He made some big plays in Patrick Mahomes’ debut game and the 2017 playoff game against the Titans.
I’m a firm believer that if Reaser hadn’t been injured during training camp in 2018, he would have made a strong case to make the 53-man roster for the Chiefs. He already proved to be a stud special teams player for the team in 2017. All he needed to do is take the next step as a defender and he was locked in. It’s hard to make the team if you’re not playing though.
Once Reaser joined the Orlando Apollos, he quickly established himself as one of the top corners in the AAF. He’s amassed three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. As of Week 7, Reaser allowed the lowest passer-rating into his coverage of any player in the AAF. He needs another shot in the NFL, and I’d like to hope that the Chiefs are the team willing to give him that.
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