Now that the franchise tag window has closed the Chiefs can move onto the next phase of the free agency period. On March 11th the legal tampering window will open, and the Chiefs can begin to negotiate with pending free agents. Here’s a list of top players available that the Chiefs should be in communication with as soon as the legal tampering window opens.
Landon Collins S Giants
The Giants didn’t place the franchise tag on Landon Collins, and they’ve not reached out to negotiate a long-term contract. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent and the Chiefs are rumored to be in pursuit of this player.
The fit makes sense, because Collins had his best seasons under Chiefs’ new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo in 2016 and 2017. Between those two seasons Collins recorded 224 total tackles, four sacks, seven interceptions, three fumble recovers, and a forced fumble.
Familiarity can go a long way in the NFL and having a player who knows what Spags is all about could certainly help the Chiefs. Additionally, the safety position is an area that the Chiefs want to upgrade through both free agency and the NFL draft. They’re not content on relying on Eric Berry alone, especially with the circumstances surrounding his injury.
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Trey Flowers DE Patriots
This is another instance of familiarity, but this time it’s with defensive line coach and run game coordinator Brendan Daly. If the Chiefs don’t sign Dee Ford to a long-term contract, and end up trading or releasing Justin Houston, it’s possible they look for another option in free agency.
Flowers was drafted by the Patriots in the 5th round of the 2015 NFL draft. He finished the 2018 season with 57 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. He even notched an additional two sacks in the AFC Playoffs, including one against Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes in the AFC championship game.
Perhaps the depth of the defensive line draft class will have an impact on the free agent market. If the Chiefs can sign Flowers for less than they’d have to pay Houston in 2019 it’d be a win for the Chiefs. Daly has a reputation of getting the most out of his defensive linemen, and having one whose worked in that system before could prove invaluable.
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C.J. Mosley LB Ravens
The Chiefs currently have a lot of money invested in Anthony Hitchens at the inside linebacker position. The big problem is that Hitchens didn’t perform the way the Chiefs needed with the investment they made. There is some hope the Chiefs might be able to get more out of Hitchens in the transition to a 4-3 scheme, but they need to be prepared if that doesn’t work.
The Ravens have allowed C.J. Mosley to hit the open market instead of applying the franchise tag. He’ll be one of the more coveted defensive free agents to hit the market. In 2018, Mosley notched 105 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 6 tackles for loss in 15 games started. He’s been a monster in the middle for the Ravens since they drafted him in 2014.
It’ll be hard for the Chiefs to be competitive in Mosley’s market given the crunch against the 2019 cap. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t inquire and see what it’d take to sign this player up for 2019 and beyond.
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Tevin Coleman RB Falcons
Tevin Coleman is a player that we’ve had our eyes on since the Chiefs released Kareem Hunt. He played college football at the University of Indiana, and his coach there at the time was none other than Chiefs RB coach Deland McCullough.
Together at Indiana, McCullough coached Coleman to an FBS rushing title with over 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns on 270 carries. Reuniting these two could certainly create some noise in the NFL, and the Chiefs should look to add another capable running back.
In 2018, Coleman did not have a good season. After an injury to Devonta Freeman, he was stuck with the lead running back duties, but he didn’t find a lot of success. The Falcons started utilizing Ito Smith over Coleman, and that signaled the end of his career in Atlanta.
Given Coleman’s struggles in 2018, and the past market for running backs in free agency, this wouldn’t likely be a huge investment for the Chiefs. He could likely be signed in addition to other top free agents.
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Kareem Jackson CB Texans
It’s very difficult to find good cover corners in the NFL. The Chiefs learned that lesson last year after they jettisoned Marcus Peters for a couple of picks. They rolled with Steve Nelson, Orlando Scandrick, and Kendall Fuller and it mostly blew up in their faces. They got lucky with the acquisition of Charvarius Ward and his late development in the 2018 season.
Now they’re going to be tasked with searching for another outside corner, with Nelson and Scandrick scheduled to become free agents. The free agent market isn’t flush with corners and many of them have big question marks. The NFL draft is equally murky when it comes to acquiring elite corner talent.
The one player who stands out above the rest is Kareem Jackson. He’s been the model of consistency throughout his career. He’s never played in less than 12 games in a single season, and he’s only gone 1-of-9 seasons without recording an interception. Yes, Jackson is on the wrong side of 30, but there is no reason why the Chiefs shouldn’t offer him and incentive-laden contract for a couple of years.
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