- An interesting what-if from a past trade deadline emerged recently. The Chiefs nearly traded Tony Gonzalez in 2008, months before he was actually dealt. Both the Eagles and Packers agreed to send a third-round pick to the Chiefs, and Jay Glazer of The Athletic (subscription required) notes it was going to be up to the then-32-year-old tight end to decide which team he preferred. (Gonzalez, per Glazer, initially wanted a trade to the Giants, but GM Jerry Reese refused to give up a third for the future Hall of Famer.) Then-Chiefs president Carl Peterson, though, changed the terms of the deal. Peterson, fired in December of 2008, asked for a second-rounder minutes before the ’08 deadline, Glazer adds, scuttling a potential Gonzalez trip to either an Eagles team that ended up in the NFC title game or Mike McCarthy‘s Packers — then in their first year of the Aaron Rodgers era. A livid Gonzalez then told Glazer he wanted to retire. However, he returned to a Chiefs team that finished 2-14 before new decision-maker Scott Pioli traded him to the Falcons the following year.
The Chiefs activated safety Daniel Sorensen from injured reserve, the team announced. To make room on the roster, the Chiefs waived linebacker Nate Orchard. 
The Chiefs have been waiting on safety help and Sorensen’s return should go a long way towards fortifying the secondary. Of course, the bigger upgrade will come when/if Eric Berry is able to make his return. There’s no definitive word yet, but the Chiefs are hopeful that Berry will be able to suit up for the final stretch of the season.
Sorensen started 14 games for the Chiefs last year, but was knocked off course this year by a tibial plateau fracture and MCL damage. Before that, the Chiefs were looking to Sorensen, a contributor on the past four Kansas City defenses and Berry’s replacement throughout last season, to take over as a starter for Ron Parker. A few weeks after the full scope of Sorensen’s injury was disclosed, Parker was brought back, but the Chiefs could still use the extra ammo in the secondary.
Upon his return, Sorensen could help Parker and Jordan Lucas at safety and also pitch in at linebacker in the wake of Terrance Smith‘s season-ending injury. With 56 games under his belt and experience at both spots, he could contribute in a variety of packages starting on Sunday against the Cardinals.
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- The Chiefs are clearly a Super Bowl contender and are in win-now mode, so plenty of people were surprised when they didn’t make any moves at the trade deadline to boost their defense. The team had reportedly been interested in trading for Earl Thomas earlier this year, but stood pat at the deadline, and now we know why. The Chiefs did try to trade for Landon Collins close to the deadline but weren’t able to strike a deal, according to Albert Breer of SI.com, who also writes that Kansas City’s coaching staff “has faith” that the team’s group of young defenders will continue to “improve as they go along.”
Chargers tight end Hunter Henry, who suffered a torn ACL in May, still has a chance to return to the field this season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. While a Henry comeback is a still considered a “long shot,” the third-year pro could give the Los Angeles offense a boost as the postseason nears.
This isn’t the first time a potential Henry return has been discussed, as reports as early as August suggested Henry could be available late in the 2018 campaign. Clearly, Los Angeles wouldn’t bring Henry back unless it had a legitimate shot at the postseason, and following a 5-2 start, the Chargers certainly have that. Per FiveThirtyEight.com, Los Angeles has a 75% chance of earning a playoff berth, although it will almost assuredly be as a wild card team given the success of the AFC West-leading Chiefs.
Henry is currently on the non-football injury list, but because he’s already been sidelined for an NFL-mandated six games, he’s eligible for activation at any time. Per Schefter, Henry has not suffered any recent setbacks while both running and squatting, and Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said Henry has “looked a lot better than I thought he would.”
The Chargers could certainly use Henry, as they’ve received virtually nothing from their current stable of tight ends. Los Angeles re-signed franchise icon Antonio Gates prior to the season and he leads the club’s tight ends in both receptions (12) and yards (123), while Virgil Green is pacing the Chargers’ tight ends in snaps.
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The Giants are likely to use the franchise tag on safety Landon Collins if the two sides don’t work out an extension, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
Collins was available prior to last Tuesday’s trade deadline, but the asking price was high, as the Giants were reportedly seeking a second-round pick in exchange for the All-Pro defensive back. Despite that price tag, New York did receive interest in Collins, and Schefter reports the Packers, Chiefs, and 49ers all made inquiries.
Kansas City would have made sense as a destination for Collins, as the Chiefs nearly dealt for fellow safety Earl Thomas before he went down with a season-ending injury. Green Bay, of course, traded its own safety in Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, but is still squarely in contention and in need of secondary help. The 49ers aren’t going to make the postseason, but they could have acquired Collins with the intention of using their exclusive negotiating window to hammer out a long-term deal.
As Schefter notes, all three of those clubs would presumably have interest in Collins if he hits the open market, but it doesn’t sound as though the Giants will allow that to happen. Given his age (Collins will be 25 years old when free agency opens) and pedigree, Collins will surely target a $10-12MM annual salary on his next contract. The 2019 franchise tag for safeties will be worth roughly that same amount, but wouldn’t come with the long-term risk of an extension.
Collins, a second-round pick in the 2015 draft, has been a full-time starter for the Giants since entering the league. A two-time Pro Bowler, Collins has 62 tackles, four passes defensed, and a forced fumble this season while grading as the NFL’s 13th-best safety, per Pro Football Focus.
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Today’s workout updates, all courtesy of veteran NFL report Howard Balzer (on Twitter):
Detroit Lions
- CBs Dontae Johnson, Horace Richardson
Kansas City Chiefs
- WR Rashard Davis
Today’s workout updates, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer:
Cincinnati Bengals
- TE Ben Koyack; FBs Aaron Ripkowski, Shane Smith; DEs Kony Ealy, Ryan Russell; LBs Kasim Edebali, Tyrone Holmes, Aaron Wallace
Green Bay Packers
- RB Ralph Webb
Kansas City Chiefs
Oakland Raiders
- CB Jalen Myrick
The Chiefs worked out safety Obi Melifonwu and linebacker Marquis Flowers on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Melifonwu hasn’t done much at the pro level, but he offers potential as a second-round pick of the 2017 draft. 
The 24-year-old Melifonwu played sparingly during his rookie campaign, compiling seven tackles in five games (one start). He was placed on IR twice during his first season, and he was waived/injured by the Raiders back in August. After clearing waivers, he landed on the team’s injured reserve. Earlier this month, the Raiders reached an injury settlement with him, making him a full fledged free agent. He worked out for the Cowboys, Patriots, and Saints, but did not sign with any of those clubs.
Flowers mostly played special teams for the Bengals in 2016, but he saw time on 361 snaps for the Patriots in 2017. The 26-year-old finished out the regular season with 30 tackles and 3.5 sacks and even started in two games. In the playoffs, he added another six tackles and one sack. This year, he missed the Pats’ final cut and had a brief regular season stint with the Lions.
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Ralph Vacchiano of SNY writes that the Giants were ultimately seeking a 2019 second-rounder and a late-round pick in 2020, but no team offered more than a third. The Chiefs and Buccaneers were among the teams to have made bids for the defensive back.
Janoris Jenkins is on the Chiefs’ radar, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (on Twitter). Jenkins, who turned 30 this week, has reportedly been on the trade block for the last week as the Giants continue their rebuild.
Jenkins is in the third year of a five-year, $62.5MM deal. The Giants, who are virtually out of the playoff picture in 2018, are probably looking at a slow climb back to the top that would have them in contention in 2020. Given Jenkins’ salary and the draft value that he can fetch in return, it only makes sense for the G-Men to explore deals.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, have one of the league’s most dynamic offenses, but could use some improvement on the other side of the ball. Eric Berry‘s prolonged absence has clearly dented the secondary, and Jenkins would offer some serious help in downfield pass protection. Presently, the Chiefs are using Kendall Fuller, Steven Nelson, and Orlando Scandrick as their top corners.
For what it’s worth, Jenkins currently ranks as Pro Football Focus’ No. 84 ranked cornerback in the NFL, a far cry from his usual position on the list.
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