Jeron Johnson, Andy Mulumba Visit Chiefs
- The Chiefs hosted free agent safety Jeron Johnson for a visit on Wednesday, a source tells Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link). After serving as a backup DB and a special-teamer for several years in Seattle, Johnson signed with Washington last year and appeared poised to get the opportunity to player more. However, things didn’t work out in D.C., and Johnson was cut earlier this month.
- In addition to having hosted Johnson, the Chiefs are bringing in another defender, linebacker Andy Mulumba, for a visit, per Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette (Twitter link). Mulumba, who has played 22 games for the Packers during the last three seasons, also visited the Patriots, according to Hodkiewicz.
Chiefs Extend Charcandrick West, Spencer Ware
1:53pm: Interestingly, West and Ware appear to have signed to the exact same terms, according to Rapoport, who tweets that both deals are two-year extensions worth $3.6MM, with $2.35MM guaranteed.
11:19am: The Chiefs have locked up a pair of running backs to new contract extensions, the team announced today in a press release. As first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware, who teamed up to replace Jamaal Charles after his ACL injury last season, have signed new deals with the team.
“Charcandrick and Spencer both stepped in and were very effective for us offensively last year,” Chiefs GM John Dorsey said in a statement. “These guys have different styles and abilities, and together they provide us quality depth at the running back position.”
The timing of the extensions for West and Ware is interesting, since neither player would have even be eligible for restricted free agency until 2017, meaning they weren’t on track to become unrestricted free agents until 2018. Nonetheless, the Chiefs clearly liked what they saw from the duo last season, and are perhaps preparing for the end of the Jamaal Charles era in Kansas City.
Although Charles – who has a $5.3MM+ cap charge – is expected to remain on the Chiefs’ roster in 2016, his cap hit increases to $7MM in 2017, the final year of his current deal. He’s coming off another major knee injury, and will turn 30 later this year, so it makes sense that Dorsey and the Chiefs would be looking ahead to the future.
West, who turns 25 in June, was the first man up for the Chiefs in 2015 when Charles went down, and ultimately carried the ball 160 times for 634 yards and four touchdowns. He added another 20 receptions and a TD through the air.
As for Ware, he earned a couple starts when West got hurt, and averaged 5.6 yards per carry on 72 attempts, for 403 yards and six touchdowns for the season. According to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link), Ware’s extension is for two years, so he’ll be under contract through the 2018 campaign. Rapoport tweets that the two-year extension is heavy on incentives — the base value is $3.6MM, with $2.35MM guaranteed, but it can be worth up to $9.6MM via yardage and TD incentives.
With Charles, West, and Ware all in the mix for 2016, Knile Davis finds himself buried on Kansas City’s depth chart, and Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that the team is working on a trade involving Davis. Details on those talks aren’t known yet, and it’s not clear if anything will get done, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Dolphins, who have been in the market for running back help all month, have some interest in Davis — we heard last week that Miami was exploring trade options for a back.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Dolphins, Chiefs Have Discussed RB Trade
The Chiefs announced contract extensions for running backs Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware earlier today, signaling that those players remain in the team’s backfield plans beyond 2016. The signings left Knile Davis buried on Kansas City’s depth chart, so it came as no surprise when Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweeted the team was exploring a potential Davis trade. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com added (via Twitter) that Davis requested a trade “weeks ago.”
Since we heard last week that the Dolphins were exploring the trade market for a running back, I speculated that Miami might be talking to the Chiefs about Davis, and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald confirms that is indeed the case. According to Salguero, Kansas City is just one team the Dolphins have spoken to, and Miami has shown interest in all four of the Chiefs’ top backs.
Of course, with West and Ware now locked up, that leaves Davis and Jamaal Charles, and a Charles deal appears unlikely. Davis, who has averaged just 3.3 yards per carry on 232 career rushing attempts, is hardly the most accomplished player of the group, but he’s the most available, so if the Dolphins and Chiefs do work out a deal, he would be the most logical candidate to be on the move. Given his trade request and his lack of a clear role in Kansas City, the 24-year-old likely wouldn’t cost much in terms of trade compensation.
The Dolphins saw Lamar Miller depart in free agency, then had their offer sheet for restricted free agent C.J. Anderson matched by the Broncos. Miami was also in the running for Chris Johnson before he opted to re-sign with the Cardinals, so the team remains in the market for a back.
As Salguero detailed in a piece earlier today, there’s a good chance the Dolphins end up drafting a running back. However, while Salguero makes the case for selecting Derrick Henry in round two, Miami may not address the position until later on, so adding a veteran to complement that rookie and 2015 draftee Jay Ajayi would make sense.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Chiefs, Eric Fisher Discussed Extension
With the deadline for picking up fifth-year options on 2013 first-round picks more than a month away, the Chiefs are taking a proactive approach. They’ve discussed an extension with Eric Fisher, the No. 1 overall pick in that year’s draft, according to B.J. Kissel of Chiefs.com
(on Twitter).
The Chiefs have until May 2 to decide whether or not to pick up the 2017 option for their left tackle, and John Dorsey has participated in talks with Fisher’s representatives about possibly prolonging Fisher’s stay in Kansas City.
Much like Luke Joeckel, whose fifth-year option doesn’t look like it will be exercised in Jacksonville, Fisher hasn’t lived up to his draft slot. His case for a fifth year in Kansas City isn’t as simple as Dontari Poe‘s was last year.
Having shown scant semblance of upper-echelon performance at either right or left tackle, Fisher could be due close to $12MM on a fifth-year option, with precise figures for the 2013 class having not been released yet. The Vikings are currently in this position with Matt Kalil, the No. 4 overall pick in 2012 who is set to make $11.09MM this season — the third-highest cap figure for left tackles in the league.
An extension would be a way of getting around that price tag while establishing some continuity to an offensive line that’s had little during the mid-2010s. The Chiefs have lost Geoff Schwartz, Branden Albert, Jon Asamoah, Rodney Hudson, Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson from their front since March 2014.
Fisher did improve last season and finish as Pro Football Focus’ No. 37-ranked tackle despite a sprained ankle slowing him down to start the season. The Chiefs relocated Fisher to right tackle in favor of the now-departed Stephenson but soon shuttled him back to the left side once Stephenson failed to deliver.
Although the Chiefs re-signed swing player Jah Reid last year and gave Mitchell Schwartz a hefty contract on Day 1 of 2016’s free agency period, they don’t have an obvious replacement for Fisher on the roster. And although it’s early, the Chiefs possess the fourth-fewest projected cap space for 2017, according to OverTheCap, at just more than $24MM after re-signing several players this offseason.
Kansas City re-signed Derrick Johnson, Tamba Hali and Jaye Howard earlier this month after giving Travis Kelce an extension shortly after the season ended.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images
Chiefs GM: De'Anthony Thomas Not Going Anywhere
- A report earlier in March suggested that the Chiefs and 49ers had discussed a possible trade that would send De’Anthony Thomas to San Francisco. However, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter links), Kansas City GM John Dorsey said today that Thomas isn’t going anywhere, denying that he had spoken to the Niners about a deal. Even if the two sides did have a conversation about Thomas, it’s unlikely that Dorsey would confirm it now that the 23-year-old appears likely to stay put.
Chiefs Made Offer To Brandon Boykin?
- Cornerback Brandon Boykin said today that he had offers from about four other teams before he agreed to sign with the Panthers, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link) believes that two of those offers were from the Chiefs and Falcons.
Husain Abdullah Announces Retirement
Free agent safety Husain Abdullah had been one of the best players still available at his position, but he has decided to call it a career rather than signing with a new team. Abdullah announced in an Instagram post today that he will retire, citing concussion concerns as a key reason for the decision.
“There are numerous deciding factors in my decision, with personal health being foremost,” the 30-year-old said within his statement. “Sitting for five weeks last year after suffering the fifth concussion of my career, I had a lot to contemplate. My goals moving forward are to be of benefit to my family, my community, my country and hopefully the world. Having a sound mind will be vital in accomplishing these goals.”
An undrafted free agent out of Washington State, Abdullah made his debut for the Vikings in 2008, serving primarily as a special-teamer during his first couple years in the NFL. However, he started 24 games at safety during his final two years in Minnesota, in 2010 and 2011, grabbing a career-high three interceptions in ’10.
Abdullah stepped away from football during the 2012 season after suffering multiple concussions in 2011, but returned for the Chiefs in 2013, and spent three years in Kansas City. His best season as a Chief came in 2014, when he stepped in as a starter during Eric Berry‘s absence, recording 71 tackles, 10 passes defended, and an interception for a touchdown.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Chiefs May Need To Rely On Dee Ford More
- Dee Ford figures to have a bigger role with the Chiefs in his third season. How much bigger will likely be determined by Justin Houston‘s health. John Dorsey and Andy Reid saw flashes of brilliance, per Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star, with Reid saying one of last season’s takeaways was finding out that Ford was “a pretty good football player.” The player who would be opposite Ford in a Houston-less look, Tamba Hali, believes the third-year player — who has been mostly buried behind Houston and Hali in his two seasons — needs to develop further mentally. “If I had to speak for him, I would like for him to take the next step in being a professional … basically (the reason) why they drafted him here is to take over the (starting) role. The season’s too long for me to focus on being a starter or a backup,” Hali said. “I think he’s in the position where he can kind of take the torch and go forward. That’s really mental; physically, the kid is gifted and he has it. But mentally we have to just make sure that he understands why we’re in this building and what needs to be done while we’re here.”
Eric Berry Eyes Long-Term Deal With Chiefs
For the first time since becoming an unrestricted free agent and subsequently receiving the franchise tag, Eric Berry discussed his allegiance with the Chiefs. The seventh-year safety “definitely” wants to stay in Kansas City “long-term,” according to Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
GM John Dorsey has engaged in discussions with Berry’s representatives for months, and chairman Clark Hunt has gotten the impression the two-time first-team All-Pro defender values approves of the direction the Chiefs are going.
Berry hasn’t signed his $10.81MM franchise tender, a figure that only one other safety — the Saints’ Jairus Byrd — is set to earn this season. Paylor writes the Chiefs, who possess $6.29MM in cap space, can slash that $10.8MM number by about half by signing Berry to an extension.
- The division’s top three finishers last season each signed a player from a division rival, with the Chiefs adding Rod Streater after the Raiders brought in Sean Smith and Broncos poached Donald Stephenson. The Broncos signed Stephenson, a former third-round pick in 2012 whose career has underwhelmed to date, due to the versatility he could bring, Gary Kubiak told media (via Paylor). But the second-year Broncos coach identified Stephenson’s fit on the right side of their offensive line as one of the key factors in Denver deciding to sign him on Day 1 of free agency. Despite being eventually benched at right tackle after opening last season as the Chiefs’ left tackle starter, Stephenson figures to be the top candidate as of now to begin 2016 as the Broncos’ right tackle. Drafted to play right tackle, Ty Sambrailo — Denver’s 2015 second-rounder who slid to left tackle after Ryan Clady‘s ACL tear — may again see an offseason relocation, this time shifting inside to right guard.
Chiefs Book De'Vondre Campbell Workout
- Minnesota linebacker De’Vondre Campbell will meet with the Cardinals, Falcons, Chiefs and Vikings soon, Goodbread tweets.