PFR Originals - Pro Football Rumors

Traded NFL Draft Picks For 2017

By Dallas Robinson | at February 2, 2017 5:58 pm

While many 2017 NFL draft picks that get traded won’t be moved until later in the offseason, or during next year’s draft itself, plenty of selections have already changed hands. This list will continue to be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to check back after trades have been consummated for an updated look at which picks are on the move for 2017. If you have any corrections, please contact us.

Here are 2017’s traded draft picks:

Updated 4-4-17 (2:49pm CT)

Round 1

Titans acquired pick from Rams in deal for No. 1 overall pick.
Browns acquired pick from Eagles in deal for No. 2 overall pick.
Eagles acquired pick from Vikings in deal for QB Sam Bradford.
Saints acquired pick from Patriots in deal for WR Brandin Cooks.

Round 2

Browns acquired pick from Titans in deal for No. 8 overall pick.
Panthers acquired pick from Patriots in deal for DE Kony Ealy.

Round 3

Patriots acquired pick from Panthers in deal for DE Kony Ealy.
Ravens acquired pick from Eagles in deal for DT Timmy Jernigan.
Vikings acquired pick from Dolphins in deal for WR Leonte Carroo.
Eagles acquired pick from Ravens in deal for DT Timmy Jernigan.
Titans acquired compensatory pick from Rams in deal for No. 1 overall pick.
Saints acquired pick from Patriots in deal for WR Brandin Cooks.

Round 4

Redskins acquired pick from Jets in deal for T Brandon Shell.
Bears acquired pick from Bills in deal for LB Reggie Ragland.
Patriots acquired pick from Saints in deal for WR Brandin Cooks.
- Pick is forfeited as a result of league discipline (Deflategate)
Vikings acquired pick from Dolphins is deal for WR Leonte Carroo.
Patriots acquired from Seahawks in deal for DT Quinton Jefferson.
Colts acquired pick from Patriots in deal for TE Dwayne Allen.
Eagles acquired compensatory pick from Browns in deal for No. 2 overall pick.
Texans acquired compensatory pick from Browns in deal for QB Brock Osweiler.

Round 5

Redskins acquired pick from Saints in deal for DT David Onyemata.
49ers acquired pick from Redskins in deal for TE Derek Carrier.
Patriots acquired pick from Broncos in deal for TE A.J. Derby.
Bills acquired pick from Cowboys in deal for Matt Cassel.
Browns acquired pick from Patriots in deal for LB Barkevious Mingo.

Round 6

Ravens acquired pick from 49ersin deal for C Jeremy Zuttah.
Browns acquired pick from Texans in deal for QB Brock Osweiler.
49ers acquired pick from Ravens in deal for C Jeremy Zuttah.
Patriots acquired pick from Colts in deal for TE Dwayne Allen.
49ers acquired pick from Broncos in deal for TE Vernon Davis.
Broncos acquired pick from Titans in deal for CB LeShaun Sims.
Rams acquired pick from Dolphins in deal for DE William Hayes.
Redskins acquired pick from Texans in deal for WR Will Fuller.
Lions acquired pick from Patriots in deal for LB Kyle Van Noy.

Round 7

49ers acquired pick from Browns in deal for P Andy Lee.
Redskins acquired pick from 49ers in deal for TE Derek Carrier.
Dolphins acquired pick from Rams in deal for DE William Hayes.
Seahawks acquired pick from Panthers in deal for WR Kevin Norwood.
Cowboys acquired pick from Bills in deal for QB Matt Cassel.
Panthers acquired pick from Browns in deal for P Andy Lee.
Rams acquired pick from Ravens in deal for WR Chris Givens.
Patriots acquired pick from Lions in deal for LB Kyle Van Noy.
Jaguars acquired pick from Dolphins in deal for TE Julius Thomas.
Raiders acquired pick from Seahawks in deal for S Dewey McDonald.
Lions acquired pick from Patriots in deal for OL/TE Michael Williams.

Lost draft picks

Patriots lost fourth-round pick due to NFL discipline (Deflategate).
Giants‘ fourth-round pick was downgraded a maximum of 12 spots due to NFL discipline (walkie-talkies).
Seahawks lost fifth-round pick due to NFL discipline (offseason contact policy).
Chiefs lost sixth-round pick due to NFL discipline (anti-tampering policy).

ProSportsTransactions.com was used in the creation of this post.

2 comments 2017 NFL Draft PFR Originals

Top 3 Offseason Needs: Cincinnati Bengals

By Dallas Robinson | at February 1, 2017 8:10 pm

In advance of March 9, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the Cincinnati Bengals, who missed the postseason for the first time in six years after finishing with a 6-9-1 record.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Chykie Brown, CB
Rex Burkhead, RB
Karlos Dansby, LB
Wallace Gilberry, DE
Margus Hunt, DE
T.J. Johnson, C
Dre Kirkpatrick, CB
Brandon LaFell, WR
Cedric Peerman, RB
Domata Peko, DT
Andrew Whitworth, T
Eric Winston, T
Kevin Zeitler, G

Top 10 Cap Hits for 2017:

Andy Dalton, QB: $15,700,000
A.J. Green, WR: $13,500,000
Geno Atkins, DT: $10,600,000
Adam Jones, CB: $8,166,666
Carlos Dunlap, DE: $7,250,000
George Iloka, S: $5,400,000
Michael Johnson, DE: $5,125,000
Clint Boling, G: $4,925,000
Tyler Eifert, TE: $4,782,000
Vontaze Burfict, LB: $4,725,000

Other:

Projected cap space (via Over the Cap): $44,293,339
Ninth pick in draft
Must exercise or decline 2018 fifth-year option for CB Darqueze Dennard

Three Needs:

1) Add an edge defender: The Bengals are now two years removed from a 2014 campaign in which they finished dead last in the NFL with only 20 sacks, and thanks to the return and gradual recovery of All Pro defensive tackle Geno Atkins, who suffered a torn ACL halfway through the 2013 season, the club’s pass rushing attack is now league average, as the unit ranked 15th in adjusted sack percentage and 19th in sacks. Much of that production (52% of Cincinnati’s 30 sacks in 2016), however, comes from Atkins and defensive end Carlos Dunlap, and given the lack of other high-quality edge rushers on the roster, and the fact that Dunlap and Atkins will both be nearing 30 years old when the 2017 season gets underway, the Bengals need to invest in another pass rushing force.

To be sure, the interior of Cincinnati’s defensive line could use some work as well, but the presence of Atkins makes up for a lot. Veteran nose tackle Domata Peko is a pending free agent and is unlikely to be re-signed, but the club does have other options up the middle. 2016 fourth-round pick Andrew Billings should be ready to contribute after missing his entire rookie season with injury, Brandon Thompson‘s one-year contract will toll after he spent all of last year on the physically unable to perform list, and Pat Sims and Marcus Hardison are still under team control for 2017.

The edge, however, is relatively barren outside of Dunlap. Michael Johnson has never been a prototypical defensive end, as his prowess in the run game far outweighs his ability to take down opposing quarterbacks, and the 29-year-old is coming off arguably the worst season of his career. The Bengals are loathe to release veterans in the midst of multi-year deals, but cutting Johnson has to be in consideration this offseason. At the very least, he’ll need to see far fewer snaps than the 831 he played in 2016. Failed second-round pick Margus Hunt and multi-stint Bengal Wallace Gilberry are both heading for the open market, and it would be a surprise to see either return to Cincinnati. As such, Will Clarke — a former third-rounder who played on roughly a third of the Bengals’ defensive snaps last year — could be the only other defensive end available to play opposite Dunlap.

The free agent market for pass rushers isn’t exactly overflowing with options, and the Bengals won’t even think about adding a high-priced player such as Chandler Jones or Jason Pierre-Paul. The most expensive free agent Cincinnati might contemplate is the Patriots’ Jabaal Sheard, who spent four seasons in the AFC North with the Browns before defecting to New England. Sheard, 27, is capable against the pass but is excellent in the run game, a trait the Bengals value immensely. Datone Jones (Packers) could also be on the table, and could benefit from playing in a 4-3 scheme, while Courtney Upshaw (Falcons) and Andre Branch (Dolphins) may also make sense.

More likely, though, Cincinnati will instead target a veteran on a low-cost one-year contract, attempting to fill the edge void on the cheap (the club has used a similar strategy over the past two seasons at linebacker by signing Karlos Dansby and A.J. Hawk). Dwight Freeney is the most obvious candidate for such a deal, as the Bengals worked out the 36-year-old last May before he signed with the Falcons. It’s possible Freeney will retire at season’s end, especially if Atlanta wins the Super Bowl, but he was still effective in 2016 while playing on nearly 40% of the Falcons’ defensive snaps.

A reunion with former Bengal Frostee Rucker could also be in the cards, especially given that Rucker offers the versatility to move inside on passing downs. Rucker, who spent 2007-11 in the Queen City, shouldn’t be expensive as he enters his age-34 season. Meanwhile, it wouldn’t be surprising if Cincinnati called Chris Long about a contract, while fellow veterans Jason Jones, Mario Addison, and Charles Johnson could all be available with various price tags. If released, Mario Williams, Jared Odrick, and Connor Barwin could also be on the Bengals’ radar.

If the Bengals do opt for a one-year stop gap at end, the club will almost certainly devote additional resources to the position in the form of draft picks. Sitting within the top-10 for the first time in years, Cincinnati should have the opportunity to select a near-elite prospect who can contribute immediately. While Myles Garrett will be off the board, the Bengals should have a shot at one of Jonathan Allen (Arkansas), Derek Barnett (Tennessee), Tim Williams (Alabama), or Solomon Thomas (Stanford), the latter of whom was mocked to Cincinnati by both Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com and Josh Norris of Rotoworld. Michigan’s Taco Charlton, Missouri’s Charles Harris, and Auburn’s Carl Lawson, meanwhile, could be available in the early part of Day 2.

2) Sort out the offensive line: In 2015, with starting offensive tackles Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith set to become unrestricted free agents the following offseason, the Bengals used their first- and second-round picks on collegiate tackles Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher, respectively. Though Cincinnati had other — and perhaps more pressing — needs at the time, the club stuck to its normally forward-thinking approach and should have set itself up along the offensive line for years to come.

That hasn’t happened. Whitworth eventually agreed to a one-year extension and has continued to play at an exceptionally high level, but is now headed for free agency once again, while Smith did leave when he hit the open market, agreeing to a deal with the Vikings. Ogbuehi, recovering from an ACL injury suffered during his final season at Texas A&M, barely played during his rookie season and face-planted after being handed the starting right tackle job in 2016, eventually being relegated to backup duty behind journeyman Eric Winston. Fisher, meanwhile, has mostly been deployed as an extra offensive lineman in jumbo packages.

While the Bengals have issues at tackle, changes could be coming on the interior, too, as right guard Kevin Zeitler will become an unrestricted free agent in March. As of mid-January, Cincinnati had not begun talking extension with Zeitler, but the two sides will surely speak about a long-term deal in advance of free agency. Zeitler, who earned the eighth spot on PFR’s most recent Free Agent Power Rankings, isn’t going to come cheap, though, especially given that fellow right guards Kyle Long and David DeCastro recently inked pacts that pay $10MM annually. And given that the NFL frustratingly still assigns one franchise tender amount to all offensive lineman instead of separating interior players from tackles, the tag isn’t an option given that it’s expected to be worth north of $14MM.

So what would an ideal outcome look like for Cincinnati? Re-signing both Whitworth and Zeitler would be a home run, but given that both offensive linemen are the best available free agents at their respective position, there will be plenty of other suitors around the league. As such, if pressed to choose between the two, the Bengals need to prioritize Zeitler, not only because he’s more than eight years younger than Whitworth, but because retaining Zeitler would give the club more options going forward.

Re-signing Zeitler — and letting Whitworth walk — would allow the Bengals to move Ogbuehi to left tackle while placing Fisher on the right side. Given that Ogbuehi has struggled at right tackle, moving him Andy Dalton‘s blindside may seem like a odd solution, but Ogbuehi has been adamant that left tackle is his “natural position,” and indicated that he simply doesn’t feel comfortable on the right side. Of course, handing left tackle to a player who has thus far given no indication that he’s a starting-caliber NFL lineman is a risky strategy, but it might be the best chance the Bengals have to begin a youth movement up front.

Keeping Whitworth for another few years (likely at a cost of more than $10MM per season) is another potential avenue, and Cincinnati does have options to replace Zeitler at right guard in such a scenario. 2016 fifth-round pick Christian Westerman would be involved in the competition, as would both Ogbuehi and Fisher. A free agent could be in consideration as well, either at tackle or guard. Reuniting with Smith, who barely played with Minnesota before landing on injured reserve, would allow the Bengals to stage an all-out battle at right guard while Smith locks down right tackle. Adding an interior lineman such as Jonathan Cooper or Chance Warmack would likely mean full-fledged competition at multiple positions along the line.

Clearly, there are number of multi-forked roads the Bengals can travel down this offseason in regards to the construction of the offensive line, and we haven’t even discussed the play of center Russell Bodine, who has steadily improved but still ranks as one of the league’s worst starting pivots. But one way or another, Cincinnati needs to stabilize its front five, which ranked 26th in adjusted sack rate after perennially placing as a top-10 unit during the club’s recent run of success.

3) Go young at cornerback: Given that they’ve used three of their last five first-round picks on defensive backs, the Bengals have accrued a stockpile of youthful cornerback talent on their roster. However, thanks to the club’s developmental schedule (which moves at a glacial pace), those corners receive scant amounts of playing time until they’ve put in a few years as backups. By that time, their rookie contracts have nearly expired, and Cincinnati has wasted the advantages of having first-round talents on cheap deals.

Take Darqueze Dennard, for example: Drafted 24th overall in 2014, Dennard was oozing with pedigree. In his final season at Michigan State, Dennard was a unanimous All-American and received the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top collegiate defensive back. But he still couldn’t get on the field with the Bengals. In three seasons with Cincinnati, he’s averaged less than 20% playtime, spending most of his snaps on special teams. Injuries have certainly played a factor in his limited action, but Dennard has admitted that his time with the Bengals has been frustrating.

The Bengals have until this May to decide on Dennard’s 2018 fifth-year option, but they have essentially no basis on which to make their decision. And this isn’t the first time Cincinnati has taken this approach. Fellow first-round corner Dre Kirkpatrick didn’t become a full-time starter until his fourth season in the NFL, and it’s still unclear if he’s capable of being a reliable No. 1 cornerback. (2016 first-rounder William Jackson III can be thrown in here, but his rookie year absence was neither the fault of the Bengals nor Jackson, as a torn pectoral cost him all of last season).

Kirkpatrick, Dennard, and Jackson need to be Cincinnati’s starting corners next season, and given that Kirkpatrick is an unrestricted free agent, that obviously means he needs to be re-signed. Though Kirkpatrick should be one of the top corners on the market, behind the top-tier group comprised of A.J. Bouye, Trumaine Johnson, and Stephon Gilmore, the Bengals should be able to retain Kirkpatrick at a decent price. The rest of the league simply hasn’t seen enough from Kirkpatrick that would entice competing teams to outbid Cincinnati, which intimately knows Kirkpatrick and would presumably feel comfortable retaining him. Even if the price tag approaches $10MM/year, the Bengals should take the plunge.

Cincinnati could make a dent in Kirkpatrick’s cost by releasing veteran Adam Jones, as cutting him loose this offseason would create nearly $7MM in 2017 cap space. We won’t delve into Jones’ entire history of off-field incidents here, and it’s only fair to note that — until recently — Jones had stayed out of trouble for a good amount of time. But his most recent incident, which included an alleged assault, disorderly conduct, and an extremely unbecoming encounter while in police custody, was especially disturbing, and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Jones will likely face a suspension in 2017, but the Bengals reportedly haven’t decided whether they’ll release him this spring. The club doesn’t need the headache, could use the cap room, and needs to find out what they have in their younger cornerbacks, all of which points to Cincinnati cutting ties within the next few months.

2 comments Cincinnati Bengals PFR Originals Top 3 Offseason Needs

PFR’s 2017 Free Agent Power Rankings 2.0

By Zachary Links | at January 31, 2017 2:50 pm

For 30 of the NFL’s 32 teams, the offseason is already underway. Here is the latest installment of our 2017 NFL Free Agent Power Rankings, which is comprised only of upcoming unrestricted free agents, and is ranked by projected guaranteed money. In parentheses next to each player, you’ll find their position in the early January edition of the rankings. For more, check out our master list of all 2017 free agents.

1. Kirk Cousins, QB (1): Cousins may not be the best player on this list, but he will come away with the most guaranteed money of any free agent this offseason. Quarterbacks are perpetually in high demand and short supply and as a result Cousins could become one of the league’s three highest paid signal callers. Because Washington has already used the franchise tag on Cousins, a repeat would cost them a whopping $23.94MM for 2017. The belief is that Cousins is seeking that $23.94MM number as an AAV goal. There has been talk of the Redskins shopping their star QB, but the team has since publicly stated its intention of locking him up to a long-term deal.

2. Chandler Jones, LB/DE (2): Jones has been an absolute stud ever since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2012. If we go by the numbers at Pro Football Focus, 2016 was actually Jones’ best year to date. This past season, he finished out with a strong 87.4 overall score, tying him for seventh amongst all edge rushers with Houston’s Whitney Mercilus. In the previous four seasons with New England, Jones averaged a 79.38 on PFF. Every team could use a sack machine like Jones, but coach Bruce Arians says the Cardinals will place the franchise tag on him if they cannot agree on a long-term deal. He’s technically ticketed for unrestricted free agency, but it doesn’t sound like Jones is going anywhere.

3. Kawann Short, DT (3): Unlike former teammate Josh Norman, Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short says he won’t have any problem signing the franchise tender if the team tags him. “I wouldn’t fight it or anything,” said Short in early January. In 2016, he turned in his fourth straight 16-game season and ranked as Pro Football Focus’ fourth-best interior defender. Short, 28 this week, also had six sacks on the year. I think the Panthers would be wise to hit Short with the ~$13.468MM franchise tag or sign him to a long-term deal, but there is at least a non-trivial chance of him reaching the open market.

4. Melvin Ingram, LB (5): The Chargers are moving to Los Angeles, but it remains to be seen whether they will be bringing Ingram with them. Ingram has established himself as one of the game’s brightest young edge rushers, so retaining him will cost a pretty penny. Ingram shed the first-round bust label in 2015 and in 2016 he proved himself all over again, silencing doubters and cementing his major payday this spring. When Ingram celebrates his 28th birthday in April, he’ll be a much richer man regardless of where he winds up.

5. Alshon Jeffery, WR (4): In our first installment of the Free Agent Power Rankings, Dallas Robinson had Jeffery ranked No. 3 overall. However, that was before his four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. Once considered an elite talent at the wide receiver position, Jeffery now seems like more of a second tier type after two disappointing seasons. A second franchise tag would cost the Bears quite a bit and it seems like they’re ready to move on, so you can expect to see him reach the open market. Some team out there will roll the dice on Jeffery, hoping that they can get a stud WR at a discount price.

6. Dont’a Hightower, LB (6): Unlike the aforementioned players, Hightower has bigger fish to fry before he starts thinking about free agency. This Sunday, Hightower has an opportunity to seize his second career Super Bowl ring. After that – win or lose – we’re expecting the Pats to act fast and lock up Hightower for the foreseeable future. The Pats’ decision to jettison Jones and Jamie Collins didn’t slow them down in 2016, but they’d be downright crazy to let Hightower get away. Without those two defensive stars to consider, New England should have enough room to get something done with Hightower before free agency starts.

7. A.J. Bouye, CB (8): Bouye is a fascinating free agent case. This year, he graded out as PFF’s No. 3 cornerback in the NFL and he continued to get the job done in the Texans’ two postseason games. He also doesn’t turn 26 until August. The trouble here is that his 2016 performance pretty much came out of the blue. With no real resume to show for his first three years in the NFL, teams are looking at Bouye with a healthy bit of skepticism. There is mutual interest between the corner and the Texans in a reunion.

8. Kevin Zeitler, G (9): Teams looking to beef up their O-Line will be on the horn with Zeitler’s reps as soon as they are allowed (and maybe a little before that point). As of January 14th, Zeitler has not discussed a new deal with the Bengals and it seems possible they will let him ascertain his value on the open market. Zeitler, 27 in March, was PFF’s No. 7 ranked guard in the NFL this year. In 2014 and 2015, he earned similar scores for his work. Kelechi Osemele got a five-year, $58.5MM deal from Oakland last year and that could be in play for Zeitler if he is on the board in early March.

9. Calais Campbell, DL (10): After turning in one of the best seasons of his career, Campbell is in line for another healthy payday. The Cardinals were probably planning to move on from the former University of Miami star after landing Jones in 2016, but they’ll have to give real consideration to keeping both players, if they can swing it. If they can’t, the durable defensive lineman will get paid elsewhere after notching 53 total tackles and eight sacks in 2016. The only thing really working against Campbell here is his age. He’ll turn 31 just before Week 1 of the 2017 season.

10. Le’Veon Bell (NR): Bell gets listed here for his tremendous ability, but there’s little chance that he actually reaches the open market. The Steelers have already made it clear that they will use the franchise tag on the running back and we expect the two sides to shake hands on a long-term deal soon after. If it happens, that deal should easily best LeSean McCoy‘s ~$8MM AAV and Doug Martin‘s $15MM in guarantees.

Honorable mention: Eric Berry, Jason Pierre-Paul, T.J. Lang, Stephon Gilmore, Tony Jefferson, Trumaine Johnson, Nick Perry, Dontari Poe, Martellus Bennett

PFR Originals: 1/22/17 – 1/29/17

By Sam Robinson | at January 29, 2017 4:33 pm

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff last week:

As the offseason progresses, PFR will assess each team by examining the top three needs on each respective roster. We covered eight organizations last week:
- Seattle Seahawks
- Houston Texans
- Chicago Bears
- Oakland Raiders
- Green Bay Packers
- Los Angeles Rams
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Kansas City Chiefs

PFR’s Rory Parks asked readers who would win Super Bowl LI. The Falcons, three-point underdogs, are up slightly on the Patriots in the early stages. The Patriots are 4-4 in Super Bowls (4-2 in the Bill Belichick era), while the Falcons are 0-1, with their 1998 iteration losing to the Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII.

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Top 3 Offseason Needs: Kansas City Chiefs

By Sam Robinson | at January 29, 2017 9:38 am

In advance of March 9, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the Kansas City Chiefs, who continued their steady run under Andy Reid and John Dorsey by winning the AFC West for the first time in six years and qualifying for the divisional round of the playoffs for the second straight season.

Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)

Pending Free Agents:

Eric Berry, S
Kenny Cook, WR (ERFA)
Knile Davis, RB
Jarvis Jenkins, DE
Josh Mauga, LB
Trey Millard, RB (RFA)
Dontari Poe, DT
Kendall Reyes, DE
Cairo Santos, K (RFA)
Daniel Sorensen, S (RFA)
Albert Wilson, WR (RFA)

Top Cap Hits for 2017:

Justin Houston, LB: $22,100,000
Alex Smith, QB: $16,900,000
Jeremy Maclin, WR: $12,400,000
Nick Foles, QB: $10,750,000
Eric Fisher, T: $9,457,777
Tamba Hali, LB: $8,583,333
Derrick Johnson, LB: $7,562,500
Mitchell Schwartz, T: $6,900,000
Jaye Howard, DL: $6,375,000
Jamaal Charles, RB: $6,187,500

Other:

Projected cap space (via OverTheCap): $4,678,573
Twenty-seventh pick in draft
Must exercise or decline 2018 fifth-year option on Dee Ford

Three Needs:

1.) Finalize secondary plans: Eric Berry‘s situation will once again be at the forefront of Kansas City’s offseason, but the Chiefs also could use some assistance at their right cornerback spot opposite Marcus Peters. The AFC West champions bent constantly but didn’t break often, as best evidenced by the unique divisional-round loss to the Steelers, but they have a decision to make regarding their defensive leader.

Among active safeties, only Earl Thomas matches Berry’s three first-team All-Pro honors, and Eric Weddle is the only one to have two such distinctions on his resume. So, Berry has a legitimate case to be the league’s highest-paid safety. He has not been underpaid by any stretch of the imagination, being one of the league’s three players to make it from the 2010 first round — the last featuring the old CBA setup friendlier towards first-rounders — to the end of the 2015 season on his rookie deal. And after the Chiefs couldn’t come to an agreement with Berry last July, he earned $10.806MM on the franchise tag. Long-term security eludes Berry, but he remains in position to cash in.

The Chiefs can shed more than $17MM in cap space by releasing Jamaal Charles and Nick Foles, creating some room for a Berry re-up. Retaining both Berry and Dontari Poe could be a stretch, but the Chiefs under John Dorsey and Andy Reid are known for backloading deals. That’s allowed them to sign Jeremy Maclin and Mitchell Schwartz despite not being cap-rich the past two offseasons. As for Berry, he will be set for his age-28 season in 2017, so a long-term deal should be reasonable.

The former No. 5 overall pick won comeback player of the year honors in 2015 but was even better in 2016, intercepting four passes and scoring two seminal defensive touchdowns — without which the Chiefs may have lost two more games this season — and is a darkhorse Defensive Player of the Year candidate. He also returned to a full-season workload after being gradually worked back into his old role in 2015 following his triumphant cancer comeback. Thanks to his on-field success and his successful battle with cancer, Berry has become the team’s most popular player. The sides weren’t close on a deal last summer but may be more in sync this year after Berry’s full-season performance. Reid lists Berry high on the Chiefs’ priority list, but the safety landscape has changed since the sides last negotiated.

Tyrann Mathieu became the highest-paid safety on a five-year, $62.5MM deal late last summer. Berry’s camp could state his case by citing his All-Pro honors and relative durability, along with the fact that the cap is expected to approach $170MM this year. The Chiefs would likely argue the Cardinals use Mathieu more as a cornerback than a safety, plus they will point out that Mathieu is four years younger than Berry. Regardless, Berry won’t be settling for a deal worth less than Harrison Smith‘s five-year, $51.25MM pact.

Kansas City has locked up many core defenders in the recent past — re-signing Justin Houston, Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali — and ancillary parts like Ron Parker, Allen Bailey and Jaye Howard, illustrating Dorsey’s build-from-within model. A Berry deal — or a season in which the cornerstone safety plays on another franchise tag, which would be projected at $12.967MM — would limit the Chiefs’ ability to fortify the rest of their secondary. But it would be interesting to see Dorsey re-sign so many roster linchpins — re-upping Johnson and Hali from the Carl Peterson era, retaining Houston from the Scott Pioli period, and then locking up current-regime-acquired Travis Kelce — but fail to come to terms with the most popular player the Chiefs have employed this decade.

Kansas City has only rookie-deal players signed at corner, and recent third-round investments — Phillip Gaines (2014), Steven Nelson (2015), and KeiVarae Russell (2016) — have not produced a surefire starter. Nelson’s been the best of the bunch, operating as their slot corner, with Gaines playing his way out of the lineup during his third season. Russell, meanwhile, became a rare Day 2 pick to be cut as a rookie. Practice squad promotion Terrance Mitchell served as K.C.’s right cornerback down the stretch, despite the fact that the team drafting three corners last year. The Chiefs could target some second-tier UFA cogs or continue to try their hand with rookies.

They had this same need last year but didn’t pursue Prince Amukamara aggressively. Now that he stands to be back on the market, the 27-year-old looks like a second-tier candidate in a fairly well-stocked cornerback market. He’ll be seeking a multiyear deal after showcasing some durability that his Giants years lacked, but the former first-rounder doesn’t figure to be out of Kansas City’s price range. The cornerback market also features Trumaine Johnson, A.J. Bouye, Dre Kirkpatrick, Stephon Gilmore, Logan Ryan, and Darius Butler. Not all of those players are going to sign $10MM-per-year pacts. If a veteran like Poe comes off the Chiefs’ books, finding an additional boundary corner would be a place to reinvest that money on a team without many glaring needs.

If the Chiefs want to take the route the Bengals have in recent years, fortifying the position through the first round, that would obviously be a cheaper option. LSU’s Tre’Davious White, Florida’s Quincy Wilson, Clemson’s Cordrea Tankersley, or Peters’ college teammate Sidney Jones could be options by the time the Chiefs’ pick with No. 27 overall selection. NFL.com’s Chad Reuter believes standout Gators stopper Teez Tabor could fall to the Chiefs at 27, and Pro Football Focus’ Steve Palazzolo sees 5-foot-10 Michigan corner Jourdan Lewis going to the Chiefs in his mock draft. This position looks to be deep for the teams with late-first-round choices, and that could be the route the Chiefs take, both for financial considerations and because some key members of their core either older than 30 or approaching it. The Chiefs need a promising contributor at this spot to keep teams from avoiding Peters.

2.) Figure out a post-Derrick Johnson future: The inside linebacker has enjoyed a long and productive career for the Chiefs, having signed a contract with three Kansas City regimes and serving as an 11-year starter. But Johnson will turn 35 next season and sustained a severe Achilles injury for the second time in three years. Kansas City’s run defense did not perform well in 2016, ranking 26th against the rush, and that became an even more glaring problem after Johnson’s mid-December injury. Le’Veon Bell consistently marched the Steelers into field goal range in the teams’ divisional-round meeting, and the running back’s methodical sojourns into the red zone led to to the Chiefs’ elimination.

Johnson has stood as the rock of the Chiefs’ run defense for years, most recently evidenced by its rapid improvement in 2015 upon his return. But it’s time to fortify this position, because the Chiefs don’t have much else there.

In addition to the four-time Pro Bowler, the Chiefs boast bottom-end investments at inside linebacker. Ramik Wilson, a 2015 fourth-rounder, and Justin March-Lillard, a 2015 UDFA, represent the team’s top prospects. Josh Mauga suffered a season-ending injury over the summer, and when Johnson couldn’t play in the final four games, the Chiefs were down to their spare parts in crucial spots. A two-year starter, Mauga is a UFA. Johnson will almost certainly be on the roster in 2017 since he signed a three-year, $21MM deal to stay in western Missouri last March. The dead money/cap savings ratio does not add up for an early cut, and Johnson could still make an impact as he did coming off the 2014 Achilles injury. He’s not considering retirement.

But this remains an area in desperate need of a young talent, because Johnson’s latest injury may render him unable to return to his previous level. The options aren’t plentiful in free agency, but the Chiefs should probably be looking to the draft for help here. They need a long-term successor. If the Chiefs believe this is a bigger issue than CB2, there are are a few ILBs who could be had at the back end of the first round.

Vanderbilt’s Zach Cunningham dominated as a sideline-to-sideline player, finishing with 125 tackles (16.5 for loss) in 13 games last season. Ohio State’s Raekwon McMillan (102 stops last year) and Northwestern’s Anthony Walker (29 TFLs since 2015) fit the profile as well. Of course, quality 3-4 inside linebackers can be acquired later in the draft, as the likes of AFC West rivals Brandon Marshall and Denzel Perryman prove. With inside ‘backers not the most coveted of commodities come April, the Chiefs could see one of those aforementioned three prospects potentially fall to them in the second round, where they hold the No. 59 overall choice.

3.) Assess Alex Smith‘s viability: In a town known for employing polarizing quarterbacks, Smith has served as a lightning rod during most of his tenure. The latest narrow Chiefs postseason defeat continued to cast doubt on Smith’s ability to lead this team deep into the playoffs. However, Kansas City remains committed to him on what’s become one of the lower-end deals for a franchise quarterback. The former No. 1 overall pick has two years left on his contract and will only turn 33 in May, but the Chiefs are 1-3 in the playoffs behind Smith. Smith’s outing against the Steelers may have been the worst of his playoff performances in Kansas City, which has a veteran nucleus whose window depends on the middling passer.

While a report identified the Broncos as Tony Romo‘s top target, they would only be interested in him if he were to be released. The Texans, too, have emerged as a speculative landing spot, but the Broncos just invested a first-round pick in Paxton Lynch, and the Texans would incur a $25MM dead money blow by moving on from Brock Osweiler. The Chiefs have a steadier option than both teams from a short-term perspective, with Smith having quarterbacked the team during its mid-2010s resurgence. But they may be a stealth Romo candidate due to their status in the NFL pecking order.

The Chiefs’ 43 wins since 2013 trail only the Patriots, Seahawks and Broncos. But as Adam Teicher of ESPN.com notes, the team may have gone as far as it could with Smith under center. This echoes a sentiment Chiefs sources expressed during the Chiefs’ march to the AFC West crown. In 15 starts in 2016, the risk-averse passer threw just 15 touchdown passes. It would cost the franchise less to separate from Smith this year, at $7.2MM in dead money. The Chiefs would not be able to afford a Romo trade on his current deal (league-high $24.7MM cap number in 2017), but on a renegotiated contract, this landing spot makes sense for the 37-year-old passer.

If healthy, Romo is an upgrade over Smith. The other passers who figure to be available via trade or as UFAs probably are not. However, the Chiefs have an incredibly long track record of failing to develop a passer. From the four 49ers-honed quarterbacks over the past 20-plus years, to Trent Green and Matt Cassel, the Hunt family and their GMs have a long track-record of pursuing veterans. Of course, if management determines the best way to keep this core’s championship window open is to further strengthen the roster around Smith, then a prospect passer could be considered.

The Chiefs have drafted Day 3 quarterbacks in two of the past three years, Aaron Murray and Kevin Hogan, but neither is currently on the team. UDFA Tyler Bray is currently the Chiefs’ third-stringer. They haven’t selected a quarterback in the first round since the Todd Blackledge misfire in 1983 and haven’t spent a second-round selection on this position in 25 years. This quarterback class might see three polarizing passers — Deshaun Watson, Mitch Trubisky, and DeShone Kizer — go off the board before the Chiefs pick in Round 1. But they could consider Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes, either via first-round pick or second-round trade-up, or Miami’s Brad Kaaya in Round 2. Neither would likely be ready for a bit, keeping the Chiefs a Smith-run operation for at least 2017 and possibly 2018.

The franchise sits at a crossroads after its fourth consecutive home playoff loss. How it operates in the coming months here, either supplying Smith with more help or bringing in his replacement/successor, will be critical to changing this enduring trajectory.

5 comments Kansas City Chiefs PFR Originals Top 3 Offseason Needs

2017 Top 3 Offseason Needs By Team

By Dallas Robinson | at January 27, 2017 10:00 pm

Over the last few weeks, Pro Football Rumors has been taking a closer look at the 2017 offseason on a team-by-team basis. Our Top 3 Offseason Needs series focuses on each club’s most glaring roster issues, free agents, potential cap casualties, positions of possible focus, and other issues facing teams this winter.

Just in case you missed our preview for your favorite team, we’re rounding up all of our Offseason Needs pieces in this post. We have several more teams to examine before free agency officially gets underway on March 9, so if your team isn’t linked below, be sure to keep a close eye on PFR — it’ll be coming soon.

Here are the links to our 2017 Top 3 Offseason Needs pieces to date:

AFC East:

AFC North:

AFC South:

AFC West:

NFC East:

NFC North:

NFC South:

NFC West:

3 comments PFR Originals

Top 3 Offseason Needs: Los Angeles Chargers

By Dallas Robinson | at January 27, 2017 8:38 pm

In advance of March 9, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the Los Angeles Chargers, who posted a 5-11 record in 2016 and have since hired a new head coach and relocated north up the I-5.