Free Agent Frenzy: In Veach We Trust
Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and his crew have been hard at work this past week. From “legal tampering” to official free agency, it has been a wild few days.
The Chiefs had a lot of players hitting free agency. They have re-signed a few of them including offensive lineman Mike Remmers, running back Darrel Williams, linebacker Ben Niemann and defensive end Taco Charlton.
They tendered offensive lineman Andrew Wylie, wide receiver Byron Pringle and cornerback Charvarius Ward. They also brought back an old friend, tight end Blake Bell.
Nothing off-the-charts or super dynamic about any of these moves other than filling the team out with depth, which was needed.
Some of the bigger names the Chiefs have signed thus far are offensive linemen Joe Thuney and Kyle Long. Thuney has been regarded as one of the best guards in football over the past few seasons. He never misses a game and he is one of the most consistent offensive linemen in the league. Long is coming out of retirement, but judging by some of his most recent workout videos, he is out to prove the doubters wrong.
So what does this mean for the rest of free agency? The Chiefs still have a lot of players from their roster from last year who haven’t been signed yet. The wide receiver market is one that got off to a slow start. Sammy Watkins hinted that he is likely heading to a new team.
The biggest position of need that still has a glaring hole is left tackle. Even though the Trent Williams situation didn’t work out the way Chiefs Kingdom hoped, there are still a few veterans out there who would upgrade the Chiefs' offensive line. There are plenty of receivers still left on the market.
On the defensive side of the ball, a veteran cornerback, linebacker, and defensive end could still be signed. Of course, everyone is on the edge of their seat waiting to see if the Chiefs will bring back veteran safety Daniel Sorensen.
There’s been a lot of talk on the internet over the past few days about how these moves, or lack thereof, have been disappointing. Just remember that we don’t have the playbook. The road map Veach drew up for this free agency has not completed its course. There’s still time, and let’s not forget the ace in the hole, Patrick Mahomes.
The best recruiting tool you can have is a winning culture, and Mahomes is going to be the guy who attracts free agents to Kansas City for years to come. In his first press conference after signing with the Chiefs, Long mentioned the fact he spoke with Mahomes about wanting his help "getting in the door." Long also visited a AFC West rival, the Las Vegas Raiders, but he must not have been impressed with their pitch. Mahomes closed the deal in Kansas City.
Get your popcorn ready, because things are just starting to get heated up. When in doubt, let Veach work things out. The moves being made are just another building block toward another championship-caliber season that is on the horizon for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Read More: Patrick Mahomes' Contract Structure is a Blessing for the Chiefs, Curse for the Rest of the NFL
