Chiefs Sign Former Broncos Defensive Back Will Parks
The Kansas City Chiefs have signed their first post-draft veteran, bringing former Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Will Parks to Kansas City.
First reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN, Parks is signing a one-year deal with the Chiefs, worth up to $1.13 million in 2021.
Parks may have actually broken his own news, as he took to Twitter to express his excitement to be joining Chiefs Kingdom minutes before Schefter's initial tweet.
Parks was a sixth-round draft pick by the Broncos in the 2016 NFL Draft, where he spent the 2016-19 seasons before splitting time in 2020 between the Broncos and Eagles. Parks signed with Philadelphia in March 2020 before being placed on injured reserve in October, activated a few days later, then ultimately being released in December before being claimed by his former team, the Broncos, all according to Pro Football Reference.
Parks has four career interceptions in 72 appearances including 18 starts with 180 tackles.
90-Man Roster Update
With the signing of Parks and Wednesday's addition of former Notre Dame receiver Chris Finke, the Chiefs now have 90 players on their 90-man roster. If KC wants to add any more players this offseason, it will have to come with a corresponding move.
But What About Bashaud Breeland and Melvin Ingram III?
This is my personal favorite question. Neither Parks nor Finke are pass-rushers, so if Ingram or another veteran EDGE end up coming to Kansas City, the Chiefs will just release a player to make room. I do wonder what Parks means for Breeland, though. The Chiefs didn't draft a defensive back in the 2021 NFL Draft and currently sit a bit thin at the cornerback position with L'Jarius Sneed, Charvarious Ward and Rashad Fenton. Bringing Breeland back would add a player to the top of the depth chart, allowing Fenton and up-in-the-air teammates like Deandre Baker and BoPete Keyes to be more distant depth. If the Chiefs think Parks could play some slot corner, it could move Sneed and Ward to the outside, leaving Parks to compete with Fenton for the starting slot corner position. However, if this prevents the Chiefs from bringing Breeland back, I'll be disappointed.
Alternatively, if Parks is a pure safety competition piece, able to compete with Armani Watts and a relatively shallow group behind Tyrann Mathieu, Juan Thornhill and Daniel Sorensen, it's a solid move for a team that loves to use three safeties.
This story is being updated.
