Chiefs Expected To Eye Familiar DT In Free Agency

AFC West already has best available

The obvious fix is to find defensive linemen who can routinely collapse pockets and affect passers while keeping the Chiefs respectable against the run. In free agency, Jacksonville’s Arik Armstead and Washington’s Daron Payne are potential veteran releases, and Denver’s John Franklin-Myers appears to be the cream of the crop, according to Bill Barnwell.

“This is a very thin free agent class at defensive tackle,” Barnwell wrote Monday, listing those three players in his capable starters tier, “especially if the potential cap casualties I'm listing never make it to the open market. Given that there really aren't many starters available, there might be more of a trade market for those guys than there would be in another year.”

Chiefs need to get in line

Kansas City is among several teams expected to pursue Franklin-Myers, who turns 30 in September, assuming Denver doesn’t first extend his contract. What should interest the Chiefs is his past success in a 4-3 defense.

In 2021, his first year under Robert Saleh’s 4-3 scheme with the Jets, Franklin-Myers ranked ninth among 117 defensive tackles against the run, according to Pro Football Focus. He was 15th in 2022. And while his run grades slipped over the next few years, his pass-rush grades improved. Clearly, Franklin-Myers is a better complement for Chris Jones than Pennel or Nnadi.

Also, keep in mind that Omarr Norman-Lott is expected to return to full health following knee surgery that ended his rookie season in October. Kansas City’s second-round choice in the 2025 draft, Norman-Lott was just turning a corner, according to Chiefs coaches. Signing Franklin-Myers would benefit Norman-Lott because Kansas City could use the veteran on early downs and save the youngster for passing snaps – his strength.

That could open a realm of possibilities in the mind of Steve Spagnuolo with regard to one of his most valuable chess pieces, Jones.

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