Kansas City Chiefs starting CB Bashaud Breeland is a man on a mission during the 2020 NFL season. The 28-year-old is out to earn more glory after signing a one-year deal to return to the Chiefs in 2020.
Flashback to the legal tampering period ahead of the 2018 NFL season, Breeland had agreed to join the Carolina Panthers on a three-year $24 million dollar deal. He’d go on to fail his physical with the team due to an infection in his foot and his big payday was voided. Everything that he’d worked toward in his NFL career vanished in one moment.
Ever since that moment, Breeland has been attempting to recoup what he views as a loss of both respect and salary. He took to Twitter on Monday to let the world know that he’s ready to go out and get both.
I’m going for everything I never got in this league!! I want the respect and the salary your favorite corners got!!! On god ima get it!!! Nothing else to be said (drop mic)
— Bashaud Breeland (@Bree2Land6) July 27, 2020
After visiting a few teams in 2018, including the Chiefs, Breeland signed a one-year prove-it deal with the Green Bay Packers after the season had already begun. He lost OTAs and training camp, but wanted to prove that he could be the player he was prior to his foot injury. He’d start in five games with the Packers recording two interceptions including a pick-six.
In 2019, Breeland circled back to Kansas City as a free agent, signing up to be a starting cornerback in the Chiefs’ revamped defense under Steve Spagnuolo. He signed a one-year deal worth up to $5 million, but it still wasn’t the multi-year deal he was after.
During the course of the season, Breeland accumulated 47 tackles, two interceptions, eight passes defended and two fumble recoveries, including one returned over 100 yards for a touchdown. He’d notch an interception in Super Bowl LIV and had one pass defended in each of the Chiefs’ three postseason games.
Breeland was expected to have a strong free-agent market in 2020, but was greeted with crickets. Much to the surprise of fans he re-signed with Kansas City on a one-year deal worth up to $4.5 million. It’d make some sense after we’d learn of Breeland’s tumultuous offseason. He was arrested in South Carolina on a number of different charges. After his arrest we’d learn that he was already facing a four-game suspension for the violation of the NFL’s policy on substance abuse.
It feels like the only one holding Breeland back from the respect and the big payday is himself. Just this offseason he was recognized by Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar as one of the top outside cornerbacks in the NFL. He’ll face an uphill battle in 2020, potentially starting the season with a suspension. If he’s serious about getting the big salary and respect, he could be in for an exciting season.
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