Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones will remain a Kansas City Chief after he and the team agreed to a new four-year deal worth up to $85 million. After extending franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes not even a week ago, general manager Brett Veach came through again by pulling off a move that many thought impossible. The front office clearly made it a point to bring back as many weapons from 2019’s Super Bowl-winning squad as possible. The lone exception in many fans and pundits’ eyes was the star defensive lineman. However, that was not the case and the Chiefs appeared primed and ready to not only defend their title in 2020 but contend for multiple championships for years to come.
The biggest loss came on the defensive side of the ball when cornerback Kendall Fuller returned to the organization that originally drafted him in Washington. A few other defensive role players are no longer Chiefs like defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah (Miami), safety Jordan Lucas (Chicago), and linebacker Reggie Ragland (Detroit). They’re all with other squads while other players like Terrell Suggs, Morris Claiborne, and Xavier Williams remain unsigned.
On the offensive side, Kansas City lost offensive linemen, Cameron Erving and Stefan Wisniewski to Dallas and Pittsburgh respectively while backup tight end Blake Bell also signed with the Cowboys. LeSean McCoy and Spencer Ware are both still among unsigned free agents.
Looking at who the Chiefs retained and who they brought in, the argument is strong that they came out in the green. Retaining five of their top six rushers, eight of their top nine receivers, adding LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round, and signing Mahomes to a ten-year extension makes the offense only scarier for 2020. They also return almost every single starter on defense. Oh and not to mention, not one coach was lost in Kansas City. To say that about a squad coming off of a Super Bowl is basically unheard of.
Running back DeAndre Washington, tight end Ricky Seals-Jones, and offensive lineman Mike Remmers highlight the new faces on offense while defensive end Taco Charlton and cornerback Antonio Hamilton are the marquee signings on the defensive side. With what appeared to be one of the worst cap situations heading into the offseason, Brett Veach and his team were able to restructure Sammy Watkins while bringing back Demarcus Robinson and Matt Moore on one-year deals. Keep in mind this is the same team that at one point in March had $177 dollars in cap space.
Winning back-to-back Super Bowls is one of the hardest things to accomplish due to offseason turnover and cap casualties year-to-year, but the Chiefs were able to avoid a lot of that. On paper, they look like they can be a run-it back squad in 2020. The main takeaway is where the value lies in the eyes of the front office. When you look at the contracts tied to the defensive line combined with the youth and subtle inexperience at the cornerback spot, it’s not hard to see how this team wants to play defense.
It came as no surprise that Mahomes was seen as the most vital part of the team. Even at the cost, we know he will be well worth it. This team will have to do some creative things to bring in future free agents, but with the half-billion-dollar man under center and No. 95 staying put, they’ve executed the most difficult of the offseason retention plan in order to keep the Kansas City a perennial championship team. For now, it’s looking like a job well done for Veach and the front office.
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