NFL insider expects Chiefs to let veteran walk in free agency
The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to let a veteran walk in free agency while attempting to re-sign a recent addition
The Kansas City Chiefs have some tough free-agency decisions to make this offseason.
A couple of key wide receivers are set to be free agents when the new league year begins — specifically JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman.
The Chiefs also have to figure out what they're going to do about offensive tackle Orlando Brown (another franchise tag is a big possibility for Brown).
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Chiefs are preparing to lose one of their free-agent wide receivers.
Fowler reported on Sunday morning that Kansas City is "bracing to lose" Hardman in free agency. Fowler noted that several teams are expecting Hardman to receive a pretty decent contract as a free agent (this free agent class of wide receivers isn't deep, thanks in part to the new trend of extending wide receivers before they reach free agency).
While the Chiefs are preparing to lose Hardman, they're going to attempt to re-sign Smith-Schuster.
Fowler reported that Kansas City will try to re-sign Smith-Schuster this offseason, but he pointed out that it will "cost them".
If the Chiefs manage to re-sign Smith-Schuster, it will leave KC with a wide receiver group that also includes Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Justyn Ross, and Kadarius Toney (they also have that Travis Kelce guy at tight end).
That's a largely unproven group of wide receivers, which is why I'd expect the Chiefs to draft another wide receiver this year (at the very least, they'll likely check out the veteran free agent market).
Kansas City showed this season that they don't need a true "superstar wide receiver" to win a Super Bowl.
But it sure would make life a little easier for Patrick Mahomes.
