ESPN analyst says the Chiefs made a 'head scratcher' move in free agency
It's no secret the Kansas City Chiefs have been busy during the offseason, trying to replace the things they lost to make their roster good enough to defend the Super Bowl title. The Super Bowl champions made some moves that are great for the Chiefs, and they have made some, or not made some yet […]
It's no secret the Kansas City Chiefs have been busy during the offseason, trying to replace the things they lost to make their roster good enough to defend the Super Bowl title.
The Super Bowl champions made some moves that are great for the Chiefs, and they have made some, or not made some yet I should say, that is no help. For example, they have still yet to address their wide receiver situation, where they lost their number one guy and are now looking for a replacement.
They have yet to address their right tackle situation after losing Andrew Wylie to the Washington Commanders. They also need a backup quarterback who can do what Chad Henne did for the Chiefs.
But, as we said, they have also addressed some needs, like the left tackle situation. They went and got a guy who honestly had a better 2022 season than Orlando Brown Jr., and paid him less money than what Brown Jr. wanted.
But, to one ESPN analyst, that was a 'head scratcher' move.
Seth Walder: OT Jawaan Taylor to the Kansas City Chiefs. Taylor is a fine pass-protector, but he's not elite. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence's quick release made Taylor look better than he is last season. And Taylor is a weakness in the run game. If he plays left tackle, he's a downgrade from Orlando Brown Jr., but he's getting more money per year than Brown signed for in Cincinnati.
This is a bold take and a bad one at that. The Chiefs are getting a durable guy, as he hasn't missed a game in the NFL. But they are also getting a guy who is progressively getting better year after year, as he has shown that in his production.
He was better than Brown Jr. last season. Sure, Taylor allowed one more sack than Brown Jr. did with six, but Taylor only allowed 16 total pressures in 675 pass-blocking snaps. Brown Jr. allowed 47 pressures in 769 pass-blocking snaps. Sure, he blocked for the passer more, but he still allowed so many more pressures.
This deal was great for the Chiefs, especially when you factor in what the other options were for the Chiefs. It was Taylor or the draft, where you aren't guaranteed to get a guy that can do that job.
Head scratcher? I'd say it was one of the better moves in all of free agency.
You can read the rest of the ESPN article here.
