Chiefs get great grade for their free agency moves by PFF
The Kansas City Chiefs have been pretty busy, to say the least. They have made moves they didn't want to make, but had to, like letting Frank Clark go to save $21 million in cap space. They also made some moves they feel will help them not only next year but down the road too, […]
The Kansas City Chiefs have been pretty busy, to say the least. They have made moves they didn't want to make, but had to, like letting Frank Clark go to save $21 million in cap space.
They also made some moves they feel will help them not only next year but down the road too, like the Jawaan Taylor signing. They got away from the money Orlando Brown Jr. was wanting, not to mention the down year he had last season, and got a guy who they feel like can be better.
That's what free agency and the offseason are about, having to make tough decisions, and then making choices that will make your team better. That's what the Chiefs have done, and that's why Pro Football Focus gave them such a good grade.
PFF gave grades to every team after the first wave of free agency, and the Chiefs came in at a B+, one of the better grades handed out.
Here are a few of the reasons they gave the Chiefs such a good grade:
Taylor has become one of the better pass protectors on the right side across the NFL, ranking top fifteen in pass-blocking grade (76.7) and pressure rate allowed (5.2%) among tackles on true pass sets in 2022.
Omenihu is an intriguing young inside/outside pass-rusher who took a leap after landing with the San Francisco 49ers at the 2021 trade deadline. The former fifth-round pick of the Houston Texans earned a 75.3 pass-rush grade with 54 quarterback pressures on a 13% pressure rate in 2022.
While Tranquill was only a full-time starter for the first time in 2022, he stepped up in a big way with an increased role, registering 52 defensive stops to go along with a 76.7 coverage grade, 15 quarterback pressures, and five sacks. Tranquill could stand to improve as a more consistent run defender, occasionally getting washed out of gaps, but figures to fit really well alongside Nick Bolton, Willie Gay, and Leo Chenal.
The moves the Chiefs have made are all moves they had to make. A B+ is very high, especially for a team that has still not addressed their receiver problem, even though time and options are running low.
This team lost their wide receiver one in JuJu Smith-Schuster, couldn't pay Mecole Hardman what he wanted, is waiting on Odell Beckham Jr., and is no longer able to make a trade for DeAndre Hopkins. Now guys like Adam Thielen, D.J. Chark, Allen Lazard, and others are all off of the board.
The Chiefs have not handled that situation well, so to see that great grade is surprising, to me at least. They are relying on Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and possibly a rookie receiver to be the group that helps them repeat as champions.
But hey, I'll take that grade, it's just surprising is all.
You can read the rest of PFF's grades here.
