The NFL's regular season is over, which for most teams, means it's time to start figuring out plans for the offseason.



NFL free agency is a huge part of the process, and along with the NFL Draft, it has everyone preparing for what should be a very active couple of months.

We've officially come up with our own contract projections for the NFL's top free agents that include context behind each player's 2023 season, the likelihood of a franchise tag, the projection itself, and the first-year cap hit for a team that's “all-in” and is needing to reduce that first-year hit in order to maximize their cap dollars.

So, without further ado, let's check out the projection for Kansas City Chiefs linebacker, Drue Tranquil.

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Drue Tranquil 2024 Contract Projection

Drue Tranquill was a very interesting litmus test for just how deflated the linebacker market has become for second- and third-tier ‘backers. Drue entered free agency in 2023 after his first full year as a starter. He played admirably for the Chargers in that final season, racking up five sacks, 52 stops, 146 total tackles, an interception, and four pass break-ups. Despite showing a well-rounded profile as a starter and an upward trajectory, the market just wasn’t there and Tranquil had to settle for a one-year prove-it contract with the Chiefs – and it didn’t even have a full-time starting role available.

Nevertheless, the veteran linebacker was a great investment for Kansas City. He posted another 4.5 sacks and 79 total tackles, despite only starting eight games. The biggest change from 2022 to 2023 was Drue decreasing his missed tackle percentage from 15.3% to 7.8%, which might be enough to entice a team to lock him into a relatively cheap starter’s salary.

• Franchise Tag Likelihood: None
• Projected Contract: 2 Years, $8.5M, $4.25M APY, $1.5M GTD
• Year One Cap Hit: $3.05M

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Be sure to check back in and around the site for more projections, as we will add more in the coming days and weeks.

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