Let's talk continuity going into 2016.

[BossChief]

I know, I know. We just kicked the shit out of Denver and pissed on the grave of Peyton Manning. We got the last laugh. This is the time to let that soak in, but I always like having the upcoming offseason in mind so we keep continuity and allow us to improve.

First things first, let's figure up how much we should have to spend, ok?...

Since the new CBA, the cap has gone up 10m per year and it is 143m in 2015 (which the Chiefs are 9.5m under, so we can roll that into next year)...the best educated guess for 2016 is 153m.

Right now, we have 116m in cap space accounted for in 2016 and can rollover 9.5 from 2015, making KCs adjusted 2016 accounted for total only 106.6m.

If the cap goes up to 153m (as expected) next year, that leaves 46.4m in cap space next year.

YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT 46.4m. that's without cutting anybody


but not so fast

We have a lot of guys in the last year of their contracts that need new deals...and deserve them.

Here are our unrestricted free agents:

Eric Berry
Sean Smith
Derrick Johnson
Chase Daniel
Tyvon Branch
Mike Devito
Jeff Allen
Husain Abdullah
Jah Reid
Donald Stephenson
Jamel Fleming
Dez Moses
Jaye Howard

I bolded the guys I see as required re-signs, and I made the players red that I think we should only bring back as a cheap veteran, but not on long term deals...max of 2 years, but only 1yr as preference.

Eric Berry is worth every cent of 9m per year. IMO they need to get that done right now. dId give him a 6yr 54m deal with 30guaranteed. Right now. If his cancer pops back up, the NFI list protects the team. Sign him long term.Right now.

People point to Marcus Peters, Phillip Gaines and Steven Nelson as reasons to let Sean Smith walk, but Sean Smith is a stud corner that I don't think we can afford to let walk unless he wants to. Gaines is ultra talented, but hasn't been dependable. If he would take a 3yr, 27m deal with 15m guaranteed, I'd be thrilled and I think that's close to market value for a corner that will be 29 before next season starts and probably has 3 years of high quality play in front of him and is one of the biggest corners in the NFL.

Jef Allen has really stepped up and helped solidify this OL since returning and I think he deserves a contract of a 10-15 starting guard...around 4m per. Something like 4yrs for 16m with 6-8m of it guaranteed.

Jaye Howard has been a beast and has amazing versatility. The trouble is where does his ability meet cost? Is he Cameron Heyward (10m+per) or will he take something closer to what Allen Bailey took (6.5m per)...I'm gonna put him at 7m per and I think that's fair.

If the cap hits for those guys is the average per year, that means the combined cost is 29m.

That leaves us with 17m in space. That's a nice chunk to work with.

Now, we get to the vets I'd like to keep another year or 2 at the right price.

DJ - high level player I'd love to retain for something like 2yrs 7m.

Devito - underrated defender I'd love to have another year and unless he wants to retire, he will return for cheap. He took a big paycut to come bs k here this year because he loves the city and team. Maybe 2m.

Abdullah or Branch - we won't keep both being their age and having Parker and Berry (hopefully) under contract long term...but Abdullah is probably our most underrated defender and would be a good sign on a one year deal for a couple million and Branch has played well (except when he was put at nickel easy in the year). Either guy for 2m would be great.

All 3 for 7m would be great.

Down to 10m in space....

Our extended rights free agents (get a minimum contact the player has to accept)

Charcandrick West
Demetrius Harris
Daniel Sorensen
Nick Williams

That's about 2.5m off that 10m figure...leaving 7.5m to sign our rookies and not much else...if we don't backload any of the big deals I suggested and roll with low cap figures for year one of those deals. It should be noted that most of the big deals we've signed players to in the last few years included signing bonuses that make a very low first year cap number, so it's entirely possible to get all of this done and still have 15m in cap space left over. This angle gives the team flexibility to make other moves with that amount or to roll over the unused amount to the next year. Very smart.

So, it seems that if we are gonna try to keep continuity, there's plenty of room to do so while making room for other deals, if we want.

[Direckshun]

I agree that Abdullah is the most underrated FA we have. He is a tremendous talent, and the combination of him, Berry, and Parker is absolutely lethal. It's like Royals bullpen lethal.

Hopefully Dorsey realizes that and finds a way to keep him. But Abdullah, at best, will play 70% of our snaps. Virtually every other team in the league will play him 100% of their defensive snaps, and pay him accordingly.

We can't have everything we want, unfortunately.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by BossChief

It all depends on what DJ wants.

I'm just saying it seems the front office has set up the future at ILB already.

Mauga
Marsh
Wilson
Alexander

I could see us going into next year with those as our ILBs.

Holy ****ing unknowns. If DJ can still play at a decently high level....then you need to re-sign him.

And it's Justin March.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

If we sign Howard to that much....then we need to put him at NT permanently and kick Poe out to DE. DeVito can walk.

Totally agree.

IMO, Poe should have went to end when he came back and they should have left Howard at NT permanently.

[Direckshun]

That's a great core of young ILB talent, but it lacks a stud, and ideally you have one stud at that ILB position that can keep the defense humming along.

DJ is that guy, and we don't have a replacement for that. Maybe March can become that eventually.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

Holy ****ing unknowns. If DJ can still play at a decently high level....then you need to re-sign him.

And it's Justin March.

I agree that he's still playing at a very high level....it depends on what he wants.

[Direckshun]

It's almost certain that he wants to remain a Chief. You can start from there.

[Mr. Laz]

I don't go much higher than 8 million for Berry. Too many productive safeties currently on roster to go that high. Even Branch has looked good and needs more time.

Eric Berry - can't break the bank
Sean Smith - need to keep consider our lack of CB talent
Derrick Johnson - If DJ is reasonable, he's still productive
Chase Daniel - should have played/traded him already. He's gone
Tyvon Branch - very productive, if he stays healthy ... he's starter material.
Mike Devito - Want to keep but can't spend too much
Jeff Allen - keep, should be reasonable contract
Husain Abdullah - depends on which other safeties we keep. He's solid.
Jah Reid - decent backup swing OT. Price accordingly
Donald Stephenson - gone
Jamel Fleming - gone, we need a concerted effort to add major talent at corner
Dez Moses - meh, who cares
Jaye Howard - best NT on our team, must keep

Sean Smith and Jaye Howard are priority keeps, the rest are up for discussion.

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

In order of importance:

1. Drew Brees
2. Jaye Howard
3. Eric Berry
4. Derrick Johnson
5. Jeff Allen
6. Husain Abdullah
7. Mike DeVito
8. Jah Reid
9. Dezmon Moses

I'd say the first four are "must"s, which puts us in an extremely difficult position. We can only really threaten one with the franchise tag, and who would you risk putting the franchise tag on? Probably Sean Smith.

Given their history with the team, Berry and DJ should be easy re-signs. Howard isn't as loyal to the KC brand, and will want the best payday. He's someone we need to sign before the season's over.

Jeff Allen and Husain Abdullah are going to be hard to sign. Allen will take the biggest payday and Abdullah will want starter money, which the Chiefs can't offer with Parker and ostensibly Berry on the payrolls already. Abdullah is probably gone. Allen, who knows.

Jah Reid can probably be resigned easily, should we determine that as necessary, and Moses should be easy to ink. DeVito is super loyal to Kansas City, but who knows if the front office feels the same way with Howard developing. DeVito should be offered rotation-value $$$ and let's see if he's down.

My odds of us keeping each player:

1. Sean Smith (50%)
2. Jaye Howard (65% -- drops to 30% if we don't ink him before the season's over)
3. Eric Berry (95%)
4. Derrick Johnson (100%)
5. Jeff Allen (45%)
6. Husain Abdullah (20%)
7. Mike DeVito (80% if we want him)
8. Jah Reid (90% if we want him)
9. Dezmon Moses (90% if we want him)

Honestly, unless a really good WR hits the market, the Chiefs should just stay out of free agency and work on re-signing their own studs.

Chiefs have to get a QB-that should be their #1 priority. Another year of watching Alex putt around is just flat out depressing.

[O.city]

Berry is playing like an all pro. If his health is fine, he's gonna get paid

[Frosty]

Allen seems to have trouble staying healthy. I like him as the swing tackle but I would be concerned giving him a big contract and relying on him being the starter.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by O.city

Berry is playing like an all pro. If his health is fine, he's gonna get paid

Probably, but the discussion is about whether he should/will get paid by us.

Any higher than 8 million and we need to consider other options.

Unless he really starts knocking down balls and getting INTs then he isn't worth that much. We can keep Branch, Abdullah and Allen for that much.

Would rather use that big money to keep Sean Smith.

Jaye Howard too

[BigRichard]

Lets talk about what happens every year. The Chiefs look like they might be good again then they aren't. Period Dot THE ****ING END.

[ILChief]

No to Brees. Have you learned nothing watching five head turn into a rotting corpse?

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by ILChief

No to Brees. Have you learned nothing watching five head turn into a rotting corpse?

All of these draft things are nice-but resigning our same players to even more money along with Alex -will give us the same below average team we have this year.