With the 2024 NFL Draft only being a few weeks away, the Kansas City Chiefs should try signing these four free agents before they head to Las Vegas.
April is an exciting time to be a football fan because the 2024 NFL Draft is right around the corner. The Kansas City Chiefs head into this year’s draft with a handful of holes to fill with seven draft picks to address them, leaving time to tell if the defending Super Bowl Champions can find the right personnel to help with a three-peat.
But even if most of the league’s focus is on the draft, that doesn’t mean the Chiefs can’t add help from elsewhere. There are still several noteworthy available free agents and Kansas City general manager Brett Veach has over $24.6 million to play with, per Spotrac.
With that in mind, here are four more free agents that the Chiefs can sign ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.
1. Tyler Boyd, WR
The AFC received a shake-up last week when the Houston Texans acquired All-Pro wideout Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills. The Texans were already one of the top up-and-coming teams in the league and Diggs’ presence will likely help put them over the top.
Houston’s trade also means Kansas City must figure out a way to remain competitive in the AFC, hence why they should target free-agent WR Tyler Boyd.
After eight (mostly) productive seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, Boyd is exactly the type of wideout the Chiefs need. The ex-Pittsburgh product has a wealth of experience, having racked up 6,000 yards and 31 touchdowns on 513 receptions across 120 games. Although he’s never been the NFL’s best pass-catcher, it’s worth noting that he is a two-time 1,000-yard producer.
Boyd’s prime years might be behind him, but playing with Patrick Mahomes be rejuvenating. If the 29-year-old wideout was producing 600-800 yards with Joe Burrow over the last four seasons, I could see Boyd reaching those heights — if not surpassing them — with Mahomes as his quarterback.
Considering how Kansas City’s WR options outside of Marquise Brown aren’t exactly reliable, it’d be wise for the Chiefs to pursue Boyd.
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2. Michael Thomas, WR
If the Chiefs want to target a wideout and Boyd isn’t there, guy there’s always Michael Thomas.
There was a time when Thomas was seen as one of the NFL’s best wide receivers. He took the world by storm in 2019 when he led the league in both receptions (149) and receiving yards (1,725) en route to being named the Offensive Player of the Year.
Unfortunately, injuries have been an obstacle for the veteran playmaker. A series of ankle injuries have limited Thomas to just 20 games over the last four seasons, which includes when he sat out of the entire 2021 campaign. But even if he’s no longer the self of old, I still see him being a solid option for the Chiefs.
Despite his injuries, Thomas has still tallied 95 receptions for 1,057 yards and four TDs across his last 20 games. He also posted a 39-448-1 stat line in 10 games with the New Orleans Saints last year. Even though that was far from his best output, he was still on pace for 761 yards, which would’ve only trailed Rashee Rice when it comes to Kansas City WRs.
Thomas also hasn’t been playing with a quality QB since he was paired with Drew Brees. I’m not saying that Mahomes would turn him into a 1,700-yard receiver again, but I think the duo could catch a lot of people off guard and that makes it an option worth exploring.
3. Mekhi Becton, OT
With Donovan Smith leaving town, the Chiefs are in dire need of a new left tackle. Internal options are limited outside of Wanya Morris, leaving GM Veach looking for a more experienced option to bring in or at least to provide competition for the former 2023 second-rounder.
Having said that, Mekhi Becton could be the solution.
Becton is one of the more intriguing free agents out there at the moment. He’s a former 11th overall selection by the New York Jets in 2020, however, his career hasn’t progressed as expected. Just when he was looking solid following his first two seasons, the Highland Springs, VA native’s development came to a screeching halt when he was forced the miss the entire 2022 campaign with a knee injury.
Becton returned to the Jets’ lineup last year, but his play wasn’t on the same level as it was before. He surrendered a whopping 50 pressures across 644 passing downs while also being hindered by a lack of discipline, being called for 18 penalties — the second-most in the league.
At the same time, the Jets’ offensive line was a mess for the majority of 2023, so I wouldn’t blame Becton entirely for his shortcomings. Sure, his pass protection could improve, but it was only in 2020 that Pro Football Focus gave him a 76.0 pass-block grade. He was also graded a 78.7 for run-blocking in 2021.
Playing for a contender can bring out the best in a player, so perhaps joining the Chiefs would help Becton turn his career around. Whether it’s competing for the starting job or provide Morris with a solid backup, I see a contract being mutually beneficial for the team and player.
4. Justin Simmons, S
The Chiefs’ secondary took a hit this offseason when they traded star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans. If they’re looking to fill a void while hurting a divisional rival in the process, management must target veteran safety Justin Simmons.
Simmons has been one of the NFL’s top defensive backs ever since the Denver Broncos drafted him 98th overall in 2016. He’s game has only improved with each passing campaign, resulting in two Pro Bowl nods and four All-Pro nominations since the start of the 2019 season. That’s a résumé that puts most available defenders to shame.
Even though Simmons’ 63.4 coverage grade in 2023 was his second-lowest mark, it doesn’t mean he isn’t an effective defender. He still found ways to get involved outside of stopping the pass, proven by his 77.6 run defense and 71.3 pass-rush grades. He’s also an accurate tackler, meaning that even if he can’t break up a pass, chances are that his man isn’t getting very far.
Considering how important Sneed was to Kansas City’s defensive success, it’s clear that the Chiefs need someone like Simmons to fill his void. Stealing away a fan favorite from the Broncos is only a bonus.
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<p>The Phoenix Suns ended the 2019-20 season on an inspiring 8-0 run. Unfortunately, it still wasn’t enough to secure them a spot in the postseason, a milestone they’ve been trying to reach since the start of the Booker era in 2015.</p>
<p>With an offseason of uncertainty approaching, now might be the time for them to make a big-time move.</p>
<p>According to Danny Cunningham of Complex, one such move could involve the acquisition of 9x All-Star Russell Westbrook from the Houston Rockets.</p>
<p>The Suns were one of the best stories in Orlando after they went 8-0 in the seeding games yet failed to make the playoffs. If Phoenix was to add Westbrook to the mix, that ceiling climbs even higher. If Booker doesn’t have to do all the scoring on a regular basis, the Suns could become a dangerous team.</p>
<p>Between Booker’s exceptional long-distance shooting and Westbrook’s fearless attacks at the rim, the duo would make Phoenix a pretty hard team to compete with offensively, especially if 22-year-old Deandre Ayton continues his development.</p>
<p>For Houston, their change in leadership could lead to a major breakup of the roster. In return for Westbrook, they could acquire several talented players: Ricky Rubio, Kelly Oubre Jr., Frank Kaminsky, and Mikal Bridges.</p>
<p>The Rockets can get off all of Westbrook’s bad money in just two years, instead of three, and add a couple of valuable trade pieces in the process of doing so. Kelly Oubre Jr. is a fun young player and could be an interesting add for a contender near the trade deadline should Houston choose to go that route. Ricky Rubio instantly went into Phoenix and made the Suns a better team, and while his best days might be behind him, he should be able to do that in just about any situation. Mikal Bridges is the one piece here for Houston that’s worth hanging on to for the long haul. He’s put up encouraging numbers in his first two years in Phoenix in a limited role, but could be pretty good if given the opportunity.</p>
<p>Obviously, many questions remain about how these teams will look come next season. The Rockets and Suns are both squads looking for legitimacy in the West — but their paths to getting there might look totally different.</p>
<p>It will be an interesting offseason, to say the least, especially for these two clubs.</p>
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