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The Miami Dolphins are a potential candidate. So are the Detroit Lions, who are “pretty set on adding a high-end corner,” according to Fowler.
NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported last week that the Chiefs placed a $19.8 million franchise tag on Sneed.
Fowler said prior to Schultz’s report that the Chiefs would be “open to consummate a trade” off of Sneed’s franchise tag “if no long-term deal is reached.”
The Dolphins are looking for another cornerback to join Jalen Ramsey as the team reportedly plans to cut veteran Xavien Howard.
The Lions also need an additional cornerback. Cameron Sutton struggled last year, and depth at the position was so thin the Lions ended up starting Kindle Vildor after he was released from the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad.
Now Vildor and other options like Emmanuel Moseley are heading into free agency, and the Lions will need to build at the position if they’re looking to make it mast the NFC Championship next year.
2024 NFL Free-Agent Mock Draft: Projecting Top 10 Picks If Free Agency Had a Draft | Bleacher Report
2. Tennessee Titans: DT Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs
Cap Space: $80.7 million
Projected Market Value: Three years, $85.5 million
General manager Ran Carthon and new head coach Brian Callahan would have to consider finding some help for Will Levis with the No. 2 pick, but ultimately, Chris Jones is too good to pass up.
Jones had the second-highest pass rush win rate among all interior defenders at 20 percent. That was just about tied with Aaron Donald, but Jones saw nearly 10 percent more double-teams, per ESPN Analytics.
Regardless, he had 10.5 sacks in the regular season and was instrumental in the Chiefs winning another Super Bowl in the postseason.
The Titans have a strong defensive interior but are in a position for it to look a lot different next season. They already cut Teair Tart during the season after the defensive tackle requested his own release.
Denico Autry is now 33 years old and set to be a free agent.
Jeffery Simmons signed a four-year, $94 million extension in April, but Jones has the versatility to line up all over the defensive line. Pairing the two would be a unique threat to offensive lines because of their ability to disrupt from the interior.
Jones is one of the most game-changing talents that could be available in free agency. The Titans simply don’t have many game-changers on the roster right now.
‘Multiple People’ Suggested KC Chiefs as Landing Spot for Darnell Mooney | Sports Illustrated
At the annual NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, there’s some Chiefs wide receiver buzz swirling. According to Dan Wiederer, beat writer for the Chicago Tribune, longtime Chicago Bears wideout Darnell Mooney is being brought up as a possible free agent option.
“On a lower-profile note, some chatter in Indy from folks eager to see where WR Darnell Mooney lands in a week and a half,” Wiederer wrote. “There’s a small buzz on the possibility of Mooney having a resurgent 2024 at a great value price. Multiple people suggested KC.”
Top 5 Free Agency Team Fits For $37 Million Offensive Lineman | Last Word On Sports
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs have four reliable starters on the offensive line. The left tackle spot, however, is a serious problem. Donovan Smith did nothing to impress during his first season with the club, and it’s hard to imagine him coming back in 2024. With most of their money needed to re-sign Chris Jones and bring in a wide receiver, the Chiefs might have to sign a mid-tier free agent like Charles Leno to fill the position. While Leno won’t set the world on fire, he’s more than capable of keeping Patrick Mahomes upright, and he should relish the opportunity to go after a Super Bowl ring.
Round 1 – Pick 32
Ladd McConkey WR
GEORGIA • JR • 6’0” / 185 LBS
Daniel Jeremiah said on the NFL Combine broadcast that the rest of the league can’t let the Chiefs draft Ladd McConkey. The other 31 teams don’t listen as Patrick Mahomes gets a much-needed weapon at wideout.
Around the NFL
Tyron Smith unlikely to return to Cowboys as longtime LT enters free agency | NFL.com
Smith will enter free agency and is unlikely to return to the Cowboys, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Saturday, per a source. The longtime Cowboys left tackle will officially become a free agent when the new league year begins on March 13.
The longest-tenured player on the team going into the 2023 season, Smith has spent his entire career wearing a Cowboys jersey since being selected in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
In his 13 seasons in Dallas, Smith has been one of the best tackles on the game, accumulating eight Pro Bowl selections — including seven straight from 2013-2019 — and twice being named First-team All-Pro. For his efforts, he was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-2010s team.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs Roster: Making improvements to the offensive line for 2024
Extend center Creed Humphrey
While Kansas City will have a lot of decisions to make during free agency, extending Humphrey’s contract should be among the first orders of business. The former second-round pick has been one of the league’s best centers since he was acquired in 2021, playing a pivotal role in building one of the league’s best offensive lines.
With two two Pro Bowl selections in his first three seasons — not to mention a pair of Super Bowl rings — he is already one of the league’s most accomplished centers.
The former Oklahoma star still has a season remaining on his rookie contract, but the Chiefs would be wise to lock him into a long-term deal before he becomes a free agent a year from now. This is especially true because Humphrey’s 2024 salary has already been increased by $3.5 million through the Proven Performance Escalator built into the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement with the players’ union, which increased Humphrey’s 2024 cap hit to $5.2 million.
General manager Brett Veach will want to figure out a way to spread this windfall over future seasons — while also maintaining continuity through the offensive interior. Left guard Joe Thuney’s contract will expire after 2025, while right tackle Jawaan Taylor’s deal will run through 2026. An extension for Humphrey would likely run through 2028, keeping at least three of the team’s offensive linemen together through the next two seasons.
Protecting quarterback Patrick Mahomes remains an important key. Locking Humphrey up for the long term should be a no-brainer for Kansas City.