Who are the best and worst Chiefs free agent signings?

The successful NFL franchises understand that free agency should not be the primary avenue to building a championship team. The signings an organization makes in the spring — before the draft in late April — should be the cherries on top of a roster built on drafted, developed players.

There are times when a potential cornerstone player becomes available to sign. When it works out — like the Kansas City Chiefs signing eventual All-Pro right tackle Mitchell Schwartz in the 2016 offseason — it looks

like a no-brainer, but there are plenty of big contracts that don’t turn out well. Chiefs Kingdom is not far removed from trading for and signing quarterback Matt Cassel as a franchise player, inking a six-year contract entering the 2009 season.

In the era of general manager Brett Veach, Kansas City has won three Super Bowls with plenty of aid from free-agent signings. There are strong candidates for the best and worst in this time, but one player stands above the rest in terms of impacting the team’s unprecedented success.

Best: LG Joe Thuney — Class of 2021

After two Super Bowl titles as a starting guard for the New England Patriots, Thuney became one of the most sought-after free agents entering the 2021 season. That timed up with the Chiefs coming off a dismal performance in Super Bowl LV against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. General manager Brett Veach did not mess around with fixing the offensive line to ensure the protection of quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

After releasing starting left tackle Eric Fisher and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City prioritized Thuney in free agency to lead the new era of the Chiefs’ offensive line. Later that offseason, the team drafted center Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith, forming a trio that would become the foundation for Kansas City as it won AFC titles in three of the next four seasons.

In his final season with the Chiefs, Thuney shored up left tackle during a postseason run, starting on the blind side of Mahomes on the way to a third consecutive Super Bowl appearance. The strategy may have come apart against the Philadelphia Eagles, but Thuney still proved to be one of the biggest reasons for unprecedented dominance in Kansas City’s recent history.

Worst: LB Anthony Hitchens — Class of 2018

With the excitement building around Mahomes taking over as the starting quarterback for the 2018 season, Veach was aggressive in free agency. He signed wide receiver Sammy Watkins to a multi-year contract and made an underrated addition with running back Damien Williams.

On the defensive side, Veach looked for a leader to come into a locker room with established veterans like edge rusher Justin Houston and safety Eric Berry. He signed former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens to a five-year contract to be the next long-time middle linebacker in Kansas City. This came on the heels of all-time great linebacker Derrick Johnson’s final year with the team.

Hitchens started every game he was available for the next four seasons and was a key member of the 2019 Super Bowl championship run. However, it was clear Hitchens was not making the impact needed from the team’s top linebacker. The front office drafted linebacker Nick Bolton in 2021, and the difference in skills became clear that season. Hitchens was released following the disappointing season and never played another snap in the NFL.

Who are the best and worst free-agent signings in modern Chiefs history? Are there older examples that come to mind? Let us know in the comments!