Cameron Jordan’s name was connected with the Kansas City Chiefs so often this offseason that it almost felt like when, not if, he signed with the Chiefs.
That dream is now dead.
The 15-year veteran defensive end has signed a 1-year contract to continue his career with the only team he’s ever suited up for, the New Orleans Saints. Early reports indicate the deal has a base value of $7.5 million, with incentives that could elevate the total value to $11 million.
That’s a pretty penny for a 37-year-old defensive end. It’s the kind of money you pay to keep a franchise icon with the team for one final run. The same calculus wouldn’t have worked for a team like the Chiefs.
Time to turn the page
Cameron Jordan is no longer an option. Now what?
That’s the question general manager Brett Veach is surely asking his front-office mates. It’s fair to assume the team has a plan. But before we get to my personal answer to the question, let’s lay out the role the Chiefs are trying to fill on their defense. This is going to require some simple math, so please bear with me.
Kansas City’s defense was on the field for approximately 1,000 snaps last year, which means the defensive end duo should aim for approximately 2,000 snaps in total for the upcoming season. That’s the end goal. How do you get there?
Let’s start with the obvious: George Karlaftis plays approximately 80 percent of the snaps when healthy. Lock him in for approximately 800 snaps next year. That leaves 1,200 snaps to cover.
Ashton Gillotte covered 485 snaps last season. The expectation should be for him to make another slight jump in both performance and playing time, so let’s lock Gillotte in for 500 snaps. 700 snaps to go.
Rookie R Mason Thomas is unlikely to start the season in a full-time role for the Chiefs. Don’t shoot the messenger. This isn’t my decision; it’s a trend of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. He generally brings young guys along slowly. Let’s lock Thomas in for 350 snaps this year. If nothing else, that gets him on the field for obvious passing downs as a rookie. It’s a start.
That leaves another 350 snaps yet uncovered. Call it the “Mike Danna” role.
The Chiefs are missing someone to play on the edge for early ‘grind-it-out’ downs in order to force the opposition into obvious passing situations. Is fourth-year defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah ready to fill that role? It feels like a big ask for a player with fewer than 600 defensive snaps in his NFL career.
But that’s what the current roster demands. And that’s why so many are calling for a new addition along the edge.
Jordan would have been a great addition. He’s a perfect fit for the role the Chiefs are seeking, but he’s also someone who can command far more playing time with the Saints than he likely would have earned in Kansas City. Returning home is understandable given his role, his salary and his history with the team.
Jordan is not the only edge rusher on the market who makes sense for the Chiefs. There are two other great fits and a couple of other options that could be of interest in a pinch.
The best remaining defensive end fits for the Chiefs on the free agent market are, without question, Jadeveon Clowney and Derek Barnett.
Clowney is getting up there in age at 33 years old, but he’s coming off a highly productive season in Dallas in which he finished with 8.5 sacks over the course of 13 games. He played 373 snaps for the Cowboys, almost exactly the kind of snap count the Chiefs are seeking for the open role in their defense.
Barnett is slightly younger, turning 30 years old next week. He’s also slightly less productive, finishing with five sacks each of his past two seasons in Houston. The former first-round pick finished with 390 and 350 snaps in those two years, respectively, for the Texans. Talk about a player tailor-made to play the role the Chiefs are seeking.
If the Chiefs are desperate, there are two other free agent options who could fit into the defensive end rotation. The first is Preston Smith, the former Packers star edge rusher. He’s not the same player he once was. The pass rush juice is all but gone. But he’s still solid against the run and could provide some valuable insurance in the event Anudike-Uzomah isn’t up for the task. The other alternative is Kyle Van Noy. This is a tougher fit as he’s primarily spent his career as a stand-up rusher in a base 3-4 defense. Could he fit into Spagnuolo’s base 4-3 defense? I doubt it, but he’s at least an option given his availability on the market and his history playing for winning teams.
The Chiefs were connected to Jordan for a reason. Was he too good to pass up, or do they view the defensive end position as a spot in need of another upgrade? Time will tell. If the answer is the latter, there are still viable alternatives on the market.
