KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs have not been among the more active teams in free agency over the past three years, ranking 27th in the NFL in total signings and 16th in total contract value. Here’s a look at how those decisions have panned out on the field:
Total signings: 23* (27th in NFL)
Total contract value: $182,974,999 (16th in the NFL)
Three-year W-L: 32-16
Biggest hit: The Chiefs went into the free-agent signing period last year before they agreed to terms with veteran inside linebacker Derrick Johnson, the heart of their defense. The Chiefs rarely remove Johnson from the game, because he is equally efficient against the run and the pass. He was having another solid season in 2016, before it ended in December with a torn Achilles tendon. Johnson has said he will return in time for the start of the 2017 season. If so, that’s good news for the Chiefs, because their defense has worked better over the years when he’s in their lineup.
Biggest miss: The Chiefs didn’t sink huge money into defensive lineman Vance Walker in 2014 when they signed him from the Oakland Raiders. His guarantee was only $3 million. But they expected him to be a starter or at least a contributor as part of the playing rotation. He never became even that. He started just two games and didn’t play much in the other 14. The Chiefs unceremoniously released Walker at the end of the season, and he moved on to another AFC West rival, the Denver Broncos.
Sneaky-good move: The Chiefs went into the free-agent signing period in 2015 before re-signing safety Ron Parker. Parker doesn’t get much public attention, because he’s paired at safety with Eric Berry. But he’s a solid player who does many things for the Chiefs. The Chiefs have come to rely on Parker’s versatility. He has good coverage skills and the Chiefs use them often. Parker, in fact, frequently shifted in 2015 to nickelback on obvious passing downs. He broke up three passes in the end zone late in a 2014 game in Buffalo to preserve a narrow victory for the Chiefs.
Verdict: The Chiefs were a playoff team the past two seasons and won the AFC West championship in 2016 more because of their good work in the draft and in retaining their own free agents than any help they have received from the outside. Their big outside splurges the past three years have been for wide receiver Jeremy Maclin in 2015 and tackle Mitchell Schwartz last year. Maclin had a big season in 2015, but he battled injuries and didn’t play as well last year. Schwartz appears to have finally solved the Chiefs’ long-standing problem at right tackle.
*Signings made during free agency period beginning in March.
