We’re getting that much closer to the upcoming NFL free agency period.
We’ve seen the earliest pieces of the Kansas City Chiefs’ offseason plan unfolding, with the decision on LT Orlando Brown Jr. with the franchise tag and the decision to release DE Frank Clark. What could that plan manifest into once the floodgates open and teams begin negotiating and talking to players?
ESPN and Football Outsiders’ Aaron Schatz recently weighed in on a free agent fit for all 32 NFL teams. His choice for the Chiefs was an intriguing one. Take a look:
Frank Clark is a strong cut candidate and Carlos Dunlap is a free agent, which means the Chiefs need a new edge rusher to play opposite George Karlaftis. Why not make a splash with the top young edge rusher in free agency, Davenport?
Who wouldn’t want to play for the defending Super Bowl champions and make another run with Patrick Mahomes? The only problem is keeping the 26-year-old Davenport healthy, as he’s never played more than 13 games in a season. But ignore his miniscule total of 0.5 sacks in 2022; SIS charting has Davenport with only slightly fewer hurries (25 to 22) and the same number of hits (22) than he had in two more games in 2021. Those numbers strongly suggest that Davenport will rebound in the sack department in 2023.
Moving on from Clark to sign a younger, but less productive edge rusher would be a bold move for Kansas City. Perhaps given his sack numbers and injury history, the Chiefs could sign Davenport to a cheaper, incentive-heavy deal. He’s undoubtedly a fit given his 6-foot-6 and 265-pound size and his inside/outside versatility. Like all things in free agency, this will come down to price.
