The 2022 NFL postseason has come to a close for the Kansas City Chiefs after they climbed the NFL’s mountaintop to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.
It’s the perfect time to review the team’s pending free agents for the 2023 NFL offseason. Brett Veach and the front office will have some difficult decisions to make, with several players slated to hit unrestricted free agency. Some of those players will receive extensions. Some of them could choose to retire from the NFL. Others have likely played their last snap for the team and will be scooped up by other teams in free agency.
Kansas City won’t be able to keep everyone, with over a dozen contributors scheduled to become unrestricted free agents, plus more as exclusive rights and restricted free agents.
Below you’ll find a look at all of the 2023 free agents for the Chiefs and our thoughts regarding their outlooks for the future:
LT Orlando Brown Jr.
After being franchise-tagged ahead of the 2022 NFL season, it looks like Orlando Brown Jr. is heading toward the same fate again in 2023. Will the Chiefs and Brown Jr. be able to agree on a long-term deal? This season was a statistical struggle for the left tackle, but he (and the rest of the offensive line) surrendered no sacks to the Eagles in the Super Bowl. Will the Chiefs be willing to make him the highest-paid left tackle in the league? We’ll find out.
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
Smith-Schuster has expressed his desire to stay in Kansas City multiple times throughout the season and again during the Super Bowl LVII media week. That said, the decision will likely be dictated by what is a weak free agency period at the wide receiver position. Smith-Schuster could be a top target for an outside team. Would the Chiefs be willing to get into a bidding war? I’m not so sure.
DT Derrick Nnadi
Nnadi signed a cheap one-year deal to re-sign with Kansas City in 2022. He could be back on a similar deal in 2023 given the team has several other free agents at this position. It’s also possible the team could seek to move on entirely from the former 2018 NFL draft pick.
DE Carlos Dunlap
Dunlap had three goals when he joined the Chiefs in the 2022 NFL season: d: Get to 100 career sacks, win his first career playoff game and win the Super Bowl. He accomplished all of those goals, so what does he have left to accomplish in his career? Expect Dunlap to give retirement serious consideration.
OL Andrew Wylie
Wylie has long been a valuable depth piece for Kansas City and he had a hell of a performance in the run game and the passing game in Super Bowl LVII. The team could look to upgrade this position in free agency or the draft and Wylie could have other suitors as a free agent, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see the homegrown talent stick around.
QB Chad Henne
Henne has already announced his retirement from the NFL, which means the Chiefs will need to find a new backup quarterback.
RB Ronald Jones II
Jones was a healthy scratch for the majority of the 2022 NFL season and didn’t crack the active roster until Clyde Edwards-Helaire got hurt. It’s hard to envision a scenario where he’ll be back with the team in 2023.
FB Michael Burton
Andy Reid always carries a fullback. Burton will likely be that guy moving forward unless there is a dramatic change in the team’s offensive philosophy.
TE Blake Bell
A hip flexor injury saw Bell on injured reserve for the majority of the season. When he returned to play in place of Jody Fortson, he wasn’t getting his full helping of snaps. When Fortson returned, he was made a healthy scratch on several occasions. I’d be surprised to see Bell back in 2023.
WR Mecole Hardman
A key piece of the offense since his selection in the 2019 NFL draft, it’ll be interesting to see what type of market develops for Hardman. An injury disrupted his 2022 NFL season, but this is a weak receiver class in free agency. This might be a case where Kansas City has to let him go out and test the market.
S Deon Bush
A key special teamer and backup at safety, Bush could be re-signed at the right price.
DT Brandon Williams
A late-season veteran addition along the defensive line, Williams might be among those to call it a career after winning a ring in Super Bowl LVII. That said, playing for the hometown team for another season could also be an option.
S Juan Thornhill
A second-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft, the Chiefs will have a big decision to make with Thornhill. He finished the 2022 NFL season tied for the most interceptions on the team with three. Will his market be too great for the Chiefs to compete in?
DT Khalen Saunders
Saunders is a favorite of defensive line coach Joe Cullen, which makes it more likely that he’s extended beyond his rookie deal. That said, Saunders didn’t seem to have the expectation that he’d be re-signed earlier this season. We’ll see what his market looks like when free agency opens in March.
RB Jerick McKinnon
A team captain, leader and good friend of QB Patrick Mahomes. If the 30-year-old running back keeps playing, expect him to be in Kansas City.
WR Justin Watson
Watson has proven to be a solid backup and role player at the receiver position. If players like Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster walk in free agency, he could wind up back with the team in a bigger role in 2023.
OL Nick Allegretti
Allegretti could be starting for several other teams in the NFL. I suspect he’ll get a lucrative offer in free agency.
Restricted Free Agents
- DT Tershawn Wharton
- P Tommy Townsend
- LB Darius Harris
Restricted free agents are players with at least three accrued years of service in the NFL. Teams are allowed to place one of three levels of qualifying contract tenders on these players, providing them with a non-guaranteed one-year deal. Expect these three back in some capacity, including Wharton who suffered a torn ACL this season.
Exclusive rights free agents:
- OT Prince Tega Wanogho
- QB Shane Buechele
- TE Jody Fortson
ERFAs are free agents who have yet to accrue three seasons in the NFL. Their original team holds exclusive negotiating rights. If an ERFA is tendered a qualifying contract offer by his team prior to free agency, that player is unable to refuse that offer. He can reach unrestricted free agency only if the team declines to extend a qualifying offer or pulls the qualifying offer. Expect all of these players back on qualifying offers in 2023.
