The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are presently the No. 1 seed within the AFC and are in a terrific place to push for the Tremendous Bowl title. Whereas the coaches and gamers are doing effectively on the precise soccer facet of issues, the entrance workplace has upcoming choices to arrange for. 

A number of key gamers are both scheduled to be free brokers on the finish of this 12 months or solely have one 12 months remaining on their respective contracts. Because of this, the Chiefs must resolve what these gamers are value and probably attempt to come to an settlement to maintain them in Kansas Metropolis. Let’s check out three of them.

JuJu Smith-Schuster

The Chiefs added JuJu Smith-Schuster this offseason on an incentive-based one-year deal, and he is enjoying his manner right into a extra important long-term deal. Smith-Schuster has caught 46 passes for 615 yards and two touchdowns by way of 9 video games, adequate to rank within the high 30 within the NFL in receptions and high 15 in yards. Does his success in Kansas Metropolis put him out of what the Chiefs are keen to pay, although?

When trying on the large receiver free agent market, Smith-Schuster is the very best one out there this coming offseason. Christian Kirk was the highest-paid large receiver on the open market final 12 months, and he obtained a four-year contract with a mean wage of $18 million. Smith-Schuster’s numbers can be higher than Kirk’s had been when he hit the market, however will groups across the league suppose it is a product of enjoying with the very best quarterback within the league?

The easiest way for the Chiefs to retain a participant they appear to love and who has expressed his want to stick with the group is to not let him hit the open market. If Smith-Schuster enters free company, some crew will provide him a contract that can be considered as an “overpay.” The Chiefs will not be comfy paying that quantity for his providers. To stop that from occurring, Kansas Metropolis ought to get an extension executed with Smith-Schuster earlier than the start of the brand new league 12 months. A deal someplace within the $13-17M vary appears honest for a participant of his caliber.

Orlando Brown Jr.

The largest offseason query for the Chiefs final 12 months will nonetheless be the most important query this 12 months: How will they deal with the Orlando Brown Jr. contract scenario?

To say Brown has underperformed this season is someway an understatement. In line with Professional Soccer Focus, he has given up probably the most strain of any deal with within the NFL. Additionally, he’s within the backside 15% for strain fee allowed of gamers with at the very least 240 passing blocking snaps. It isn’t like he is been glorious within the run sport to compensate for his poor move safety, both. PFF has him graded because the fourth-best beginning offensive lineman on the Chiefs as a run blocker.

Brown wager on himself by not accepting the Chiefs’ long-term provide this offseason. Frankly, that appears like a poor choice for the time being. He’s solely 26 years previous and has proven a bent to enhance all year long, so his play might take a step up. Nonetheless, are the Chiefs keen to pay top-of-the-market cash to somebody who begins the season off poorly?

While you receives a commission at or close to the highest of your place, there’s an expectation of being your finest on a constant foundation. Brown hasn’t proven he can try this. The Chiefs know they’ve the franchise tag of their again pocket to permit them to maintain Brown round whereas looking for an answer. They could attempt to provide a mid-level deal that’s extra team-friendly due to how he has carried out over the beginning of this season. And not using a important enchancment, this almost certainly resolves within the Chiefs inserting the franchise tag on the left deal with and having an offseason stuffed with questions surrounding their future with him.

Chris Jones

Chris Jones shouldn’t be like Smith-Schuster or Brown, as he isn’t enjoying on an expiring deal, however this can be a pseudo-contract 12 months. His present contract runs by way of 2023, though the Chiefs might reduce him this offseason and save $20M in opposition to the cap. With how the star defensive lineman has performed this 12 months, although, the Chiefs ought to almost certainly look to get an extension executed.

Jones has been the league’s second-best inside defensive lineman for a few years however by no means fairly received the popularity he deserved due to Aaron Donald. This 12 months, Jones has been the very best defensive deal with within the league by way of 10 weeks. He’s high 10 in sacks and high 15 in quarterback pressures and is effectively on his technique to an All-Professional choice. He’s additionally a doable Defensive Participant of the 12 months candidate, boasting the seventh-best Vegas odds for the award as of the publishing of this text.

Jones is in the identical boat Tyreek Hill was in final 12 months. There’s a probability Jones will get traded for draft capital because the Chiefs proceed to get youthful, however he and Hill are totally different. Jones is the Chiefs’ defensive position. If he is now not right here, Kansas Metropolis has important query marks at an already weak place group. Hill was one of the vital crucial gamers on the offense, however sooner or later, his calls for had been now not value it to the Chiefs. They felt they may exchange his manufacturing otherwise.

The marketplace for defensive tackles is attention-grabbing as a result of Donald makes $10M greater than the next-closest participant. If Donald is the exception and never the rule, an inexpensive deal may be labored out between the Chiefs and Jones for round $22-25M a 12 months, protecting the stud move rusher in Kansas Metropolis for years to come back.