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The Kansas City Chiefs will spend this week preparing their game plan and getting in a few reps before traveling to Arizona ahead of Super Bowl 57. Now, it’s not back to the drawing board like for the Bengals or 49ers. In the meantime, general manager Brett Veach is currently looking at 2023 just in case of the outcome in the next week. We must figure out how to improve our roster, even more, this offseason. According to Spotrac, the Chiefs are listed as having just over $11.9 million in cap space (13th out of 32 other teams). The good news is that with extensions to Frank Clark and Chris Jones, it would push that number up to about $38 million (We would have the 5th most cap space in the NFL), giving Veach plenty of room to work with.
Here are three free agents that the Chiefs must sign to make the Super Bowl again in 2023.
Chiefs Free Agency
1. Mike McGlinchey, RT
The Chiefs need some help at right tackle with Andrew Wylie hitting free agency and giving up the most sacks among all right tackles with 8. If Veach can make it work financially, one RT he must target is Mike McGlinchey. A former 2018 first-round selection, McGlinchey has enjoyed another successful year with the San Francisco 49ers, allowing just five sacks on 985 snaps. Though his 10 penalties aren’t ideal, he’s still one of the top available players at his position, highlighted by his 71.4 Pro Football Focus grade. At 28 years old, McGlinchey still has plenty of left in the tank and could be a key piece to helping Patrick Mahomes be more comfortable under center going forward.
2. Patrick Peterson, CB
The Chiefs will be in a positive situation when it comes to their salary cap in 2023. It makes searching for underrated free agent options a sound strategy for the front office just like the signings of Juju Smith-Schuster and Carlos Dunlap. While Patrick Peterson may be past his prime, he proved in 2022 that he is still a shutdown cornerback. The three-time All-Pro tallied 15 pass breakups and 5 interceptions, which were his best marks in a decade. He also finished with the fourth-best coverage grade in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Peterson would be a great addition and veteran presence to a Kansas City secondary that ranked right in the middle of the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (220.9).
3. Allen Lazard, WR
A wide receiver isn’t the biggest need for the Chiefs especially with a chance for Smith-Schuster to get resigned but the NFL is still pass-heavy. Surrounding MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes with as many weapons as possible on Moneyball deals would be a smart move. The Chiefs are set to potentially lose JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman, and Justin Watson to free agency, leaving Travis Kelce with only Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore around him and the newly acquired Kadarius Toney whose recent injuries will come into play with these decisions. The 6-foot-5 Allen Lazard has more versatility than most other free agent WRs as he can line up in the slot, on the outside, or even at tight end. The fifth-year pro logged 788 yards on 60 receptions in 2022 and racked up at least 6 touchdowns for the second straight year. Stealing him away from the Packers as we did with MVS would be exciting, too. Imagine a Packer WR reunion in KC?
