The NFL free agency period will officially commence in just five more days. With more probable cuts, restructures, and extensions coming shortly, teams are ready to spend all they can to snag some quality free agents. They’re either going to try and snag a second wide receiver to give Patrick Mahomes a third option and/or a safety to fill in for Tyrann Mathieu, who’ll probably be testing the free agency waters.
There are a lot of players looking for new homes; furthermore, there’s a ton who are good and cost way cheaper than the premium free agents we always hear about. With that said, here are five more underrated free agents the Chiefs should look at:
Note: there is no ranking or order for this article
Russell Gage, WR, Atlanta Falcons
The Chiefs need a third option in their offense, and an underrated receiver they could target is Russell Gage from the Falcons. In 14 games (nine games started), Gage posted 66 catches on 94 targets, averaging 11.7 yards per reception with a 70.2% catch percentage; additionally, he tallied 770 receiving yards and four touchdowns as the Falcons’ second option.
When looking at the group of free-agent wideouts, Gage falls into the cheaper end of the spectrum who has a lot of talent. He has good hands, he’s a threat from the short, intermediate, and long parts of the field, has a good burst to the second level, and can separate well against man, zone, and press coverage. He’s a clear starter that would fit within the Chiefs’ air-raid offense.
Justin Houston, Edge, Baltimore Ravens
The Chiefs need aid in their defensive line, especially on the edge; enter former Kansas City Chiefs Justin Houston to aid in that department. Houston had a great year in the 15 games he played and started in; he had 34 total tackles with six tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, 17 QB hits, seven QB hurries, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Houston has still shown to be a good passing down disruptor and a beast in run defense. Houston would be 33 this year while entering into his 12th year in the NFL, meaning that he won’t be signing a long-term deal anytime soon and would be cheaper than many of the other edge free agents. He would be perfect for the Chiefs to sign with everything previously stated and his versatility to play either as a defensive end or an outside linebacker. This would also be a nice homecoming for Houston too.
Devin McCourty, S, New England Patroits
An older player at 34 years old who isn’t slowing down, Devin McCourty could be a solid veteran signing this offseason for the Chiefs’ secondary. McCourty was a stud, amassing 60 total tackles, ten pass deflections, and three interceptions (T-11th amongst safeties) in all 17 games. Additionally, McCourty was a monster in coverage, allowing nine completions on 26 attempts (34.6% completion percentage), allowing only 164 yards per PFR.
With how he played this year, a McCourty and Thornhill duo could be good next season, with McCourty moving to strong safety. He would be on the cheaper end of contracts, which makes him a good player to look at skills-wise and money-wise.
Which underrated free agents do you think the Chiefs should target? Leave a comment down below to join the discussion.
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