The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off of a Super Bowl winning season and are looking to repeat as champions. Of course, with Patrick Mahomes at the helm, this is most definitely a possibility and will be as long as he is the signal caller in Kansas City. This is why the plethora of moves made by the Chiefs this offseason won't impact much whether or not Kansas City will be contenders. They lost JuJu Smith-Schuster, Frank Clark, Orlando Brown Jr, Juan Thornhill, Khalen Saunders in NFL free agency, although they brought in Derrick Nnadi, Drue Tranquill, Byron Cowart, Blake Bell, Mike Edwards, Jawaan Taylor, Charles Omenihu, and Nick Allegretti to make up for it. However, there is one guy still remaining in NFL free agency who would be a very intriguing signing, and his name isn't DeAndre Hopkins: it is Yannick Ngakoue.
The Chiefs released Frank Clark after determining he wasn't worth the price tag after the season. Despite the release, the intention was to figure out someway to bring him back. In the end, Frank Clark ultimately decided to sign with the Denver Broncos and will no longer help anchor the defensive line. The Chiefs still have Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones, and adding Omenihu and Nnadi will help replace the production that Frank Clark gave. This is why a lot of Chiefs fans are clamoring for Kansas City to go sign DeAndre Hopkins to help out the depleted receiving corps. Losing JuJu Smith-Schuster leaves Kadarius Toney and Marquez Valdez-Scantling as the top two wide receivers on the depth chart, which leaves a lot to be desired. Still, with Mahomes at the helm, any receiving corp can put up numbers. This is why the Chiefs should focus on the defensive line with the remaining prospects in NFL free agency, starting with trying to sign Yannick Ngakoue.
With the amount of players left in NFL free agency dwindling, the Chiefs need to pass on DeAndre Hopkins and go after Yannick Ngakoue. Signing him will completely make up for the loss of production that will result from Frank Clark's departure and give Chris Jones another anchor at defensive end that will help continue to wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines.
*Stats via ESPN
Sign Yannick Ngakoue, not DeAndre Hopkins
Yannick Ngakoue has been a game-wrecker ever since he entered the league. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016 in the third round and paid dividends immediately. In his rookie season he had eight sacks, four forced fumbles and an interception, immediately endearing himself to the Jacksonville faithful. He spent the next three seasons in Jacksonville, posting 12 sacks in 2017 and never dipping below eight sacks during his Jaguars tenure. It wasn't until 2020 that he moved onto the Minnesota Vikings and saw his Jaguars career come to an end.
Ever since 2020, Ngakoue has spent year after year switching teams. Despite the lack of stability, Ngakoue has managed to maintain the production on the field and continue to be one of the better defensive ends in the NFL. In 2020 he had five sacks in six games, a blistering pace that was cut short due to injury. This led him to land on the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021 where he returned to form with 10 sacks and two forced fumbles. Then last offseason he signed with the Colts, and he put forth another productive season in 2022 with 9.5 sacks and a forced fumble. The 28-year-old is now a free agent again and entering his prime, most likely looking for a longer-term contract. This is why he and the Chiefs make absolutely perfect sense.
Entering his prime without having a team to call home suggests that Ngakoue is looking to stay somewhere for longer than a year at a time. He had so much success in Jacksonville that there is no doubt he wants to help a team capitalize on the best years of his career and win his first Super Bowl ring. He could do all of the above with the Chiefs, as there is no doubt that Kansas City will continue to be a contender. Not only are the Chiefs a perfect fit for Ngakoue, but the Chiefs could use the exact skillset he possesses.
Not having Frank Clark this year will hurt, but a 28-year-old Yannick Ngakoue will be able to make up for that production easily for the Chiefs. Not to mention, they could sign him to a contract that would take advantage of the prime of his career and allow them to shore up the defensive line with him and Chris Jones for years to come. Although DeAndre Hopkins is definitely an enticing add with the current status of their wide receiving corps, Yannick Ngakoue would be a winning signing. The Chiefs need to go and sign Yannick Ngakoue in NFL free agency and show the rest of the NFL that they are coming for another Super Bowl ring.
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