The Kansas City Chiefs have finally begun addressing the edge after parting ways with a pair of star pass-rushers earlier this week.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Chiefs have signed free agent defensive end Alex Okafor to a three-year deal worth up to $24 million.
The #Chiefs are expected to sign former #Saints DE Alex Okafor, source said. He gets a 3-year deal worth up to $24M.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2019
Yahoo Sports' Terez Paylor, former Chiefs beat writer for the Kansas City Star, reports that Okafor's deal includes $18 million in guarantees.
The six-year veteran enjoyed perhaps the best year of his career in 2018 during his second season with the New Orleans Saints. He had 36 tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks, and nine quarterback hits while starting all 16 games for the first time in his career opposite star defensive end Cameron Jordan.
Though the Saints, who re-signed Okafor to a two-year deal last offseason after initially inking him to a single-season contract in 2017, were pleased with what Okafor brought to the table during his time in New Orleans, his days with the team were numbered when it selected fellow defensive end Marcus Davenport in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Okafor, who initially began his career at outside linebacker, was a fourth-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2013. He had a career-best eight sacks during his sophomore season, but has since settled in as more of a run-stopper than a player counted on to consistently get after the quarterback.
Kansas City finished second-to-last in total yards allowed last season, and began its defensive overhaul shortly after losing in the AFC Championship game by hiring veteran coach Steve Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator. The Chiefs also waived stalwart outside linebacker Justin Houston earlier this week, and traded star pass-rusher Dee Ford to the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday.
Okafor, 6-foot-4, 261 pounds, seems a safe bet to start at defensive end in Kansas City's new 4-3 scheme.
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