The Kansas City Chiefs did not get in on the NFL trade deadline action. The team still looks like Super Bowl contenders, but they have fewer wins this season than fans have become accustomed to. Perhaps the Chiefs didn't make a move because the market was inflated during a year in which a record-tying 10 deals were agreed to, or perhaps they just felt comfortable with the current state of the roster. Regardless of what the case was, the trade market isn't the only way to add talent. The vast majority of worthwhile players are already under contract, but there are a handful of free agents on the open market who have talent. Jedrick Wills Jr. is one player available whom the Chiefs should consider signing, now that the trade deadline has come and gone.
The Chiefs should sign Jedrick Wills Jr.
Jedrick Wills is arguably the top offensive lineman still on the open market of free agency. There is a big disclaimer when it comes to possibly signing him, and that is that the offensive tackle may not want to play this year. Reports have suggested that Wills is willing to sit out the entire season while he recovers from lingering knee issues that limited him to just five games last year. However, these reports hinted that he may just sit out “most” of the year, and potentially not all of it, per USA Today.
The league is officially surpassing the midway point, so perhaps Wills will now be ready to sign. There haven't been any recent reports on his status, so if he is healthy and ready to contribute, then the Chiefs should sign him. Wills is a former first-round pick. The Cleveland Browns selected him 10th overall in 2020.
Wills never quite lived up to his pre-draft billing as a potential star, but he was a solid player for the Browns. He has started 57 of 58 games, and it wasn't until the past two seasons that injuries started to affect him. It is possible that the much-needed time off has done him well and could allow him to reach his potential.
The Chiefs aren't desperate for an offensive lineman right now, as they were during the offseason. However, the dynasty has only ever really struggled when Patrick Mahomes hasn't had ample throwing time. Both of the Chiefs' Super Bowl losses during this era were a result of poor offensive line play and injuries in the trenches. Josh Simmons even already missed time this year, although that was due to a family matter and not an injury.
Wills would provide offensive line depth and insurance in case a big boy went down. He could play on either side of the line for the Chiefs as a backup swing tackle. The Chiefs can't afford to stumble through any more losses, so an offensive line injury or two would be devastating without a backup plan. The Alabama product is still just 26 years old, and one would have to assume he'd welcome the chance to play for a dynasty and protect the best player in the NFL.
There is plenty of time for Wills to buck the bust label, and there would be no better place to do so than in Kansas City. The Chiefs being on their bye week makes for perfect timing to sign Wills.
