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The Kansas City Chiefs were on the brink of their first Super Bowl appearance in 49 years. Led by swashbuckling sensation Patrick Mahomes and a dynamic offense, the Chiefs attained home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. Their one glaring weakness, however, proved to be their downfall in the AFC Championship Game.
All season long it was evident that the Achilles' heel of the Chiefs was their defense. That flaw was revealed on many occasions during the regular season, but never more vividly than in a primetime matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, which the Chiefs lost by a score of 54-51. As great as their offense was in 2018, their defense was almost as bad. Despite its deficiencies, however, Kansas City still managed to finish the season with a 12-4 record and the number one seed in the AFC.
The Chiefs' defense even got off to a great start in the playoffs. It found a way to shut down Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts in the divisional round, notching an impressive 31-13 victory. The Colts, however, aren't the New England Patriots. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick represent the gold standard in the NFL. The Chiefs' defense would know if it was ready for prime time if it could make defining plays against Brady.
The answer soon became apparent. The experience of the Patriots was too much for the Chiefs, one week after the blowout of the Colts. Having lost the coin toss in overtime, the Chiefs fell to the Patriots without ever touching the football in the extra period.
3rd and 9. 3rd and 10. 3rd and 10.
That's what Tom Brady and his offense converted in overtime to continue moving the chains, eventually scoring the game-winning touchdown. The lack of a championship-caliber defense was too much for Kansas City to overcome. The Chiefs understand that it will be their most pressing issue to address this offseason. They started that process by firing longtime defensive coordinator Bob Sutton days after the disappointing loss.
Now it is time for the Chiefs to turn their attention to their players. The Chiefs hold three of the first 64 picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. In a class that is deep on defense, the Chiefs are expected to take multiple players on that side of the ball. If Kansas City really wants to go for it, though, and make a big splash in free agency, it needs to look no further than Earl Thomas.
Highly displeased with his contract situation in Seattle, Thomas was almost traded to Kansas City ahead of last season's trade deadline. Unfortunately, Thomas broke his leg at the end of September in a win over the Arizona Cardinals. The injury was Thomas's worst fear. It showed why he had been pushing for an extension with the Seahawks. He did not hold back his displeasure on the field when the injury occurred.
Prior to the injury, Thomas was playing at a level that was worthy of the best safety in the league. Many believed that when the severe injury occurred, Thomas's career would be cut short as a result. Thomas had surgery, however, which inserted a rod into his leg that is expected to give him more flexibility. He is also expected to be 100 percent by next month, in time for free agency.
Thomas was coming off a four-year, $40 million contract, looking for an extension before his leg injury. The harsh reality is that he will be 30 years old in May. Coming off such a severe injury, teams may be hesitant to sign him, particularly to a long-term deal. If he is looking for an annual contract at or above what he was making before, he may have to take a one-year “prove it” deal.
For the Chiefs, this is a great opportunity to sign a perennial star at a position that has given them nightmares over the last few seasons. Kansas City is clearly in win-now mode, and won't give too much attention to Thomas's age. If its training staff deems him healthy enough to play, and it likes what it sees from Thomas in a workout, this could be the missing piece that gets the team over the hump.
As it stands, the Chiefs have just over $26 million in available cap space, but that could change with other potential roster cuts. The team appears ready to part with Justin Houston, who signed a six-year deal worth $101 million back in 2015. A potential cut could net the Chiefs ~$14 million in savings this season.
There has been some talk that the Chiefs may consider a divorce with Eric Berry, but that is unlikely. Given their weaknesses in the secondary, it would not be a wise move. Instead, pairing Berry with Thomas could catapult the two into the conversation as the most dynamic secondary combo in the league.
Despite coming off such a terrible injury, Thomas will gauge interest from a number of teams in March. Dallas has been heavily linked to Thomas for quite some time. The Cowboys are another team that badly needs help at safety, and owner Jerry Jones even admitted as much in a recent interview. They are expected to be heavy contenders for Thomas, and if they outbid everyone else, I wouldn't be surprised to see Thomas sign with them.
All things being equal, however, I believe that Thomas in Kansas City is the best fit. With the Chiefs, Thomas would be in contention for another Super Bowl run with one of the best young quarterbacks in the league. Understanding that they came so close to the Super Bowl last year, the Chiefs know that signing a player like Thomas could push them past Tom Brady and the Patriots in late January of 2020.
