The Kansas City Chiefs are among the more interesting teams to watch out for during free agency, and general manager John Dorsey is finally laying out what to expect about the team's roster in the coming weeks. When speaking to the press at the NFL Combine event, Dorsey acknowledged that discussions on new deals have already started with representatives for star linebacker Derrick Johnson, safety Eric Berry and quarterback Chase Daniel.
Although Johnson will be 34 years old late in the 2016 season, he is definitely a player that Kansas City would want to retain. When asked about his free agency, Dorsey said he had recently talked to the player's camp and said, "We're not gonna let good players go." It seems that Johnson share the same sentiment. During a radio interview in Texas last week, the all-time leading tackler said that he did not want to play for any other team but the Chiefs.
The Chiefs GM then went on and discussed the Eric Berry situation. He relayed that he had a meeting with the safety's agent this weekend and indicated that a long-term deal will be agreed upon before the franchise tag deadline on March 1. Dorsey also told reporters that the team also reached out to Chase Daniel to retain him as their backup quarterback.
Daniel, 29, is finishing a three-year deal he signed in 2013 worth $10 million. He reportedly wants the opportunity to be a starting quarterback as he started two of his seven seasons with the KC Chiefs and New Orleans Saints. The GM would like to keep Daniel, but hesitated before doing any bidding war for him. "At the right price, I'll try to retain him. But I understand the business of the game of football and he's going to want to be able to see if he can start. I do believe he's capable of doing that. So that process will be ongoing," Dorsey explained.
The Chiefs front office also disclosed that there are no questions regarding Jamaal Charles and his immediate future with the team. Dorsey said the running back is ahead of schedule in his rehab from the ACL (knee) injury that ended his 2015 season after only five games. The team could have saved $5.3 million, with no dead money, by cutting him. However, the Chiefs have no real reason to release Charles since they have over $30 million in cap space.
"He will be an important piece of this team moving forward," Dorsey said, via the Kansas City Star. "Before I left to come here to Indianapolis, I saw Jamaal down there diligently working in the training room, and all of a sudden I come back downstairs and he's in the weight room. I think he's far enough ahead in the process here which is good, it's good for everybody."
