Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
KANSAS CITY — For an organization that prides itself on stability, the 2016 NFL offseason has been very unstable for the Kansas City Chiefs.
There has been the normal addition and subtraction to the roster. But for the first time in the four-year tenure of head coach Andy Reid and general manager John Dorsey, there are changes in the coaching staff, as offensive coordinator Doug Pederson is now the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
A surprise retirement by safety Husain Abdullah left an unexpected hole in the roster. Abdullah missed the last five regular-season games due to a concussion. It was the fifth head trauma of his career and the 30-year-old Abdullah decided that was enough. When the NFL decided that the Chiefs had made improper contact in 2015 with soon-to-be free-agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, they were hit with a fine and league discipline that took away their third-round choice in this year’s draft.
More important, there are significant question marks about the club’s two best players: running back Jamaal Charles and outside linebacker Justin Houston. Both are dealing with knee injuries and subsequent surgeries that could affect their availability come September.
Charles is ahead of schedule with his rehab, but he’s been at it longer after suffering an ACL tear last October. Reports are that his progress has been good and Charles may be able to take part in training camp practices. That’s encouraging news, especially for a running back who will be 30 years old by the end of the regular season.
The news with Houston is not nearly as bright. The NFL’s leading sacker in 2014 went down with a hyperextended knee in late November and missed the last five games of the regular season. Houston came back and appeared in the Chiefs’ two postseason games, but his contributions were limited by the condition of the knee.
In February, Houston had arthroscopic surgery on his knee that also revealed a problem with his ACL. The ligament was not torn, but it was not functioning properly and the decision was made to surgically repair. It’s a situation where the Chiefs really have no idea on the availability of Houston for training camp, the preseason or regular season.
“It was an unfortunate situation, but we go along with our business,” said Dorsey. “Did it alter our plans? No. We had a plan in place and we stuck to that plan. I think that plan was a good plan as is evidence of what transpired in the free agency period and now we have a second component of it and that’s leading up to the draft.”
Houston’s surgery made it a priority for Dorsey to re-sign outside linebackers Tamba Hali and Frank Zombo, who were both free agents. Two other key factors in the Chiefs’ defense were re-signed in linebacker Derrick Johnson and defensive lineman Jaye Howard. To make sure they retained Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry, K.C. used its franchise player designation and they have continued working on a long-term contract.
With one exception, the Chiefs were not very active buyers in free agency. However, they were able to fill a big hole at right tackle when they signed unrestricted free agent Mitchell Schwartz. In four seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Schwartz did not miss a snap, a start or a game. On top of that, he performed at a level that ranked among the best right tackles in the league and he’ll be just 27 years old come June.
They also added wide receiver Rod Streater who should challenge for the No. 3 receiver spot behind Maclin and second-year man Chris Conley.
With his coaching staff, Reid stayed in-house and named Brad Childress and Matt Nagy as co-offensive coordinators. Childress will soon be 60 years old and enters his 38th year of coaching. Nagy is 38 years old, and has been in coaching for six years. Reid still plans on calling the plays during the game.
What’s left for the Chiefs to accomplish in the offseason is finding some help at cornerback, where they lost Sean Smith in free agency to Oakland. Marcus Peters is coming off an exceptional rookie season, but otherwise the cupboard is bare when it comes to established corners. Phillip Gaines missed 13 games with an ACL injury and will compete for Smith’s vacated starting spot.
