Chiefs aggressively rebuilding defense this offseason
The Kansas City Chiefs won the AFC West for the second straight season in 2017, finishing a wildly inconsistent campaign at 10-6. The year was marked with explosive offense and horrid defense, starting with the loss of Eric Berry in Week 1 and ending with a blown 18-point lead against the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Wild Card round.
In total defense, Kansas City ranked 28th overall and 26th in yards per play allowed. The Chiefs also ranked 23rd in passing yards allowed per attempt.
Apparently, general manager Brett Veach took notice. In his first offseason, Veach has been ultra-aggressive, trading Pro Bowl quarterback Alex Smith to the Washington Redskins for a third-round pick and star corner Kendall Fuller. Fuller, 22, is one of the league’s top slot corners and has the ability to play on the perimeter as well.
On Friday night, the Chiefs announced the signing of corner David Emerson. Amerson, 26, was cut by the Oakland Raiders earlier this month, but landed in Kansas City on a one-year deal worth up to $6 million with incentives. Amerson fell out of favor in Oakland after being limited to six games due to injuries in 2017, but his play in the two prior seasons was promising. The former North Carolina State star was terrific in 2015, finishing second in the league with 26 passes defensed. Only new teammate Marcus Peters had more.
For the Chiefs, this is a low-risk signing that should continue to upgrade both depth and team speed. Kansas City was woeful opposite Peters last year, trotting out the likes of Phillip Gaines, Kenneth Acker and Darrell Revis. With the additions of Fuller and Emerson, coupled with the return of Berry from a torn Achilles, the Chiefs should have one of the best secondaries in football.
The question is whether Veach is done with the back end of the defense, or whether he’s still eyeing another free agent. Kansas City is creating cap room with the trade of Smith and the announcement that Derrick Johnson won’t be retained (Smith saves $17 million against the cap, but it won’t be official until March 14, when the new league year begins).
If Veach makes expected moves such as releasing Tamba Hali, Allen Bailey and Frank Zombo, Kansas City should have approximately $30 million at its disposal.  The Chiefs could be targeting Kyle Fuller, Kendall’s brother, who may leave the Chicago Bears after a terrific season in his fourth year.
While the offense should be set with the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Kareem Hunt, the defense needs more. All that said, Veach has done a tremendous job in limited time, fixing much of what ailed the unit before free agency. With a few more signings in the front seven, the Chiefs appear well-positioned to defend their division title.
