The gears are starting to turn around the NFL with some initial roster decisions coming down the pipe. Free agency may not be open yet, but some big names are falling off the board.
Dallas Cowboys’ defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun have signed new contracts this week. Those two were projected among the biggest names to be available but will now return to their teams.
The Kansas City Chiefs themselves have gotten in on the fun, placing the franchise tag on right guard Trey Smith last week. Kansas City hopes to work toward a longer term deal with Smith, but that will serve as a placeholder for the time being.
Nonetheless, the action is getting started across the league and teams, including the Chiefs are coordinating their plan of attack. Kansas City has limited cap space and a considerable number of players hitting the market.
That means they will need to be selective and calculated in their approach. However, a recent rumor has one of their star free agents questioning his future.
Tuesday, Nate Taylor of the Athletic noted that the team is unlikely to bring back safety Justin Reid.
Seemingly unaware of those circumstances, Reid voiced his shock on X, simply replying “Well that’s news…”
No decisions are final from the Chiefs end, but it is certainly an odd drop roughly a week out from the start of free agency. With Smith at least temporarily locked in, that leaves Reid and Nick Bolton among the biggest names expecting a notable pay bump this offseason.
Reid had 87 tackles, two interceptions and nine pass break-ups last season. Few teams would hesitate to add that production to their defenses at the right price.
From the Chiefs perspective however, they could be looking to invest in another star offensive lineman or find Patrick Mahomes a more reliable option to add to the receiving corps.
Any decision to part with Reid may not pertain to him individually. Rather it could be the result of the franchise acting in direct response to the flaws exposed in their Super Bowl LIX loss.
Regardless, it is an odd situation for Reid, a proven contributor on Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, to find himself in.
