The Kansas City Chiefs won the AFC West in 2023 before winning their second consecutive Super Bowl. As they look for the three-peat, will they make any more additions before the regular season begins?
Here’s one free agent signing the Chiefs and the AFC West’s other three teams should consider between training camp and Week 1.
1 Training Camp Free Agent Signing For Every AFC West Team
Denver Broncos | Sign C Mason Cole
The Broncos are staging a center competition after watching free agent Lloyd Cushenberry walk out the door in March. 2022 fifth-round pick Luke Wattenberg will battle 2023 seventh-rounder Alex Forsyth for the starting job, while veteran Sam Mustipher is also on the roster.
Still, it’s worth wondering whether Denver rookie QB Bo Nix would be better off with a more experienced player handling the pivot. Mason Cole is 28, can play center and guard, and has 73 starts and 4,300 career snaps under his belt.
The Broncos could still hope Wattenberg or Forsyth emerges, but Cole could be valuable insurance.
Kansas City Chiefs | Sign CB Akhello Witherspoon
Trent McDuffie made first-team All-Pro last season, and Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo can develop cornerbacks as well as anyone in the NFL. It’s hard to call CB a weakness for a team that pumps out competent defensive backs with Kansas City’s regularity.
However, after trading L’Jarius Sneed to the Titans in March, the Chiefs added just sixth-round CB Kamal Hadden. Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams, neither of whom has hit a 60% snap rate through two NFL campaigns, will be relied upon as full-time starters in 2024.
Akhello Witherspoon could be the perfect fit in Kansas City. While he started 17 games for the Steelers in 2023 and allowed a 75.7 passer rating, Witherspoon has spent most of his career as a backup. He’d likely be comfortable sitting behind the Chiefs’ incumbent trifecta and would represent estimable depth.
Las Vegas Raiders | Sign EDGE Charles Harris
2023 Raiders first-round pick Tyree Wilson is expected to spend more time on the interior in 2024 after thriving there near the end of last season. While Wilson could be more productive at DT, his position switch will leave Las Vegas with few EDGE options behind starters Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce.
KEEP READING: 1 More Free Agent Signing For Every NFL Team
Charles Harris saw his snap count for the Lions plummet last year and was injured in 2022. However, he posted seven sacks and ranked 20th in pass-rush win rate among edge rushers as recently as 2021.
The Raiders might actually feel comfortable giving Crosby a breather once in a while with a veteran like Harris around.
Los Angeles Chargers | Sign S Jayron Kearse
The Chargers probably won’t consider a high-profile safety like Justin Simmons or Quandre Diggs, given that they still have Derwin James on the roster and re-signed Alohi Gilman this offseason. Still, they could use more options in the back end. Tony Jefferson, who was out of the NFL in 2023, is Los Angeles’ top backup safety.
Jayron Kearse hasn’t generated any known free agent interest this offseason, so he should be cost-effective. But that doesn’t mean he can’t be useful. Kearse has plenty of experience in Big Nickel packages if new Chargers DC Jesse Minter wants to deploy that personnel grouping in 2024.