Chiefs add veteran defensive tackle Bennie Logan on one-year contract

While Dontari Poe continues his tour in search of his next destination, the Chiefs have added another veteran defensive tackle to the mix.

On Monday, the Chiefs agreed to a one-year contract with Bennie Logan, two sources with knowledge of the negotiations told The Star. Terms were not immediately available.

Logan, who turns 28 in December, just completed his fourth season with the Eagles. A third-round pick in 2013, he’s proven to be durable, appearing in 59 out of 64 regular-season games and making 51 starts.

In 2016, the 6-foot-2, 315-pound Logan started 13 games and made 24 tackles, 2  1/2 sacks and six quarterback hurries. He also played 45.8 percent of the Eagles’ defensive snaps.

The Chiefs have made it clear they would like Poe to return. But Logan, at the very least, figures to be veteran insurance if Poe decides to leave, which could happen.

Poe, 26, visited Indianapolis on Sunday, Jacksonville on Monday and will soon meet with the Atlanta Falcons. Poe is a two-time Pro Bowler in 2013 and 2014, and has led the Chiefs’ defensive linemen in snaps every year since he was selected 11th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft.

He had back surgery to repair a herniated disk in the summer of 2015. Poe, 6 feet 3 and 346 pounds, only missed one game that year, recording 39 tackles, a sack and three hurries in 15 games, but his snap count dropped to 759.

In 2016, Poe didn’t miss a game, recording a career-high nine pressures in 885 snaps, 16th-most among all NFL defensive linemen.

If Poe does not return, the Chiefs have plenty of young, experienced depth players under contract for 2017.

Defensive linemen Allen Bailey and Jaye Howard are coming off season-ending injuries but are multiyear starters, while second-round rookie Chris Jones finished second on the team in snaps but was first among all Chiefs defensive linemen with 28 tackles, 10 hurries and four passes defensed.

Second-year pro Rakeem Nunez-Roches also thrived with more playing time. He took advantage of Howard’s and Bailey’s injuries and posted career-highs with 23 tackles and three hurries.

Two other contributors to last year’s defensive line — Kendall Reyes and Jarvis Jenkins — are unrestricted free agents.

But Logan will add to the depth to the group, and the Chiefs — who have 10 draft picks next month — could easily use one or two of those on an interior defensive lineman, especially if Poe does leave.

This story was originally published March 13, 2017 at 2:58 PM with the headline "Chiefs add veteran defensive tackle Bennie Logan on one-year contract."