Chiefs live free agency tracker: Chris Jones, Damien Williams, Xavier Williams
With the NFL still planning to go ahead with business as usual despite the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in the country, the Chiefs are preparing for the start of free agency, which kicks off 3 p.m. Central time Wednesday.
A two-day window of open negotiations started at 11 a.m. Monday, during which time NFL teams may contact and negotiate with certified agents representing players who are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents Wednesday.
Here are the stories involving the Chiefs, with most recent transactions first:
Fuller returns to Washington
The Chiefs officially lost their first player to free agency Monday night ... and it’s a blow to their defensive secondary.
Cornerback Kendall Fuller agreed to a four-year deal worth $40 million to return to Washington, according to the NFL Network.
Fuller played in Washington from 2016-17 before joining the Chiefs in 2018 via a trade for QB Alex Smith. Fuller’s ability to play nickel cornerback and safety proved valuable during the Chiefs’ run at a Super Bowl championship. He contributed at safety during the postseason after rookie Juan Thornhill tore his ACL in the regular-season finale, recording the game-sealing interception in Super Bowl LIV.
He finished the regular season with 49 tackles and two passes defensed on 507 defensive snaps.
Fuller’s departure might not be the last for the KC cornerback group, as Bashaud Breeland, Morris Claiborne and Keith Reaser are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.
Reunion with Henne
The Chiefs re-signed quarterback Chad Henne to a two-year contract to back up Patrick Mahomes, The Star confirmed.
The agreement was first reported by Yahoo’s Terez Paylor.
Henne, 34, served as Mahomes’ primary backup in 2018 before an ankle injury landed him on injured reserve in 2019. The Chiefs signed Matt Moore as his replacement, and Moore started two games after Mahomes dislocated his kneecap.
Henne’s 2-year, $6.7 million contract expired after the season.
No tendered offer for Wells
The Chiefs are not planning to tender a qualifying offer to tight end David Wells, an exclusive rights free agent, a source told The Star.
Wells was hurt during training camp last summer and spent the 2019 regular season on injured reserve.
Kemp doesn’t receive offer
Marcus Kemp was not tendered a qualifying offer, making him a free agent, a source told The Star.
Kemp was an exclusive rights free agent.
The Chiefs have indicated potential for a reunion, a source said, but other teams have showed interest in the 24-year-old receiver.
A season-ending knee injury deprived him of the opportunity to make the Chiefs’ roster out of training camp.
Kemp appeared in all 16 games in 2018 as a core special teams player. He also caught one pass for seven yards.
Yelder stays in place
The Chiefs tendered a qualifying offer to exclusive rights free agent Deon Yelder, a source told The Star.
Yelder, a tight end, appeared in nine games with one start in 2019, totaling three catches for 50 yards.
If the Chiefs don’t bring back Blake Bell, Yelder figures to be in line to battle with Nick Keizer and John Lovett, who spent last season on injured reserve, for the right to be Travis Kelce’s backup.
Wylie gets qualifying offer
The Chiefs have tendered a qualifying offer to exclusive rights free agent Andrew Wylie, a source told The Star.
Per NFL rules, an exclusive rights free agent — a player with fewer than three accrued seasons — cannot enter negotiations with another team if he has been presented a qualifying tender.
Wylie has started 21 games on the offensive line over the past two seasons. He battled an ankle sprain last year, limiting him to 11 games.
The Chiefs signed Wylie, who went undrafted in 2017, in January 2018. After serving as a backup to open the 2018 season, he plugged in for injured Laurent Duvernay-Tardif as the team’s starter, a role Wylie didn’t relinquish for the rest of the year. He opened 2019 as the starter at guard before an ankle injury opened an avenue for Steve Wisniewski.
Wisniewski started in the team’s playoff run, but he is a free agent this offseason.
Jones to be tagged
The Chiefs are placing a franchise tag on defensive tackle Chris Jones, a source confirmed with The Star.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the news.
It is a non-exclusive franchise tag, a source told The Star.
This move was expected, as initially reported by The Star in late February at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Once official, the Chiefs and Jones’ representatives have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal.
If the two sides can’t come to an agreement, Jones would then play the 2020 season under a one-year franchise tag, provided he signs it.
Wilson to return
The Chiefs are planning to exercise a club option on linebacker Damien Wilson, a source told The Star.
The option carries a base salary of $3.2 million.
Wilson finished the 2019 regular season second on the team with 81 tackles, adding 1 1/2 sacks, a pass defensed, a forced fumble and four quarterback hits on 714 snaps.
Williams in the fold
Running back Damien Williams is staying put.
The Chiefs plan to exercise a club option on Williams, a source confirmed with The Star.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first reported the news Monday morning.
The 5-foot-11, 224-pound Williams came on strong in the second half of the 2019 season after missing time because of a rib injury, totaling 189 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the final two regular-season games. He added 57 yards receiving and a touchdown in that span.
On the regular season, Williams, who turns 28 on April 3, totaled 711 yards (498 rushing) and seven touchdowns.
Williams more than proved his worth during the postseason, where he produced 355 yards rushing and 10 total touchdowns. During Super Bowl LIV, Williams totaled 133 yards (104 rushing) and two touchdowns to help the Chiefs secure a league championship for the first time in 50 years.
With LeSean McCoy expected to become an unrestricted free agent, the Chiefs project to have Williams, Darrel Williams and Darwin Thompson in the backfield. The team could also add depth either through free agency or the draft.
Chiefs letting Xavier Williams walk
The Chiefs will not bring back defensive tackle Xavier Williams, a source told The Star.
Williams, 28, a Grandview High School graduate, spent the past two years playing for his hometown team. But an ankle injury ravaged most of his 2019 season. It caused him to miss the final 11 games of the regular season before the Chiefs activated him for the playoffs, where he played 30 defensive snaps.
This story was originally published March 16, 2020 at 8:16 AM.
