Chiefs’ Sammy Watkins, Tanoh Kpassagnon among notable players entering contract year
Numerous players on the Chiefs’ current roster are set to play the 2020 regular season with an opportunity to earn bigger paychecks in 2021.
Indeed, we’re talking about contract-year players.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes warrants a mention here, of course. The Super Bowl MVP was on track to enter the final year of his rookie contract, but the Chiefs bought some time in late April to work on a lucrative long-term deal by exercising a fifth-year option on their 2017 first-round pick.
As for the window to finalize a deal with Mahomes, keep in mind that Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said at the Super Bowl six months ago that the time will be right “in the next 12 to 15 months” to get an extension done.
In the meantime, here are the key Chiefs players who are entering a contract season:
DT Chris Jones: This can go a couple of ways, with Jones either playing the upcoming season in Kansas City on a one-year franchise tag or signing long-term deal. It’s been quiet on the Jones front, but that hardly comes as a surprise because the NFL is a business driven by deadlines, which for franchised players such as Jones falls on July 15. The Chiefs and Jones have until that league-wide deadline to work out a long-term deal. If there is no deal, then the two sides must wait for the end of the season to return to the negotiating table. Jones, provided he signs the franchise tag, would earn a base salary of $16.1 million in 2020. Like Mahomes, the Chiefs throughout the offseason have repeatedly categorized Jones as a priority.
WR Sammy Watkins: The Chiefs restructured Watkins’ contract in early April and the wide receiver will earn a salary worth up to $9 million in 2020. Over the past two seasons, Watkins has produced 92 catches for 1,192 yards and six touchdowns while appearing in 24 regular-season games with 22 starts. His performance during the Chiefs’ postseason run to a Super Bowl championship was exceptional: 14 catches for 288 yards and a touchdown.
RB Damien Williams: The Chiefs exercised a contract option on Williams before the start of free agency. He earned it with 355 yards rushing and 10 total touchdowns in the postseason to help the Chiefs win a title. But Williams’ future in Kansas City beyond the 2020 season is unclear; the Chiefs used a first-round pick on running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire this spring.
CB Bashaud Breeland: The veteran cornerback returned on a one-year deal worth up to $4.5 million and he’ll help anchor the position group with Charvarius Ward, who will be a restricted free agent in 2021. Last year, Breeland appeared in 16 games with 15 starts and totaled 48 tackles, two interceptions and eight passes defensed on 927 defensive snaps — fourth-most on the team.
S Daniel Sorensen: The veteran safety will earn a base salary of $3.6 million in 2020. On a team full of superstars on both sides of the football, Sorensen fits just fine and continues to show value as an interchangeable defensive player and a core special-teams contributor.
C Austin Reiter: He earns a base salary of $2.2 million in 2020 and the Chiefs have decision to make after that. They signed center Darryl Williams, who can also play guard, as an undrafted free agent after the 2020 NFL Draft, but experience is valuable in the Chiefs’ offensive scheme.
LB Damien Wilson: The Chiefs exercised a contract option on Wilson before the start of free agency and he’ll earn a base salary of $3.2 million in 2020. Wilson started all 16 regular-season games last year and finished second on the team in tackles (81) on 714 defensive snaps.
DE Tanoh Kpassagnon: Considered raw out of college in 2017, Kpassagnon came into his own last year. This is backed up by his stats: He appeared in all 16 regular-season games and drew a career-high eight starts, finishing with career highs in tackles (21), sacks (5), quarterback hits (11) and defensive snaps (702). Kpassagnon also showed versatility last year by playing both on the edge and sliding inside as a defensive tackle. He is easily one of the more intriguing players on the Chiefs’ roster to monitor during a contract year.
WR Demarcus Robinson: Perhaps it was bad timing for Robinson to be a free agent this year. The 2020 NFL Draft boasted what many analysts considered the deepest wide receiver class in recent memory. When Robinson’s free-agency value didn’t soar, he returned to the Chiefs on a one-year deal. The Chiefs’ top four at the position appears set, with Tyreek Hill, Watkins, Mecole Hardman and Robinson.
DE Taco Charlton: The former first-round pick of the 2017 NFL Draft went through the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins before signing with the Chiefs on a one-year, $825,000 deal this offseason. The 25-year-old Charlton, who entered the NFL out of Michigan with lofty expectations, is motivated to prove his skill-set fits the Chiefs’ defensive scheme.
Other notable Chiefs who are entering contract years: fullback Anthony Sherman, defensive tackle Mike Pennel, offensive lineman Mike Remmers, cornerback Antonio Hamilton, tight end Ricky Seals-Jones and running back DeAndre Washington.
