Jody Fortson is back: Where KC Chiefs stand on Day 2 of NFL’s ‘legal tampering’ period
The Chiefs entered the second day of the NFL’s open-negotiation period with room to add to their roster.
They made a flurry of moves on Monday, agreeing to terms on a three-year deal with safety Justin Reid, restructuring defensive end Frank Clark’s contract and bringing back fullback Michael Burton on a one-year deal.
Reid’s contract won’t become official until late Wednesday afternoon, when the NFL’s new calendar year begins. And the same applies to any agreed-upon deal between the Chiefs and a free agent from another team during the league’s “legal-tampering period.”
While the Chiefs welcomed Reid into the fold, they bid farewell to cornerback Charvarius Ward, who agreed to terms with the San Francisco 49ers on a reported three-year deal worth up to $42 million.
Ward’s departure means the Chiefs will be in the market for a starting-caliber cornerback. They’ll also need to add to their defensive line, and they’ve been linked to wide receiver Jarvis Landry, whom the Cleveland Browns released Monday.
Check back here throughout the day and evening on Tuesday for updates.
- The Chiefs are extending a qualifying tender to tight end Jody Fortson as an exclusive-right free agent for 2022, a source familiar with the situation told The Star. Fortson, a fan favorite, broke though during last year’s training camp and made the 53-player roster after spending the previous two seasons on the practice squad. He was enjoying a strong start to the season in three-tight end sets, totaling five catches for 57 yards and two touchdowns, before suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in Week 6. When healthy, the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Fortson, a converted wide receiver, provides the Chiefs a big target in the passing game.
This story was originally published March 15, 2022 at 12:39 PM.
