Day 2 of NFL’s open negotiation period: Chiefs’ latest moves include adding 49ers DL
The Chiefs on Tuesday enter the second day of the NFL’s open negotiations period before Wednesday’s start of the league’s new calendar year.
The two-day period means teams around the league are allowed to contact and enter negotiations with agents of pending unrestricted free agents. Any agreed-upon deal, though, won’t be official until Wednesday at 3 p.m. Central time.
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach made a splash Monday by reportedly agreeing to terms on a four-year deal with offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor, who projects to play left tackle in Kansas City. Taylor’s arrival signals the Chiefs are prepared to lose Orlando Brown Jr., who made two straight Pro Bowls as the Chiefs’ left tackle, in free agency.
While the Chiefs welcomed Taylor, they bid farewell to a last year’s starting right tackle Andrew Wylie, who agreed to terms on a three-year deal with the Washington Commanders.
With the first wave of free agency in full effect, the Chiefs are far from done adding to their roster.
Follow along below as The Star tracks Tuesday’s happenings:
• The Chiefs added a pass rusher late Tuesday, with The Star confirming that 49ers defensive lineman Charles Omenihu had agreed to a two-year deal. The NFL Netwok first reported the pact.
Omenihu, 25, was ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 35th-best free agent this offseason. The 6-foot-5, 280-pound fourth-year player posted a 75.2 PFF pass rush grade for San Francisco last year, which ranked 15th among 52 edge rushers who played more than half their team’s snaps.
KC had a need for players on the outside, as the team recently released Frank Clark. Carlos Dunlap, meanwhile, is also an unrestricted free agent.
Omenihu also could have some versatility inside too, as he played more than 100 snaps at defensive tackle last year, according to PFF’s logs.
• The Chiefs extended a qualifying tender to tight end Jody Fortson, who is an exclusive-rights free agent, a source familiar with the situation confirmed with The Star. As an exclusive-rights free agent, Forton’s options are limited to either signing the one-year tender or not playing in 2023.
Fortson, a fan favorite, made the active 53-player roster in two straight regular seasons, appearing in 19 games with one start and totaling 14 catches for 155 yards and four touchdowns as a backup. He finished the 2021 and 2022 regular seasons on injured reserve.
• Late Monday night, Ari Meirov reported that the Chiefs had agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal to re-sign defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton. Aaron Wilson later reported details of the incentive-laden contract, which includes a $25,000 per game roster bonus.
Wharton, 24, played five games for the Chiefs last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury in October. He’s spent the last three years with the Chiefs after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri S&T in 2020.
• Fullback Michael Burton, who had spent the last two years with the Chiefs, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos, a source confirmed to The Star. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was first to report Burton’s deal.
Burton, previously a short-yardage specialist for KC, played in all 20 games for the Chiefs last season while serving a significant role on special teams. He had five carries for seven yards.
This story was originally published March 14, 2023 at 7:29 AM.
