Chiefs signing Anthony Hitchens

shoop

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Chiefs begin defensive rebuild with Anthony Hitchens
Posted by Darin Gantt on March 13, 2018, 8:21 AM EDT

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At some point, the Chiefs had to start adding instead of just subtracting on defense.

And it appears they’ve begun that process.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Chiefs are about to sign Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens to a deal worth $9 million per year.

The 25-year-old Hitchens was capable of playing all three linebacker positions in a 4-3, but likely slots in as the replacement for Derrick Johnson in the middle of the Chiefs’ 3-4.

In addition to Johnson, the Chiefs have also cut pass-rusher Tamba Hali and safety Ron Parker, and traded cornerback Marcus Peters.

So while they still have plenty of work to do, Hitchens is a solid building block on that side to go along with their splash signing of wide receiver Sammy Watkins.
 

boozeman

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:lol

The Chiefs are overpaying for this guy. How they figure he is a centerpiece to their defensive system is beyond me.
 

boozeman

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9 mil per year. Yep, looks like we won't be touching free agency.
Well, if they wanted to pay that kind of coin to a guy like Hitchens, perhaps their strategy is not that dumb after all.

These are the kind of contracts that get GMs fired if they don't pan out. And the odds are against what basically amounts to a utility LBer blossoming into a defensive leader in a system he has never played in.
 

Rev

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Would have liked to have kept him but 9 is a crazy number.
 

Simpleton

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This more or less makes him a borderline top 10 paid off-ball LB by AAV, which is ridiculous.

Go sign Tahir Whitehead for 3 a year and you won't notice much, if any drop off.
 

boozeman

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This more or less makes him a borderline top 10 paid off-ball LB by AAV, which is ridiculous.

Go sign Tahir Whitehead for 3 a year and you won't notice much, if any drop off.
They can draft a guy better than he is in the 3rd or 4th this year.

He was massively overrated by this staff mainly because he was a decent security blanket for Lee's inevitable injuries.
 

Simpleton

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They can draft a guy better than he is in the 3rd or 4th this year.

He was massively overrated by this staff mainly because he was a decent security blanket for Lee's inevitable injuries.
That too although I'd rather not be forced into that position, sign someone like Whitehead for 2-3 years and then if the draft falls that way great.
 

boozeman

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That too although I'd rather not be forced into that position, sign someone like Whitehead for 2-3 years and then if the draft falls that way great.
But I don't think Dallas is all into that kind of signing. Think lower. Like dirt cheap lower. Like Kelvin Sheppard cheap.
 

ravidubey

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Chiefs are paying for Hitchens’ young age. Our team needs more veterans if anything.

Dontari Poe on a cuttable deal.
 

Cotton

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Jesus Christ, I wanted to keep him, but no way would I have paid him 9 a year. Hell, we are only paying Lee 7 a year. Just wow.
 

p1_

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They’ll take a LB at 19 now. Cause we’re keeping our stud WR.
 

boozeman

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Jesus Christ, I wanted to keep him, but no way would I have paid him 9 a year. Hell, we are only paying Lee 7 a year. Just wow.
I have not seen what years three and beyond look like though. It looks like a lot of money, but if you want to secure a young player you think can start, that is pretty much what you are going to end up doing.

I am just glad we did not restructure someone just to re-sign this guy.
 

Couchcoach

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Free agency and salary cap is a ridiculous game. Draft a few guys who are solid and you can't afford to keep at least one of them. So then you end up overpaying his replacement or get stuck with a JAG. At the same time you're trying to restructure a star's contract and praying you get more hits than misses in the draft.
At least McClay has done a good job evaluating talent for our roster. Can't say much for the coaching staff in charge of doing anything with it.
 

Couchcoach

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Chiefs are paying for Hitchens’ young age. Our team needs more veterans if anything.

Dontari Poe on a cuttable deal.
I think finding a way to sign Poe would be a great idea. 1 tech situation would be addressed and that would free us up to go other directions in the draft. At least in the early rounds.
 

Smitty

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I'm beginning to sour on the NFL's hard cap system. Maybe we need a soft cap like the NBA.

Or a soft cap for re-signing your own guys but a hard cap, separately, for a free agent signing pool.
 

Genghis Khan

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I'm beginning to sour on the NFL's hard cap system. Maybe we need a soft cap like the NBA.

Or a soft cap for re-signing your own guys but a hard cap, separately, for a free agent signing pool.

It's kind of a soft cap now with these rollover dollars, isn't it?
 

boozeman

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Unbelievable.
 
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