They must make a big move.
Despite having some glaring needs on offense, the Kansas City Chiefs have spent most of their offseason resources on revamping the defense. As such, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see them still looking to make another move.
That might’ve been why they restructured George Karlaftis’ lofty deal. They converted roughly $9.7 million of his salary into a signing bonus to create $7.7 million in cap space, and they’re now sitting on $13.2 million of cash to spend.
Notably, that type of financial flexibility puts them in a prime position to make a run at Cameron Jordan. The New Orleans Saints’ all-time sacks leader is still a free agent, and he’d be an elite addition, even at this point in his career.
The Chiefs should go all-in on Cameron Jordan
The Chiefs’ pass-rush has left plenty to be desired over the years. George Karlaftis hasn’t lived up to his contract, Chris Jones isn’t getting any younger, and Felix Anudike-Uzomah has been underwhelming. That’s why they spent such valuable draft capital to get R Mason Thomas.
Like Jones, Jordan is no spring chicken. Nevertheless, he’s coming off logging 10.5 sacks, 47 total tackles (32 solo), 15 tackles for loss, 15 QB hits, and two forced fumbles despite playing less than 54% of his team’s defensive snaps. Even at 36 years old, he made an impact when he was on the field, and he’d give the Chiefs a bona fide headhunter in obvious passing situations.
According to ESPN, the Chiefs ranked 10th in pass-rush win rate last season (40%). However, they struggled to finish plays, as they were tied for 21st in sacks per game (2.1) and didn’t have a single player reaching double digits in sacks. In fact, only Karlaftis (6.0) and Jones (7.0) had more than five sacks.
Jordan has always been a productive edge rusher, and he’d give the Chiefs and R Mason Thomas one of the best mentors they could ask for. He’s earned the right to play for a Super Bowl contender for a change, and Jones has been trying to recruit him for a while now.
According to PFF, his 36 total pressures ranked 53rd among edge rushers. However, he got that in just 336 pass-rushing snaps, all while also getting 33 run stops. His production was stellar on a per-snap basis, and the Chiefs don’t even need him to be on the field that often.
Jordan is projected to get a one-year deal worth roughly $6.8 million, according to Spotrac, which is well within their price range. He won’t be a long-term contributor to Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, but he can give this team just a strong-enough push to get back to where they belong in 2026.
