Chiefs Should Check in on Ex-All-Pro Guard, 2 Other Free Agents Before Camp

The Kansas City Chiefs always sign one or two veteran free agents late in the offseason process, and three available UFAs would make perfect sense for KC ahead of training camp in 2025.

Former All-Pro guard Brandon Scherff, run-stuffing defensive tackle Raekwon Davis, and three-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney.

That’s not to say the Chiefs should go and sign all three, but it would make sense for general manager Brett Veach to at least call and check in on this trio of experienced free agents, considering their lack of starting prowess and/or positional depth in these three areas. More below.

Brandon Scherff Would Fit Perfectly as One-Year Stopgap as Chiefs Draft Pick Kingsley Suamataia Transitions to Guard

The Chiefs’ current plan at left guard is risky, to say the least, especially for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

Former undrafted prospect Mike Caliendo showed the entire NFL that he was not ready to start against top competition in the playoffs last year, spelling Joe Thuney as he covered left tackle. Similarly, 2024 draft pick Kingsley Suamataia is just transitioning into the role and might not be ready to start.

Even if he’s a fast learner — and he didn’t appear to be as a rookie — wouldn’t it be more prudent to bring in a one-year stopgap like Scherff?

At age 33, Scherff is no longer the perennial Pro Bowler he used to be, but he managed to stay healthy and suit up for all 17 games in each of his past three seasons in Jacksonville, and he’s as experienced a guard as there is on the open market.

Analysts and writers have kicked around the idea of the Chiefs trading for a starting-caliber guard this summer, but why not just sign one?

Scherff has never played for a legitimate Super Bowl contender, with just four career postseason starts split between Washington and Jacksonville. It’s possible he’d be willing to sign at a discounted rate if it meant blocking for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

Raekwon Davis Would Fill Chiefs’ Free Agent Need at Nose Tackle

Ironically, the Chiefs’ second biggest need lines up directly opposite the interior offensive line. And that’s a defensive tackle, but more specifically, a nose tackle.

Outside of the 34-year-old Mike Pennel, Kansas City doesn’t really have many sure things at this position — and describing Pennel as such feels ambitious, too.

Second-year UDFA Fabien Lovett Sr. might be the favorite to win the backup nose tackle job at Chiefs training camp, and he’s never appeared in a regular season game. If healthy, former Miami Dolphins second-round pick and soon-to-be 28-year-old Raekwon Davis could be the safer option.

Entering his sixth year in the league, the 6-foot-7, 325-pound Davis held opposing ball carriers to an average of 2.0 rushing yards per run defense tackle in 2024. He was credited with 4 key defensive “stops” in this area, compared to zero missed tackles.

Davis hasn’t provided much as a pass rusher in recent seasons, but that’s not what KC would be bringing him in for. He’s a space clogger who has spent the majority of his NFL snaps lined up in either the A-Gap or B-Gap.

The one question mark about Davis is his current health. The Indianapolis Colts released him in March with a “non-football illness,” and Davis has dealt with high blood pressure issues in the past.

Could Jadeveon Clowney Finally Sign With Chiefs for 2025 Training Camp?

Clowney is one of those players who has been theorized as a free agent option for the Chiefs many times over the years, but he’s yet to sign with KC despite suiting up for six different NFL teams.

Perhaps, that’s a sign the Chiefs aren’t huge fans of his game, but there’s a world where he could be very useful in 2025 as a situational pass rusher and edge defender against the run.

Kansas City has George Karlaftis, Mike Danna, Charles Omenihu and developing first-round talent Felix Anudike-Uzomah as their top four defensive ends right now. They also have a rookie draft pick likely to make the roster in Ashton Gillotte.

Having said that, the Chiefs are one key injury away from big question marks on the edge.

Is Anudike-Uzomah ready for a heavy snap count? Can Gillotte step in as a rookie and perform? Is Omenihu still the same pass rusher following a 2-sack campaign (throughout 9 appearances, including playoffs)?

Clowney covers up a lot of those depth concerns. In a down year in 2024, he still recorded 5.5 sacks and 44 quarterback pressures, and he’s always graded out solidly as a run defender. The main concern would be his price tag.

The last time Clowney’s big-money contract was terminated in 2023, he signed a one-year deal with Baltimore for a little over $2.5 million. If the Chiefs were interested, they’d be looking for Clowney to take a similar type of salary cut this offseason.

Although cornerback and safety were considered, these three positions feel like the Chiefs’ top needs heading into training camp, and the veterans listed above could help solve each one.