Why the Chiefs are going all-in for a 3-peat | The Exempt List
Yahoo Sports NFL writer Charles McDonald is joined by Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus to discuss the massive deal given to Chris Jones, Travis Kelce’s likely swan song and what it all means about Kansas City’s quest to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls. Hear the full conversation on “The Exempt List with Charles McDonald” - part of the “Zero Blitz” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
CHARLES MCDONALD: The Chiefs are all in on trying to get this three-peat. We'll see where L'Jarius Sneed winds up, if he winds up somewhere. With each passing day, I kind of think he's just going to be back with the Chiefs next year and they'll figure out some way to get everything underneath the cap and get healthy.
But dude, I was talking to our friend, Justin Moschitta, about this yesterday. And he was having some quibbles with, oh, man, like, the Chris Jones contract-- like, that's a lot of money for a 30-year-old defensive tackle. And then he immediately followed up by saying, well, I guess it doesn't matter, you have Mahomes, right?
And that's where I feel like the Chiefs are right now because that is a lot of money for a 30-year-old defensive tackle. And you're attaching like, some pretty hefty years onto it. I think they can probably get out of it when maybe he's around 33 or 34 years old, depending on how comfortable you feel taking on a big dead cap hit. But this team also drafted Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round. And it didn't slow them down like, one bit.
TREVOR SIKKEMA: It didn't matter. It just didn't matter at all. The only thing that mattered for Kansas City-- genuinely, the only thing that matters for Kansas City is next season. That's it. That's why I agree with you, too.
Like, I actually think it's most likely that Sneed is back. They're just trying to three-peat. I feel as though Travis Kelce is close to being done as well. But he wasn't going to retire the same year that his brother did. And he certainly wasn't going to retire when his team has a chance to go out and three-peat.
So I think they're giving it one more run. He's going to give it one more run. And then if you take Travis Kelce out of that offense, the receiving options that they have are not great. It's like there's no real impact players. I like Rashee Rice, obviously. But I feel as though the yards after catchability that he has and how you can kind of scheme a lot of those things up work because you have a guy like Kelce and you have some other players to work with as well.
But as it stands right now, you're just trying to keep the offensive line. You're trying to keep those pass catchers. And you're trying to keep the best of your defensive guys all together to make a run for next year.
So I agree with Justice. Like, it's a ton of money for a defensive tackle. But he's totally right. You have Mahomes. The window is always open. And you have a shot at a three-peat, which no one ever freaking has. Like, nobody ever gets the shot to do this.
So pay him whatever he wants. He can't-- you can't let him walk while you're trying to do this. So it kind of just is what it is.