Just a week removed from its AFC Championship win over the Buffalo Bills, the Kansas City Chiefs are being linked to a key starter for the AFC’s No. 2 seed.
With one all-important game left to play this season, the Chiefs’ ravaged offensive line has come under the microscope in the days leading up to its final task: neutralizing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ powerful pass rush. With only one Week 1 starter still left standing — center Austin Reiter — the future of Patrick Mahomes‘ frontline has also come into question.
One potential solution to consider this offseason?
Old friend Mitch Morse.
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Bills Could Move on From Morse 2 Years Early
Morse is a well-known commodity in Chiefs Kingdom, where the 28-year-old spent the first four years of his NFL career after the defending Super Bowl champions drafted him in the second round (No. 49 overall) in 2015. The 6-foot-6, 305-pounder has started all 79 games over six seasons, including his first 49 in Kansas City.
This week, Arrowhead Addict’s Matt Connor connected the dots on a potential return to Kansas City for the Missouri product, suggesting that Morse could be a cap casualty for Buffalo in the coming weeks.
Heading into next season, Morse has the fourth-highest cap hit for the Bills, which would be fine, but the rest of the line is also getting expensive. Guard/center Jon Feliciano is going to be a free agent, as is Darryl Williams, and it makes sense for the Bills to explore bringing both back.
In addition, there are health concerns around Morse given that he suffered his fifth documented concussion earlier this year. He returned after missing a couple games in the season’s mid-section to start every game from Week 12 on, but the team can’t pretend it’s not a concern going forward.
Beyond that, the Bills also had an odd episode in mid-November to reflect back on when Morse was a healthy scratch for the team. He was active and practicing, having just returned from the concussion protocol, yet he didn’t play against the Arizona Cardinals in a Week 10 loss.
While Reiter has done an admirable job taking over under center since Morse’s departure two seasons ago, the 29-year-old former seventh-rounder is set to hit the open market this offseason. According to an early evaluation from Spotrac, Reiter’s market value could reach $11.4 million annually, or the equivalent of a three-year, $34.2 million contract. Already $18.7 million over a projected $175 million 2021 cap number, the Chiefs would be unlikely to match a contract of that significance.
In addition to the interior line, the guard and tackle positions will need attention from general manager Brett Veach and staff. Veterans Kelechi Osemele, Mike Remmers, Daniel Kilgore and Andrew Wylie (restricted) are also impending free agents, while starting bookends Mitchell Schwartz (back) and Eric Fisher (torn Achilles) are uncertanties to open next season.
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Chris Licata is an NFL contributor covering the Kansas City Chiefs from enemy territory in Denver, Colorado. Follow him on Twitter @Chris__Licata or join the Heavy on Chiefs Facebook community for the latest out of Chiefs Kingdom!
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