Could the Kansas City Chiefs go back to the trade market to find their left tackle of the future? One ESPN insider is watching a particular player closely if that’s the case.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano recently helped compile some last-minute free agency and trade buzz with the NFL’s legal tampering period kicking off at noon tomorrow. He mentioned that Houston Texans LT Laremy Tunsil could be a trade target for Kansas City if they’re unable to get a long-term deal done with Orlando Brown Jr. ahead of Monday.
Check it out:
Originally Posted by :
“One potential trade target I’m watching is Houston left tackle Laremy Tunsil. The Texans have resisted trading him in recent years, but he has just one year and a nonguaranteed $18.5 million left on his contract and could be a target of the Chiefs if they aren’t able to bring back Orlando Brown Jr.”
What would need to happen for a trade to materialize?
First, Houston would need to decide that they did not want to pay Tunsil a long-term contract extension. That would be a bold move considering they’re expected to draft a rookie quarterback and nothing is better for a rookie quarterback than an established left tackle.
Second, the two sides would have to agree on trade compensation. Would the Chiefs really be willing to potentially give up a first-round draft pick in 2023 (and potentially more) for Tunsil when they’re hosting the draft in Kansas City?
Next up, the Chiefs and Tunsil’s representation would need to first agree to a contract extension that would lower his 2023 salary cap hit. Right now, his cap hit would put the team over the cap.
Finally, Kansas City must view Tunsil as their “long-term solution” at left tackle. Will they envision him as such when he’ll be 29 years old in Week 1 of 2023? There is certainly nothing wrong with his ability — in three of the past four seasons, he’s been among PFF’s highest-graded pass-blocking offensive tackles. They should have no problem paying for that production, but would it be for more than one contract? It’s hard to say. When you draft a rookie in the first round, you get five years of control (fifth-year option), plus a likely sixth year of control through the franchise tag. Then you have the potential of re-signing that player to a long-term deal afterward.
There are certainly benefits to trading for Tunsil, but given what we’re hearing about what the Chiefs want out of the left tackle position this offseason, a trade might not be the route they take. [Reply]
Originally Posted by O.city:
I don't see the Tunsil thing happening anymore. Financially, can't work.
This is all I'm saying. Would it be awesome to have an offensive line of Tunsil, Thuney, Humphrey, Smith and Taylor? Fuck yes it would. It's just not feasible if you want to actually compete past 2024 without gutting your team. [Reply]
Originally Posted by The Franchise:
You cool with losing Gay and Snead? Possibly losing Bolton in 2025 as well?
You are not paying anything for Creed and Smith for two more years.
You have been paying OBJ and Thuney top end money. So now you are paying Taylor (next year) year money, so lets just say to keep things easy he's getting OBJ's bucket of money. Now you add Tunsil, he gets Thuney type of money.
And it's all just shuffling of money around. Depending on how they play will determine who stays and who goes in the Line group.
I'd love to keep all of those guys, but I doubt it happens regardless if we trade for Tunsil or not. [Reply]
Originally Posted by The Franchise:
You cool with losing Gay and Snead? Possibly losing Bolton in 2025 as well?
Thuney is with us another 2 years max.
Mahomes is locked in for the next 7-8 years with restructures available
The cap is rising at a astronomical rate
Our entire secondary is locked in (Reid for 2) for the next 3 years
The way our draft class worked out I’m assuming Snead is gone. I’m just saying we have some absurd flexibility going forward [Reply]
Originally Posted by Hoover:
You are not paying anything for Creed and Smith for two more years.
You have been paying OBJ and Thuney top end money. So now you are paying Taylor (next year) year money, so lets just say to keep things easy he's getting OBJ's bucket of money. Now you add Tunsil, he gets Thuney type of money.
And it's all just shuffling of money around. Depending on how they play will determine who stays and who goes in the Line group.
I'd love to keep all of those guys, but I doubt it happens regardless if we trade for Tunsil or not.
We paid OBJ $16 million for one season. That's not top end money. If you bring in Tunsil...you're now going to have to pay him top LT money and that's hovering around $23-25 million a season. Taylor's cap hits after this year are at $24 million and Thuney's are at $22 million.
If you do a Jones extension, then he's sitting anywhere from $26-30 million for cap hits.
And people can sit there and claim to "just keep drafting!" but as of right now...last year was an anomaly. GMs don't draft that many starters in a draft like that. Would it be awesome if Veach kept doing that? Fuck yes. But to bank on that while you fill the roster with huge contracts is a great way to kill a dynasty before that shit ever starts. [Reply]
Literally the only way I can see a Tunsil trade working out cap wise is if you believe the following things:
1. Kelce is retiring in 2025 at 36. His cap hit comes off the books.
2. You plan on getting out of Thuney's contract in 2025 (or 2024 June 1st at the earliest).
3. You might need to get out of Taylor's contract in 2025.
That's understanding that your idea is to have Tunsil at LT. You already have a plan at LG. You can resign Humphrey. Smith leaves in FA. And you have a plan at RT.
That makes 2024 tight and you'd better hope that you're still nailing draft picks to fill depth spots. [Reply]
You're also going to have factor in the picks that it would take to get Tunsil because you're now losing out on those players and their cheap contracts. [Reply]
Originally Posted by The Franchise:
We paid OBJ $16 million for one season. That's not top end money. If you bring in Tunsil...you're now going to have to pay him top LT money and that's hovering around $23-25 million a season. Taylor's cap hits after this year are at $24 million and Thuney's are at $22 million.
If you do a Jones extension, then he's sitting anywhere from $26-30 million for cap hits.
And people can sit there and claim to "just keep drafting!" but as of right now...last year was an anomaly. GMs don't draft that many starters in a draft like that. Would it be awesome if Veach kept doing that? **** yes. But to bank on that while you fill the roster with huge contracts is a great way to kill a dynasty before that shit ever starts.
Again, I'm focusing on the next two years, because its kinda silly to really worry about what this team is going to look like in 2025.
Don't sneeze at the 16M OBJ number. A third of that covers Taylor this year. I understand that in 2024 that's a different story. Then there is the Thuney which is another significant post of money to open up to use on the Line.
And if you are wanting to talk about 2025, its sand to think about but you are probably not paying Travis Kelce. I don't know why we are going to get so uptight about 2025, when we could win two more Super Bowls before then. [Reply]
Originally Posted by The Franchise:
Literally the only way I can see a Tunsil trade working out cap wise is if you believe the following things:
1. Kelce is retiring in 2025 at 36. His cap hit comes off the books.
2. You plan on getting out of Thuney's contract in 2025 (or 2024 June 1st at the earliest).
3. You might need to get out of Taylor's contract in 2025.
That's understanding that your idea is to have Tunsil at LT. You already have a plan at LG. You can resign Humphrey. Smith leaves in FA. And you have a plan at RT.
That makes 2024 tight and you'd better hope that you're still nailing draft picks to fill depth spots.
Exactly. Its a risk worth taking, but understand I think its not very likely to happen. [Reply]