With the 2023 NFL season still months away and training camp on the horizon, multiple former Kansas City Chiefs players remain free agents.
The 2023 league year officially began on March 5, and there was a bevy of free agents and trades made that shook up the landscape of the NFL. That rush continued through the 2023 NFL Draft, as teams selected the top college prospects that they felt could help them compete for a Lombardi Trophy down the line. Now, we are in the midst of organized team activities (OTAs), meaning that we are a step closer to training camp.
With training camp on the horizon, there are still players that need a new home, at least through the summer. Surprisingly, some big names have yet to sign with a new team. And shockingly, some of them are former Kansas City Chiefs players.
Here are four Chiefs players who are surprisingly still free agents.
4 former Chiefs players who are still surprisingly free agents, No. 4: Frank Clark, DE
The first name that comes to mind for Chiefs fans is defensive end, Frank Clark.
Ahead of the 2019 season, the Chiefs negotiated a trade with the Seattle Seahawks to bring in Clark. This was their big move to help the team make a push for a Super Bowl title. Sure enough, they did just that, winning Super Bowl 54 in a three-game playoff run, where Clark recorded nine combined tackles (six solo, three assisted), seven quarterback hits, and five sacks.
Clark was the face of the Chiefs' pass rush for his five years with the team, where he made it to the Pro Bowl three years in a row (2019-21).
This past regular season, Clark put up 39 combined tackles (25 solo, 14 assisted), 13 quarterback hits, and five sacks in 15 games played. But in the playoffs, Clark showed up when it mattered the most, specifically in the AFC Championship Game. Facing the Cincinnati Bengals, Clark recorded three quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks on Joe Burrow in the team's 23-20 win.
The Chiefs opted to release Clark from his contract this offseason after the two sides couldn't agree on a restructured deal. As of this writing, he is still a free agent.
4 former Chiefs players who are still surprisingly free agents, No. 3: Marcus Peters, CB
One of the top free agents available listed by NFL.com is none other than former Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters.
Of course, Peters started his career with the Chiefs as a first-round pick in 2015. In his first season, he won Defensive Rookie of the Year after leading the league in interceptions (eight), yards interceptions were returned (280), interceptions returned for touchdowns (two), and passes defended (26). In his first two years, Peters made the Pro Bowl. But after his third season, Peters was traded to the Los Angeles Rams.
With the Chiefs, Peters recorded 151 combined tackles (130 solo, 21 assisted), 55 defended passes, 19 interceptions, five forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries.
Peters would spend less than two years with the Rams before he was traded to the Baltimore Ravens in the middle of the 2019 season. He would miss the 2021 season due to a torn ACL. But he did return this past season.
Through 13 games played last season, Peters recorded 47 combined tackles (35 solo, 12 assisted), six passes defended, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one interception. In coverage, Peters allowed 54 receptions for 711 yards and seven touchdowns on 84 targets, per Pro Football Reference.
While Peters didn't put up the best numbers in coverage, he is still the best cornerback available right now in free agency. It may only be a matter of time before a team in need of secondary help gives him a call.
4 former Chiefs players who are still surprisingly free agents, No. 2: Melvin Ingram, LB
The Kansas City Chiefs have brought in some big players over the years. One that had an abbreviated stay was none other than former Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram.
After spending his first nine years in the NFL with the Chargers, Ingram signed on with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2021 season, where he was primarily used as a rotational edge rusher. So, the Chiefs negotiated a trade to bring Ingram for their push to another Super Bowl title.
In the 2021 regular season, Ingram recorded 15 combined tackles (seven solo, eight assisted), five quarterback hits, one sack, and one forced fumble in nine games (six starts).
Ingram played a huge factor in Kansas City's run in the playoffs. In their Divisional Round matchup against the Buffalo Bills, Ingram recorded three combined tackles (two solo, one assisted), one sack, and one quarterback hit in the 42-36 overtime victory. Then in the AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Ingram recorded two quarterback hits, one sack, and one solo tackle in the 27-24 overtime loss.
Last offseason, Ingram signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins. Playing in all 17 regular-season games, the edge rusher put up 22 combined tackles (15 solo, seven assisted), 10 quarterback hits, six sacks, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and one defended pass.
Ingram showed in the past two seasons that he can still contribute to a team, even off the bench.
3 former Chiefs players who are still surprisingly free agents, No. 1: Justin Houston, LB
Much like Melvin Ingram, Justin Houston is an edge rusher entering his age 34 season. But, he has shown that he still can play a significant role on an NFL defense.
The Chiefs used their 2011 third-round pick on Houston out of Georgia, and he became a longtime face of the defense. Through his eight seasons with the team, Houston made it to the Pro Bowl in four consecutive seasons (2012-15) and was named First-team All-Pro in 2014 after leading the league with 22 sacks. Overall, Houston recorded 382 combined tackles (319 solo, 63 assisted), 118 quarterback hits, 78.5 sacks, 32 passes defended, 14 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries, and four interceptions.
After the 2018 season, the Chiefs released Houston. From there, the veteran linebacker spent the 2019 and 2020 campaigns with the Indianapolis Colts. Then, Houston signed with the Baltimore Ravens, where he showed can still put up solid numbers. He led all Ravens players with 9.5 sacks in 2022!
For teams whose defenses need help getting to the quarterback, Houston could be a good player to sign.