KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Here is part II of this week’s Kansas City Chiefs mailbag. To ask a question for a future edition, send it to me via Twitter (@adamteicher) and tag it #ChiefsMail.
@adamteicher how should we use the rest of our cap room? @EvanMathis69 or resign @SeanSMITH24 #Chiefsmail
- Bleed Red & Gold (@redngoldbleeder) July 24, 2015
@adamteicher: Maybe the best thing for the Chiefs to do with their remaining salary cap space (about $8.6 million on Friday afternoon, according to the NFL Players Association) is to save it, for now at least. Let's see if they have any injuries during camp or the preseason. It makes more sense to spend that way than just burn through their money now. That sounds like what they would be doing if they signed guard Evan Mathis. I'm not certain he's better than what they have now at guard. It's also not a bad idea to re-sign players in the final season of their contracts but I don't know whether Sean Smith is worth re-signing. He'll be 29 when next season opens. Not ancient but the Chiefs drafted Marcus Peters in the first round this year thinking he can eventually take over from Smith as the No. 1 cornerback. Also, teams can carry unused cap space into next season. That wouldn't be a bad idea.
@adamteicher @KCChiefs Would it be best for the Chiefs to get Wayne, Welker, or another WR? How likely is it that we get a new WR b4 week 1? - Matthew Vale (@MatthewVale3) July 24, 2015
@adamteicher: I want to see how the wide receivers look at training camp before declaring that the Chiefs need to add someone there. There's a reason Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker and others are still available in late July. If they were as good as they were a few years ago, they'd already be in camp with some team. That doesn't mean one of them isn't good enough to help the Chiefs.
@adamteicher what is the status of TE Demetrius Harris? #chiefsmail
- Terry Dunlap (@tfactordunlap) July 24, 2015
@adamteicher: Harris had a second surgery in the spring to repair a broken foot. That's never a good sign. He didn't participate in offseason practice, but the Chiefs don't seem concerned about his availability. They haven't moved to sign a veteran tight end who can help as a pass receiver.
@adamteicher a name chiefs fans may not be familiar with that you see a good chance of making the 53 #chiefsmail - jmccarty1982 (@McCarty1982) July 24, 2015
@adamteicher: I'm not sure he qualifies because he was with the Chiefs all of last season, though he never played in a game. But I want to see how Laurent Duvernay-Tardif does in training camp. He still may be another year away from helping the Chiefs but I do think he will eventually be a starter for them. Rookie tight end James O'Shaughnessy looked good in offseason practice. Camp will be a better gauge for his readiness, but I do think he will make the roster.
@adamteicher #mailbag with the Chiefs starting mid LB's back, why have experts been so hard on the team for not addressing run defense?
- Keith Morris (@achurchboy) July 18, 2015
with the Chiefs starting mid LB's back, why have experts been so hard on the team for not addressing run defense?
@adamteicher: The Chiefs played all but a few snaps last year without two of their best run defenders, linebacker Derrick Johnson and defensive end Mike DeVito, and much of the season without another one, safety Eric Berry. Johnson and DeVito are back, though Berry isn't, and I think their returns will help the Chiefs. But the Chiefs also need to tackle better. Linebacker Josh Mauga and safety Ron Parker in particular missed too many tackles.