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Chiefs Rumor: Top 5 Free Agency targets?

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The Kansas City Chiefs head into the 2017 NFL season fresh off an AFC West title. Here are five free agents they should target.

The Kansas City Chiefs took home the AFC West title in 2016, only to find themselves beaten in the Divisional Round by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the No. 2 seed in the AFC. There are plenty of question marks heading into next season, especially whether or not Alex Smith will ever be able tow in them the big game as their quarterback. The Chiefs have a ton of talent on both sides of the ball, and a good offseason could land them right back atop the AFC West.

Kansas City plays in a very tough division, and teams like the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos are not far behind them. Head coach Andy Reid has some big decisions to make about his roster heading into next season, with the biggest being locking up star safety Eric Berry. If Kansas City wants to repeat in the AFC West, they need to be smart this free agency period.

Here are five possible free agent targets for the Kansas City Chiefs.

5MALCOLM SMITHLB, Oakland Raiders
For years, Derrick Johnson has been one of the best linebackers in football. Not only is he an incredible linebacker, but his leadership on the field for the Chiefs cannot be understated. However, he is starting to get up there in age, and the time may be coming for the Chiefs to start thinking about the future of the position. The success of the Chiefs really hinges on the play of their defense, so addressing all weaknesses will be a priority this offseason.

Johnson is 34-years old, and he has dealt with a torn achilles in two of the last three years. While he is most certainly going to play a big role in the Chiefs plans in 2017, he is going to need some help. Ramik Wilson is a solid player, who played in Johnson’s absence in 2016, but it would be unfair to compare him to Johnson. Kansas City needs to bring in a veteran to help out in 2017, and they may only have to look within their division to do so.

Malcolm Smith was the Super Bowl MVP for the Seattle Seahawks a couple of years back, and went to the Oakland Raiders to join defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. For the Raiders, Smith has proven to be a leader for the young roster on the field, and off of it, and his production has been just what the Raiders were hoping for. Re-signing him is going to be a priority for the Oakland Raiders, but the Chiefs may be able to wrestle him away from their division rival.

ROBERT WOODSWR, Buffalo Bills
While the big question heading into the offseason is whether or not Alex Smith will ever win a big game for the Kansas City Chiefs, the team needs to focus on the talent around him. Smith is never going to be a guy who is going to consistently put up 250-plus passing yards, but he does have the ability to distribute the ball well. Last season, star wide receiver Jeremy Maclin played like anything but, though a certain rookie really stepped up in his place.

Tyreek Hill made the Pro Bowl for the Chiefs this past season, as he was one of the more electric players in the NFL. While it remains to be seen whether or not he has an encore in him next season, the Chiefs need to bring in another wideout to add to the receiving corps. Robert Woods from the Buffalo Bills is a very good wide receiver, and he may be looking to sign elsewhere with the question marks in Buffalo about who is going to play quarterback.

There is no way of knowing what next season brings for either Maclin, or Hill, but the Chiefs cannot afford to take a step back. The Oakland Raiders were right on their heels last season, so the need to bring in some more weapons on offense has to be a concern for the Chiefs. Woods is the kind of player who is going to produce every week, and in an offense that likes to distribute the ball, he should have plenty of options to shine inside Arrowhead Stadium next season.

DONTARI POENT, Kansas City Chiefs
Bring him back? The Chiefs have a serious decision to make on Dontari Poe, who plays such a big role in their defense. Not only is he great at pushing the line back, but he is the kind of run stopper who can make an offense change their gameplan. He may be too much money for the team to bring back, and they do have some talented players behind him on the depth chart.

When it comes to the Chiefs free agents, Poe and Eric Berry are the obvious top two names, and they are both huge reasons why the Chiefs won the AFC West in 2016. Poe is an intimidating force in the middle of the Chiefs defense, and he would be hard to replace if the team cannot get a deal done. The Chiefs are only going to be as good as their defense allows them to be next season, and the unit is good enough to get them back to the playoffs.

Most people believe that Poe is the best 3-4 defensive lineman in this draft, and he is going to garner some big contract offers. Kansas City may want to place the franchise tag on him, but then they would be committing a chunk of their salary cap to him next season. The deal has to make sense, and if the Chiefs do decide to let him walk, they have a capable replacement in Jaye Howard to take over the spot left vacant by the departure of Poe.

A.J. BOUYECB, Houston Texans
Marcus Peters is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, and some may argue that he could be the latest edition of Darrelle Revis. He is a shutdown corner, and teams just do not try to throw his way on Sundays. The impact that he has on the game cannot be understated, and he is a main reason why the team won the AFC West this past season.

While the Chiefs do boast one of the best in the game at corner, the fact is he needs some help. They just do not have the depth needed to stop really good passing teams, so bringing in a guy like A.J. Bouye of the Houston Texans makes perfect sense. Bouye really emerged late last season during the Texans run to the Divisional Round, and some team is going to throw him a bunch of money to be their top corner in 2017.

The best part about Bouye is that he can pretty much do it all from the cornerback position. He has great coverage skills, and his ability to come up and make a big hit really separates him from a lot of the cornerbacks in this league. I think he is really just starting to scratch the surface of his potential, and signing with the Chiefs to play with Peters would be a great decision for him this early in his career.

ERIC BERRYS, Kansas City Chiefs
This is a no-brainer here, as Eric Berry has been the heart and soul of this team for some time now. Berry played last season under the franchise tag, but there is no way he is about to do that again. The Pro Bowl safety wants a long-term commitment from the Chiefs, and there is a serious chance that his playing days with the team may be over.

While there is a chance that is the case, the truth of the matter is that the Chiefs have to make this deal happen. The Chiefs have an incredible thing going right now, and coming off an AFC West title, they have to be thinking they can make it all the way to the Super Bowl next season. Their Divisional Round loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at home has to be eating them up inside, and Berry, as a leader of this team, must be chomping to get back out there.

The money has to make sense, and the Chiefs are going to have to clear some cap space to make the deal happen. Do they dare approach him with the franchise tag again? That is unlikely, as Berry has already made it known that he is not going to be on a one-year deal again. He is too valuable to this franchise to let him walk, and even if they have to cut some key players, they are going to get this one done.