Operate under the assumption that Fisher won't be back, then. I'd rather have a bunch of talent at the OL position compared to being caught with my dick in my hand if Fisher has complications.

We need a big bodied route runner. The name that comes to my mind is Kenny Golladay.

He's under contract and will count $15M against the cap. If they operate under the assumption he won't be back, they have to take the cap hit and let him sit for a year. Which means there's a lot less money to be active in free agency.

The only way to free up that money is to extend him, which likely means he's in their long-term plans, which then reduces the chance they'll take a LT of the future in the draft.

There's really not much they can do. It's not a great situation at all.

I would love it if we extended Fisher but he’s gotta be back to where he was before and you can’t guarantee that. I’d re sign Osemele tho

Idk who the best guy for that is in the FA class, would think maybe Corey Davis?

That's just the thing:

If you're not going to extend him until you're absolutely sure he's going to be back to 100% then you're waiting until after free agency is largely over. By the time you're sure he's okay and thus able to free up his cap hit, you're signing some broke dick, which is exactly what people say they don't want.

Injury settlements are a thing, and there are plenty of ways to free up money for FA while waiting on a decision with Fisher.

Injury settlements require agreement from both parties. The Chiefs can't just force him to take an injury settlement.

And while there are ways to free up money, there's plenty of places that money needs to be spent. You can't over invest in one position, especially if one of your highest-paid players is sitting in an ice bath half the season.

Oh yes you can, if the alternative is what we saw last Sunday. This team can thrive without a 3rd receiving option. It can thrive without a pass rusher opposite Clark. It can't thrive with a bunch of scrubs up front, which is where we're at right now, and I'm not playing wait and see with Fisher before going about and fixing it. We already played that game with Berry and the defensive backfield in 2018 and it very likely cost us a Super Bowl.

Fisher is a really good LT and you aren’t finding one of those anywhere easily. I think you probably sign him and go from there

CP: Fishers sucks we need a new LT

Reality: With Fisher we are 40-6, without him we are 4-6

Fair point.

Allen Robinson or Kenny Golladay would be absolutely perfect. Would need to find the cap space. Terrace Marshall in the draft fits that profile.

In all fairness, Travis Kelce is that strong route runner Simms alluded to.

Marshall, Amari Rodgers, or even Austin Watkins later in the draft.

They are going to do an extension with Fisher. They have been playing the long game with him since they took him at 1.1 in 2013. They are going to do it again. They will do something to have him turn part of his salary into a bonus to prorate it over the length of his new contract in order to cut his salary cap hit in 2021.

Fisher and Schwartz are done - cut them. Replace through the draft or FA, the salary cap is our foe. Completely focus on the OLINE\, ILB, DE. WR, C. This of course ain't going to happen. So, where can the void's be filled?

Chiefs just signed WR Dalton Schoen

6’1 209 lbs

Print the mother****ers.

Don’t ****ing sleep on Dalton!!!

Fisher extension? He's 29 years old who's suffered an Achilles rupture. An extension isn't happening unless it's to be a backup utility player

Honestly, the first guy that came to mind wasn’t a free agent.

It’s a prospect by the name of Cade Johnson from South Dakota St.

And there are a lot of guys like him in those middle rounds. Shi Smith from South Carolina is another.

I’m today’s terms 30 is 26.

He’ll be fine. It may take a hit but he’s got 5 or 6 years left and left tackles are hard as shit to find.

This team hasn't thrived without a 3rd receiving option. This team has been at its best with Watkins on the field. So you're wrong there.

I don't know what to tell you man, Fisher isn't going anywhere. They're not going to do what you want them to do. They're going to get help on the line but it isn't going to be the degree of change you seem to want.

Peters is a 1st ballot HOFer whenever he retires. If he can give like 10 games that should be long enough for Fisher to come back. Jason Peters might not be the same guy he was 5 years ago but surely his game hasn't completely fallen off a cliff.

Provided he stays healthy.

One more time:

You CANNOT cut an injured player.

Fisher and Schwartz are under contract and will be back unless they agree to something else.

You can't be serious.

He's going to get an extension and he'll be the starter again by mid-season or so.

He's not going to accept a lesser role and they're not going to eat his $15M cap hit so he can sit on the bench.

Really hoping that Mitchell retires. He can start his own BBQ youtube channel and get off of our cap.

I have a feeling he will. I don't think he'll ever be the same.

It's the Fisher situation that sucks.

I know everybody wants to just start clean but that ain't happening.

Yes, he isn't 25 years old coming off a career changing injury who's an average LT that's protecting anyone besides Mahomes evidence of the Alex Smith years.

It would be idiotic to extend him again as a Franchise Tackle.

And yet that's exactly what they're probably going to do.

They're not going into the season him taking up $15M in cap space. It isn't going to happen.

He’s a good LT. You find those in the first round, usually early.

Once you get one you keep them.

Fisher isn’t going anywhere

You definitely don’t move on from a good solid left tackle unless or until you have a replacement.

They’ll patch it together if they have to until he’s back. Hell he may be back by training camp.

Really? When was the last time Schwartz took the field? Fisher has a torn Achilles. What "VALUE" are they to the team? They are beyond "DONE". Ok you CAN NOT CUT an injured player but there must be a work around. These two will NEVER be the same. Put them on IR and wait it out - continue to move forward. I am not happy with this by any means but lets be real here. SEE SB LV! Mahomes and the OLINE got their SHIT pushed in in an unwelcomed way!

#500,000,000 QB - PROTECT HIM and give him time in the pocket!

The bottom line is that the Chiefs really don't have any options that allow them to make a clean break.

Injury settlements are for guys that are permanently injured and really can't play anymore. Schwartz is likely to reach an injury settlement with the team and retire.

The Chiefs cannot cut Eric Fisher - he's hurt. His injury is not chronic nor career-ending so he has no reason to negotiate a settlement. He has all the leverage in his contract situation. All he has to do is play out his contract and the Chiefs are on the hook for his $15M cap hit.

If they want cap relief now, they have to extend him. That's all there is to it.

Put them on IR and wait it out? While they eat up over $20M in cap money? How are you going to replace them when you don't have any money?

We really need an o line bad!!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Patrick Mahomes never had a chance.... <a href="https://t.co/WrAB5D93AX">pic.twitter.com/WrAB5D93AX</a></p>&mdash; BLACK ADAM SCHEFTER (@B1ackSchefter) <a href="https://twitter.com/B1ackSchefter/status/1360028790626344975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

We need o-line bad? Since when?

This is brand new news!

DJ was still a top linebacker after he tore his first Achilles at an older age then Fisher. It was the 2nd that did him in.

We're keeping Fisher imo. Franchise LT don't just appear. Tho with what's happening in Baltimore makes me wish that we could make that happen somehow. I'm guessing someone like the Jags or maybe even the chargers pull the trigger on that one

Bring in the fatties

Yeah, getting a young top-flight tackle would be a dream come true. But like you, I believe they're going to do whatever it takes to keep Fisher.

I don’t get this discussion with Fisher. He’s back or not. Top LT or not. We need more help than Fisher. 90% of the posters here hated the doctor. Now, he’s a crucial piece of the rebuilt OL? Another 90% hate our C. Those big dudes with back problems never get better. Schwartz is a big Q.

If we count on all this ? Mark’s to pan out, we are going to be right back where we were. A 6th/7th rounder ain’t helping us this year. We are going to have to spend FA money and or a high draft pick to get more talent into the OL.

Personally, I would prefer taking one of the talented tackles in the 2nd, play Niang at RT, signing someone like Jason Peters as a stop-gap, and when Fisher returns, play the best two.

After the season, you can move Fisher or one of the others that played well for picks next year.

Or keep all three and the #3 guy is your swing tackle. It's not like we probably won't need him to play.

I get that others think that's too much depth at OT, but after this season I'd rather not leave it to chance.

But no, we can't go sign a killer FA LT. Not even a middle tier guy. We just can't.

It's draftees, guys on their last legs, and coaching up late picks and UDFA's. Those are our realistic options.

First of all, don't confuse what people want with what they think might actually happen.

Second, it isn't that simple with Fisher.

Fisher is injured so they really can't do anything in regards to him NOT being here. They can't cut him.

So they can either keep him on his current contract at a $15M cap hit in 2021 or they can extend him, which lowers his 2021 cap hit but puts them on the hook for his contract beyond 2021.

If they extend him, they aren't likely to replace him. They'll find some stop-gap to to fill in until he's healthy.

Third, I don't think anybody thinks LDT is a crucial part of the rebuild. What they do think is that he's under contract and the Chiefs gain nothing by replacing him this year.

This isn't Madden. They're not going to gut the line and start over in one offseason. It's not going to happen, no matter what we want.

Yep. It is what it is.

Couldn’t you theoretically get Fisher extended at maybe a better value now?

Like if it would have cost $15m AAV before his injury, I think it would certainly be less now just so he gets the security post-injury. So it’s not totally a bad thing for the team if that is the case.

Of course you could but then you're not going to draft his replacement.

Extending him will almost certainly mean they're committing to him long-term.

And you’re hoping that he comes back as close to 100% as possible.

I will say this-

of the late picks and UDFA crowd, Prince Wanogho is intriguing. He has all the physical traits, he just didn't play football until pretty late. IF a late round guy was going to pan out, that's him. Looking at his scouting reports is encouraging. The criticisms are all technique, which can be taught.

You have to.

Look, I'm not saying I like it but the Chiefs really have two choices:

1. Get Fisher's replacement and eat $15M in cap space this year or

2. Commit to Fisher.

As much as #1 would be palatable as a fresh start, it just isn't going to happen. There's no way they're moving on from Fisher given the myriad of complications that introduces.

Best case scenario in my mind is you draft an OT and pickup a stop-gap. Fisher plays out his contract and in 3-4 years when his gone, the draftee moves from RT to LT and Niang moves outside to RT.

I don't think this is necessarily true.

There's nothing that says they can't extend him to a reasonable per year rate, and then trade him after the season. In fact, he'd be a pretty attractive piece for a decent team that just needed a decent LT.

To get the cap savings this year, they'd have to add a couple of years and some guaranteed money. That would make him extremely difficult to trade.

I mean trading someone after 1 year of a multi-year contract is almost unheard of.

Why? He's always been a relative bargain. I mean someone has to take on the salary, but it's not like he's outrageously expensive for a good LT.

For a team with a short window, he could be a good fit.

I'm just saying, we're not necessarily stuck if we draft a kid and he plays lights out.

Which, as I've said, I want a Radunz/Eisenberg/Little type in the 2nd, and old man Peters on the bargain bin.

I'd rather have too many than not enough. That SB was hard to watch.

But I understand everyone does not agree.

I just don't see it as very realistic at all.

I think the #1 reason they might take a tackle is because they don't think Niang is a starting tackle.

Other than that, I expect them to focus on cheaper free agents and probably draft a center and/or IOL.

This would be a different situation though; not trying to get rid of a guy you don't want, just a guy you maybe don't NEED.

Usually you don't trade a guy you extended because you want to keep him. If you're trying to dump him, there's a negative reason.

In this case, he's a good soldier and a fine player, and if he's healthy, he's valuable and everyone knows it.

This would be a good problem to have in my opinion, because it would mean we hit on a young guy and are comfortable moving on from Fisher. If the kid doesn't pan out or just isn't ready, you've still got Fisher. Maybe the kid's the swing tackle in 2022. There are worse things. Fisher's got back problems now too; having a good swing tackle might be really important.

Again, what you're describing is an ideal but ultimately unrealistic scenario, IMO.

Fisher doesn't have a history of injuries. He has no reason to accept a contract extension that essentially ushers him right out the door.

If they really want to be able to move on, their only real move is to let him play out the last year of his contract.

At the end of the day, I think they're going to have to decide whether they want to be more aggressive in the draft or in free agency. If they want to draft an OT, they're going to have to eat Fisher's cap hit and be less active in free agency.

If they want to save his money to be more active in free agency, it likely means they won't be drafting an OT high.

I want to be clear though; if the team feels Fisher's going to be okay and be able to return to 100% I'm totally fine with not worrying about LT for another few years.

We don't know shit, but the team will.

Yeah, they will have the best information available. They're not going to do this blindly.

You aren't going to be able to determine that until well after the bulk of free agency and the draft. If we're deep into the Summer and Fisher has complications with the Achilles it could spell disaster for the 2021 season if all we've done is sign a bunch of veteran brokedick stopgaps.

You gonna freak out when he gets some 3 year deal for $40-some-million with $15 to $20 million signing bonus that will include about $9 million of this year's base converted.

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk

Then he plays out his contract and is a FA after 2021. They don't really have any other choice.

I've read those too. He sounds like a winner if we can get him to play to his ability. His comp ironically was Jason Peters coming out of college

Complications with his achilles would mean he's missing the 2021 season. It's really not that uncommon for it to rupture a second time during treatment.

Why is everyone so quick to get rid of fisher? I get the Achilles but it’s pretty likely he comes back and has another couple years from it where he’s back to his normal self.

It's ChiefsPlanet favorite tradition. Once the offseason rolls around, people bitch about Fisher for no legitimate reason. You can also include Dirty Dan in there as well.

I don't think you're understanding what I'm saying.

We've been paying Fisher $15m ($12 base salary) for the last two years, and in '21 as well. cap number is higher I think from some restructuring but actual salary is $12m. If you extend him out, say, 3 years, dropping the hit this year some, raising his yearly guaranteed money a bit and he's barely in the top 3rd in salary for starting LT's. That's not a bad deal for a team that feels like their window for contention is 2022-2024.

And THAT is if the kid we take early shows he's ready to start and be a plus player out of the gate. Which you know, is what, like 30%? Chances are, the kid's going to need some coaching up to be at a Fisher level.

So in 2022, you can keep Fisher; and the kid continues as your swing tackle. OR you can move Fisher to another team that needs a solid LT at a reasonable contract and start the kid at LT.

I mean we don't know who's window is about to open and who's is about to close; until Brady went to Tampa, they weren't in the conversation.

I don't think it's unrealistic to think that somebody would want Eric Fisher. Hell, we'd like to have him but I think it's wise to hedge all bets.

There's a HUGE difference between Eric Fisher and Dan Sorensen.

It’s Penbrook. It’s pointless to try and explain that to him.

I don't think you get what I'm saying.

If they want his $15M to use in free agency, they have to extend him in March.

If they are worried that he might not play or get re-injured like you're saying, then the only real choice they have is to let him play out his contract.

They could easily draft his replacement but that cap hit is going to limit what they can do in free agency.

No, I totally understand what you're saying. I just don't think it's very realistic.

But if they can make it work, I'm all for it.

No they don't. There are plenty of other avenues to making cap space while leaving Fisher alone until we have more of a grasp on his situation going into 2021.

Dude, it's $15M.

That's one top flight player or 2 to 3 lesser players.

Sure, they can restructure guys and make room.

But if they do nothing with Fisher, they won't be able to do nearly as much as they could if they restructure him.

You're kidding yourself man, you're building up to something that isn't going to happen.

I understand fully.

I'm just saying that extending him doesn't mean you can't move him and his contract in 2022 if you find he's extraneous. The realistic outcome is that he won't be extraneous even IF you spend a #2 on an OT in this draft. He MIGHT be. It would be the BEST CASE SCENARIO. A good problem to have. Jeez, we've got 3 really good OT's. Dang. As we saw this year though, it's likely that your 3rd tackle is going to play, and maybe play a lot.

And it's not like extending him means you can use his $15m to sign FA's. You're not going to have $15m. You're going to have a lot less than that regardless. No matter what. So yeah, we should totally extend him. All I'm saying it doesn't mean we're STUCK WITH HIM for like 3 years unless we WANT TO BE. Someone else in the NFL would be thrilled to have a healthy Eric Fisher at a second tier salary to make their SB run.

And the #2 pick that I'd like to spend is further insurance in case Niang doesn't work out; and really, that's probably like what, maybe 30/70? Realistically? Maybe he can't play RT in the NFL. Maybe he's a Guard. What does it hurt to hedge the bet?

It's a draft pick. We went to the SB with our 2nd round pick this year barely playing. Won it last year without our 2nd round pick in the play-offs and he wasn't right until the play-offs this year. This isn't a franchise breaking thing if it doesn't work out. But if it DOES, it could be a reason why we go to a 3rd straight SB.

And I still sign old man Peters just in case.

Would you pay Linsley $11 million a year?

They need a center, a RT, and help at guard. That doesn't even count all the other positions that need help, particularly on defense.

If they're going to be aggressive in free agency AND the draft, they have to settle the Fisher situation immediately.

There's no other way to spin it. If they sit on Fisher and wait, either their free agency plan or their draft is going to change.

Anybody that thinks they're going to spend big money on the offensive line AND draft offensive linemen in the first and second round is just kidding themselves. It's not going to happen.

For sure, if it all works out the way you say, it's not a problem.

The draft is a crap-shoot, but you still have to shoot.

We need an influx of young talent on the offensive line. The prime years of Patrick Mahomes are here. We need to take advantage.

I don't think there's ANY WAY we're aggressive in free agency. It will be bargain shopping only. I don't think there's any realistic scenario in which that's not the case. We have our big money guys in the house already.

Of course. You draft a couple of guys, you sign a couple of guys.

For some, that's not going too be enough though.