ChiefsPlanet - Chiefs Another big-name defender leaves AFC West, signaling Chiefs' dominance

"... All three players were CUT this week. And the #Chiefs keep on laughing...."

Days after the Las Vegas Raiders released former All-Pro defensive end Chandler Jones and just over one hour after the Los Angeles Chargers traded former Pro Bowl cornerback J.C. Jackson, another AFC West team joined the club.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sources: Broncos are releasing LB Randy Gregory. The team wants to focus on young players. Gregory will be a free agent.</p>— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1709584802184044614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wild: The AFC West made a big push last offseason to add defense and slow down Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs:<br><br>- <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Raiders?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Raiders</a> added Chandler Jones: 3-years, $51M<br><br>- <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chargers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chargers</a> added JC Jackson: 5-years, $82.5M<br><br>- <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Broncos?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Broncos</a> added Randy Gregory for 5-years, $70M.<br><br>... All three players… <a href="https://t.co/pomxDzauGr">pic.twitter.com/pomxDzauGr</a></p>— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) <a href="https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1709588249075749123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

As noted by Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, Randy Gregory ended up securing "roughly" $27.5M from the Denver Broncos in just 10 games played. During his ineffective stint in the Mile High City, the 30-year-old recorded only 27 pressures, equaling "about" $1M per pressure.

The third high-profile defender to sever their ties with a third different AFC West club in such a short time frame is stunning. Not only have Jones's and Gregory's releases, plus Jackson's trade, come within a one-week span, but all three players joined their now ex-squads in a 24-hour period last March.

Jackson signed his big deal with Los Angeles on March 18, 2022, while both Jones and Gregory officially joined Las Vegas and Denver the following day.

That's what having to deal with a perennial elite offense headed by quarterback Patrick Mahomes and a Super Bowl-contending group like the Kansas City Chiefs can do to a supposedly strong defense.

Gregory nearly stayed put with the Dallas Cowboys in 2022, but instead left the only NFL team he'd ever known.

It was reported on March 15, 2022, that the former Nebraska Cornhusker had agreed to return to Dallas on a five-year, $70M deal. Less than one hour later, an update had Gregory instead joining Denver on the same reported deal.

https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/artic...%20the%20club.