Some major news dropped this week, including the first big one, with the release of starting offensive linemen Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fisher. Both offensive tackles have been released by general manager Brett Veach to save more than $18 million against the salary cap.
This move is clearly a leap of faith for rookie offensive lineman Lucas Niang, who opted out this year because of Covid-19.
However, the Kansas City Chiefs will have to rebuild their line to protect their star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Two of his bodyguards are down. However, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is set to return this year to help conquer another Super Bowl.
This is a risky move from Brett Veach as if anything happens to Patrick Mahomes, the fanbase will remember two pretty good and experienced offensive linemen were released during the offseason.
Nevertheless, neither veteran Schwartz nor former number one overall draft pick Eric Fisher were able to play during this year’s Super Bowl against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to injuries. Fisher tore an Achilles tendon in the Chiefs’ AFC championship game against the Buffalo Bills, and Schwartz missed three months of the season due to a back injury and recently had surgery. It is pretty clear neither of them will be able to have a speedy recovery.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for both Eric and Mitchell,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said in a statement. “With Eric, obviously he was the very first player that we drafted when we got to Kansas City, and we were able to watch him grow into a solid tackle for us for many years. With Mitchell, his durability and toughness is remarkable and he certainly left his mark on our team. These decisions are never easy, especially with guys like these, but both of these players will forever be a part of our history.”
Two other offensive line players will be restricted free agents this offseason, let’s see what happens for Mike Remmers and Andrew Wiley. We could have more surprises along the way.
Staying in the offensive side of the ball, The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to restructure quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ contract to provide some cap relief, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The team would like to save an extra $17 million against the salary cap by modifying a roster bonus into a signing bonus.
Last July, the two sides reached an agreement on a 10-year contract extension that ties Mahomes to the Kansas City Chiefs through the 2031 season.
Mahomes has already won a league MVP and a Super Bowl MVP but his hunger for more is clear. He is already looking forward, and he is smart enough to know he cannot win more Super Bowls by himself without the support of a whole team. Restructuring is therefore essential to build the legacy of this team, as the competition will get tougher and tougher.
But that is not the only news for Patrick Mahomes this week, as he announced on Friday he is getting into a new NFT business with the launch of “The Museum of Mahomes.”
Nonfungible tokens (NFTs) are digital assets (ex: artworks, videos, trading cards…) verified using blockchain technology, making them uniquely identified and valuable. It’s a whole new way to monetize digital content.
According to CNBC, there will be three tiers of collectibles that Mahomes created with a duo of artists called The Impossible Brief. The auction prices will go from $2,500 to $15,000. In addition to the NFT items, the auction will feature physical items as well.
“I’m looking to break boundaries and make history on and off the field,” Mahomes told CNBC. “That’s the great thing about being an athlete these days, you have so many outlets and opportunities to expand your brand and make an impact.”
A part of the profits will obviously go to the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation and another part of the proceeds will be donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Missouri.
Will we talk about an extension for Safety Tyrann Mathieu next week?
Veach said that the Chiefs want Mathieu to remain a fixture of the organization for “years to come” and that conversations about a new deal are part of the team’s offseason plans. Let’s wait and see.
