As teams around the league rush to get under the new NFL salary cap, the Chiefs on Thursday made a pair of moves that few, if any, football fans saw coming.
Kansas City released franchise left tackle Eric Fisher and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, the pair who started Super Bowl 54 when Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to a title over the 49ers.
The news came Thursday morning via ESPN's Adam Schefter:
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Both moves are surprising, but particularly the release of Fisher, who the team drafted No. 1 overall in 2013 and was a cornerstone of the organization for the better part of a decade.
And the moves are also hugely important for Howie Roseman, who should be picking up the phone right now and calling Chiefs general manager Brett Veach to ask if Veach has some interest in a young offensive tackle who has a first-round pick pedigree.
Because the Chiefs are now the perfect trade partner for the Eagles if they want to unload Andre Dillard.
NFL
Dillard, the disappointing first-round pick from the 2019 NFL Draft, missed last season with a torn biceps, and in his absence the team realized Jordan Mailata actually might be their left tackle of the future - or, at the very least, he's a cheaper (and better?) option than Dillard right now.
Which means, as Dillard returns from injury and his skill still has relatively good repute around the league, the Eagles should try to offload him for a draft pick.
I'm not sold on Dillard's ability, and I liked what I saw from Mailata in 2020. There might be some marginal value in keeping Dillard as a backup tackle, but his past appearances at different offensive line positions weren't great. Versatility is highly valuable in backup offensive linemen.
If the Chiefs aren't willing to offer much in return, then sure, keep the kid. He's cheap and it doesn't hurt to have offensive line depth. But the call needs to be made, and soon.
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