Kansas City Chiefs top-5 free agents heading in 2023 offseason

Kansas City Chiefs top-5 free agents in 2023

By Randy Gurzi | Feb 12, 2023

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 12: JuJu Smith-Schuster #9 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts after a play against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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Juan Thornhill, Kansas City Chiefs. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Juan Thornhill, S

After the Chiefs landed Patrick Mahomes, they knew their offense was going to be elite for a long time. What they needed to do, however, was load up their defense. They did so as they went after Frank Clark to play alongside Chris Jones. But they also went for some more talent in the secondary.

One move they made in this area was to add Juan Thornhill, a ball-hawking safety from Virginia. The No. 63 overall pick in 2019, Thornhill has continued to find his way to the football as a pro. In four seasons, he has 234 tackles, 20 pass defenses, and nine interceptions.

Thornhill also showed great determination as he missed their 2019 title run due to a torn ACL but still didn’t miss a regular season game as he was right back on the field in Week 1 of the 2020 campaign.

This past year, he had a career-high with 71 tackles and tied his personal best with three picks. The problem is, the Chiefs already paid out big money at safety just last year.

After seeing Tyrann Mathieu leave in free agency, Kansas City opened the checkbook for Justin Reid, signing him to a three-year $31.5 million deal. Thornhill might not earn as much but if he can get anything close, it might be too rich for the Chiefs to match.

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