Texans released OLB Whitney Mercilus. Mercilus. Interested?

[KC Warpaint 3,234]

3 hours ago, TomahawkChop said:

What is it this year that the Chiefs can't seem to attract new talent - or maybe it's they don't make enough effort?  Maybe both...

Ju-Ju signs back with Steelers for less money.  This I get to some extent.

Houston signs with Ravens.  Maybe some bad-blood.

Ingram comes in for visit, Chiefs were interested, and signs with Steelers.

Mercilous signs - for less money - with GB.

All of these players would have improved the Chiefs and all chose elsewhere.  Maybe they see something that is becoming clearer to at least me.  This team (at least on defense) might be too broken to carry them to the SB this year.  

Oh well, as AZChief said, at least we have Neiman.  

Maybe he was promised a starting position, maybe he wants to give the NFC a shot, maybe he wants to play on the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field

who knows and he has made his choice and it obviously does not involve $$$$

 

 

"Just a day after his release from the Houston Texans, veteran pass-rusher Whitney Mercilus has decided on a new team. Despite their best efforts to land him, Mercilus won’t be signing with the Kansas City Chiefs.

According to numerous reports, Mercilus will sign with the Green Bay Packers. The 31-year-old was owed quite a bit of guaranteed money from the Texans, and it doesn’t sound like this was an issue of the Chiefs getting outbid. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler says Kansas City was in the mix for his services. Instead, it sounds like this decision to join Green Bay was a matter of opportunity and fit for Mercilus.

For the last nine seasons, Mercilus has played the outside linebacker position in a 3-4 defense in Houston. This year was actually his first season playing as a hand-in-the-dirt 4-3 defensive end. Going to a team that plays a scheme he’s more comfortable and familiar with seemed to be a priority.

At the same time, Mercilus likely would not have been a starter in Kansas City, but rather part of a rotation. Right now, the Packers are dealing with injuries at the outside linebacker position with both Za’Darius Smith and Chauncey Rivers on injured reserve. They also have Preston Smith dealing with an injury too. That means he should have a larger role from the get-go in Joe Barry’s defense.

At the end of the day, Green Bay could offer those two things that the Chiefs simply couldn’t offer. Kansas City will have to look elsewhere as they pursue help on the defensive line, perhaps pouncing on an opportunity at the trade deadline."

 

 

[AFCWEST 1,238]

6 minutes ago, KC Warpaint said:

Maybe he was promised a starting position, maybe he wants to give the NFC a shot, maybe he wants to play on the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field

who knows and he has made his choice and it obviously does not involve $$$$

 

Maybe KC did not make an offer? Nobody knows.

[CranjisMcbasketball 780]

Fuuuhhhhhhhhhh . This is gonna hurt not getting this guy 

[sith13 1,746]

At 31 a solid season could land him a nice deal to end his career and he will likely have his choice of the contenders to pick from. 

Also as things currently stand we don't really look like a path to an easy ring so the eventual money (this year or next) may be the deciding factor. I don't know if he was considered an OLB or a DE here. 

[AFCWEST 1,238]

2 hours ago, sith13 said:

At 31 a solid season could land him a nice deal to end his career and he will likely have his choice of the contenders to pick from. 

Also as things currently stand we don't really look like a path to an easy ring so the eventual money (this year or next) may be the deciding factor. I don't know if he was considered an OLB or a DE here. 

There is no such path for an easy ring

[xen 1,010,220]

3 hours ago, sith13 said:

At 31 a solid season could land him a nice deal to end his career and he will likely have his choice of the contenders to pick from. 

Also as things currently stand we don't really look like a path to an easy ring so the eventual money (this year or next) may be the deciding factor. I don't know if he was considered an OLB or a DE here. 

He would have to be a DE here.  34 OLB his entire career.

[sith13 1,746]

34 minutes ago, xen said:

He would have to be a DE here.  34 OLB his entire career.

Based on his coverage and tackling skills I wouldn't mind him staying at OLB but obviously it doesn't bring in as much money next offseason.

[Iluvhouse24 1,808]

5 hours ago, sith13 said:

At 31 a solid season could land him a nice deal to end his career and he will likely have his choice of the contenders to pick from. 

Also as things currently stand we don't really look like a path to an easy ring so the eventual money (this year or next) may be the deciding factor. I don't know if he was considered an OLB or a DE here. 

He signed elsewhere.

[xen 1,010,220]

1 hour ago, sith13 said:

Based on his coverage and tackling skills I wouldn't mind him staying at OLB but obviously it doesn't bring in as much money next offseason.

43 OLB and 34 OLB are different skillsets.  Not saying he couldn't do it but if staying at LB for us he would be only a SLB which is about 20% of snaps. Signing a guy like that and getting value out of his snaps would necessitate a position change to DE which would be different techniques, which is I think the driver of the trade request as that is the switch he made in Houston this year.  As u say he wants to maximize future contract value so staying at 34 OLB makes the most sense for him.  What he should have said was "I want to play for a contender that runs the 34".