5 targets for Chiefs in 2022 NFL free agency

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 30: Head Coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs leaves the field after the Bengals overtime win against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 30, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 08: Leighton Vander Esch #55 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates after making an interception against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on January 08, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

2. LB Leighton Vander Esch (Dallas Cowboys)

This week, the Chiefs parted ways with veteran linebacker Anthony Hitchens. Originally a fourth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2014, he signed a five-year, $45 million contract with Kansas City in 2018 (via Spotrac). That first year, he led the club with 135 tackles and added 21 more stops in the playoffs. He led the Chiefs in tackles once again in 2019 and finished second in stops the past two seasons.

This past year, he started 15 regular-season contests for Andy Reid’s club and only rookie Nick Bolton (112) came up with more total tackles (80) than the eight-year veteran. But the Chiefs finished 27th in the league in total defense and these days are more reliant on takeaways (29 in 2021) than actually stifling an opponent. Hitchens came up with only one opponent turnover in four seasons with the club.

Speaking of one-time Cowboys linebackers, Dallas declined the option on 2018 first-round pick Leighton Vander Esch. He was a Pro Bowler as a rookie and led the team with 138 tackles, to go along with two interceptions and seven passes defensed.

Injuries became a factor the next two seasons but in 2021, he bounced back and played in every game for the team and totaled 77 tackles. And Vander Esch racked up a club-best 13 stops in the playoff loss to the 49ers.

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