Chiefs Free Agency 2023: Former Chargers linebacker Drue Tranquill signed for one year

Kansas City signed a reserve linebacker who played four seasons with a division rival.

• By means of
  
  Jared Sapp
  

• on March 17, 2023 4:04 PM

On Friday, Jordan Schultz of The score reported that the Kansas City Chiefs have agreed terms with former Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Drue Tranquill on a one-year contract.

Schultz reported later the contract worth “up to $5 million” and that the Tranquil chose the Chiefs over five other suitors.

The Chargers selected Tranquill in the fourth round of the 2019 Draft. The product Notre Dame is coming off a very strong 2022 season.

Tranquill played in all 17 games for the Chargers last season. He led the team in 146 tackles—with five sacks and ten tackles for loss. He also recorded an interception.

He added a playoff interception off Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence in Los Angeles’ Divisional Round loss.

Overall, he captured 93% of the Chargers’ defensive shots, with 114 special team shots added.

Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

While few had linebacker on the list of Kansas City’s needs, the 27-year-old continues General Manager Brett Veach’s free agency pattern of recruiting young talent with ascending trajectories.

Tranquill joins a linebacking crew that includes Nick Bolton, Willie Gay Jr. and Leo Chenal. He adds a pass-cover pedigree to Kansas City’s linebacker rotation, potentially making him a candidate for a dime linebacker role that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo generally prefers to designate.

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