Dee Ford on Monday Will Harris Jersey , making official a decision the team had been leaning toward throughout the offseason.Ford is coming off the best season of his career, piling up 13 sacks and forcing an NFL-leading seven fumbles. The Chiefs have expressed an interest in a long-term deal, though they are also open to trading him as they switch from a 3-4 to 4-3 base defense under new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.In other words, it’s no sure thing Ford plays next season under the roughly $15.4 million tag.The franchise tag gives the Chiefs until July 15 to agree on a long-term contract, but they may need to free up some additional salary cap space to do so. That’s because they have other pressing needs in free agency, not to mention a bevy of stars due to hit free agency soon.They would like to extend defensive tackle Chris Jones and wide receiver Tyreek Hill before next offseason, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes is eligible for an extension next year.“Obviously, Dee is a player that has done so much for us, in particular last year,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said recently. “We have a special thing brewing here and I think everyone wants to keep this thing rolling.”For his part, Ford called it a “no brainer” to sign the franchise tender.The Chiefs have certainly invested plenty in Ford after selecting him in the first round of the 2014 draft out of Auburn. He went through some growing pains as he adapted to life in the NFL, and he has an injury history that is cause for concern — and that makes the franchise tag a good option.Ford remains a high-risk, high-reward kind of talent.“The one thing he can do, and we all know this http://www.detroitlionsteamonline.com/austin-bryant-jersey , he is an explosive football player that makes a lot of plays,” said Spagnuolo, who was hired after the Chiefs lost to the Patriots in the AFC title game to turn around one of the league’s worst defenses. “He’s had some production and if he is here with us, I’ll be excited to have him and be excited to work with him.”The Chiefs are also considering what to do with fellow outside linebacker Justin Houston, who had nine sacks in 12 games last season. The veteran leader carries a salary cap hit of $21.1 million next season, and the Chiefs could free up a significant amount of money by trading or releasing him.“I would say that he’s under contract for this year and next year,” Veach said at the NFL’s scouting combine this week. “Again, our plan is to play with him and we look forward to having him on our roster. There’s a lot of dialogue and I think everything is fluid for the next few weeks.”The problem is the Chiefs have little depth beyond Ford and Houston. Defensive end Breeland Speaks is a more natural fit in a 4-3 system, but he was only a bit player after the Chiefs selected him in the second round out of Ole Miss last year.That’s another reason why the franchise tag on Ford made sense.“I certainly think that we have a bunch of versatility along the line there. Justin and Dee, both of those guys can play in this scheme and do well,” Veach said. “We like the pieces that are in place and we’re anxious to get this offseason started.” KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs could have taken this week off, assured of not only their third consecutive AFC West title but also the No. 1 seed in the playoffs before the Oakland Raiders came to town.Instead, they’ll have everything on the line Sunday.The Chiefs blew a fourth-quarter lead against the Chargers a couple weeks ago Max Scharping Jersey , and last week they lost a shootout in Seattle. They are now 0-2 with a chance to clinch the division, and they risk falling all the way to the No. 5 seed in the playoffs if they can’t defeat one of their longtime rivals.Article continues below ...“Last time I checked we are in a pretty good position here,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “I know it can become a woe-is-me thing and this is how it happens, it can be a negative. I feel like throughout the team, though, the guys understand where they’re at and what they need to do to fix it.“The objective is to win games,” Reid said. “We have one game left here in the regular season.”Now, the Chiefs long ago locked up a spot in the postseason, so that won’t be an issue when they kick off against Oakland at the same time the Chargers are playing the Broncos. But what happens over the ensuing hours could potentially have massive playoff ramifications.If the Chiefs (11-4) win, they get a path through Arrowhead Stadium. If they lose and the Chargers win, Los Angeles vaults to the top of the AFC West and the No. 1 seed.If both teams lose, the Patriots or Texans would have a chance to snare the top spot, and Kansas City could conceivably go from having a bye to a wild-card matchup next weekend.“It’s a very small margin between winning and losing,” Reid said.“Very Brian Burns Jersey , very small. The pace can change quickly. So it’s important the attitude is right, and Kansas City has had a lot of ups and downs. Are players and coaches willing to make a change? We have an opportunity to do that.”The Raiders (4-11) would like nothing more than to play spoiler. They’ve lost seven of their last eight against the Chiefs, including a 40-33 shootout in Oakland earlier this season.But despite a season’s worth of turmoil with no end in sight — who knows where they will play next season? — the Raiders have quietly performed better. They beat the Steelers and Broncos in recent weeks and coach Jon Gruden believes his vast rebuilding job is making progress.“We’re trying to get some momentum for our offseason,” Gruden said. “This is our first year here. I know the expectations were high for some, but we’re laying the foundation for how we want to play.“All we can do is keep developing our team,” he said, “and fight like hell for 60 minutes.”As the Raiders and Chiefs prepare to meet, here are some key story lines:HEALTH CHECKThe Chiefs remain without wide receiver Sammy Watkins because of a sore foot, but they hope to get cornerback Kendall Fuller back from a broken hand. Their defense was shredded by the Seahawks when he decided at game time that he would be unable to go. “That’s a day-to-day thing,” Reid said, “but I think he feels a lot better.”HEALTH CHECK, PART 2Raiders left guard Kelechi Osemele returned last week against Denver and instantly upgraded the entire offense. He did not allow a pressure in 31 passing snaps and helped pave the way for Doug Martin to run for a season-best 107 yards. “It’s always good to be able to do that,” said Osemele, who’d been out with a knee injury. “It’s a great feeling http://www.pantherscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-greg-little-jersey , man.”CARLSON’S KICKSOne of the few bright spots for Oakland this season has been rookie kicker Daniel Carlson, who is perfect on extra points and 15 of 16 on field goals since signing in October. The fifth-round pick was cut by Minnesota after missing all three field goals in Week 2, but he could break Sebastian Janikowski’s franchise record for field-goal accuracy in a season set in 2012. “To me that’s something you enjoy later in life,” he said. “You enjoy it in the offseason a little.”STEPPING UPOakland’s rookie tackles Kolton Miller and Brandon Parker have taken plenty of heat as the offensive line has failed to protect Derek Carr much of the season. “I know Pro Football Focus has some statistics that aren’t always positive,” Gruden said, “but they played very good, and not just pass protecting but run blocking and handling the audibles. We have seen a lot of progress there.”SLOW STARTSOne common thread during the Chiefs’ late-season slide: slow starts by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who nonetheless remains a top candidate for league MVP. He was 1 of 7 out of the gates against Seattle, though he bounced back to have another solid game.“It’s all about the next play. The next play you always have an opportunity to do better,” Mahomes said. “As long as you go out there and execute the next play, that’s the best thing you can do.”