Your 1-week countdown to Kansas City Chiefs 2014 free agency

We are one week away from the start of the 2014 NFL free agency period. At 3 p.m. (Arrowhead Time) on Tuesday, March 11, the free agency market will be opened and teams will be allowed to sign other teams free agents. We've spent plenty of time talking about free agency and everything that goes with it (and we'll continue to).

The earliest rumors will start coming on Saturday, March 8, when players and agents are allowed to talk with other teams. They can't sign on the dotted line yet but it's a three-day legal tampering period.

As we await settle into the final week before it all begins, here are a few of the basics we've shared before -- the Chiefs top needs and their own free agents.

Chiefs top needs

These were voted on by readers last month.

1. Safety 
2. Receiver 
3. Defensive end
4. Cornerback
5. Offensive tackle
6. Inside linebacker
7. Outside linebacker 
8. Offensive guard

I'd move offensive guard up that list, depending on what happens with Geoff Schwartz and / or Jon Asamoah. Defensive end could be pushed down if the Chiefs strike a deal with Tyson Jackson. Or even Red Bryant, who the Chiefs were said to be interested in. Safety and receiver are the top two by far.

I'm starting to think hitting safety in free agency might be the way to go, as MNChiefsfan argued right here. Seems like there's a decent free agent class this year. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Jimmie Ward have come up as possible options in the draft. But there are plenty of free agent talent out there, too.

If the Chiefs use free agency for a starting safety, and address receiver in the draft, they're looking at just having to fill some depth positions. Inside linebacker (Nico Johnson?) and guard (again, depending on Schwartz / Asamoah) are areas of concern, too.

Here is a list of the top 150 free agents.

Chiefs free agents

LT Branden Albert
G Geoff Schwartz
G Jon Asamoah
WR Dexter McCluster
WR Kyle Williams
DE Tyson Jackson
LB Akeem Jordan
LB Frank Zombo
S Kendrick Lewis
DB Husain Abdullah
DB Quintin Demps

We did a player-by-player update on all these guys yesterday. The changes since then are that Branden Albert did not receive the franchise tag, thus increasing the likelihood he does indeed hit free agency (as we all expect) and news came out that Tyson Jackson and the Chiefs are talking.