The Kansas City Chiefs cut offensive lineman Paul Fanaika on Tuesday. It always makes you wonder when players are cut days ahead of the NFL Draft. Is this related to the draft? Is this a hint of the Chiefs plans? WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?!?!
In this case, I don't think it means a whole lot. Fanaika was, to us, just a body. He was on IR last year and the Chiefs got by fine so we really don't know what we don't know about him. While he was on a three-year deal it wasn't for a ton of money. His release actually saves the Chiefs money.
The Chiefs, I hope, are not going to make longf-term draft decisions on a player on the roster bubble, which is who Fanaika is.
The Chiefs have bodies at guard and can survive next season if they had to. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Zach Fulton are there now. There are tackles that can play guard like Jarrod Pughsley and Jah Reid. The Chiefs hope developmental prospects like Michael Liedtke has some upside. There are options ... there just isn't anyone on the level of Jeff Allen, who left in free agency.
All that said, sure would be nice to add a guard, wouldn't it? Get yourself a new Jeff Allen? I do believe the Chiefs will be looking strongly at guard at some point in this draft ... just not because they cut Paull Fanaika.