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Chiefs sign former Chargers linebacker to one-year deal

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

NFL: DEC 29 Chargers at Chiefs Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

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

Schultz later reported the contract to be 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 Notre Dame product is coming of a very strong 2022 season.

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

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

In total, he was in on 93% of the Chargers’ defensive snaps with 114 special teams snaps added.

NFL: Chargers vs Chiefs 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 acquiring young talent with ascending trajectories.

Tranquill will join a linebacking crew that includes Nick Bolton, Willie Gay Jr., and Leo Chenal. He adds a pass coverage pedigree to Kansas City’s linebacker rotation, possibly making him a candidate for a dime linebacker role defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo generally has preferred to designate.

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