The Chiefs won a big game against the Raiders last Thursday, but they lost a key member of their defense on the way to victory.
Inside linebacker Derrick Johnson was lost for the rest of the year with a ruptured Achilles tendon, leaving the team without one of their defensive leaders with the playoffs right around the corner. It also left them with a roster spot to fill and they looked at some street free agents to see if one would be a good fit.
Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star reports that the team worked out James Laurinaitis, Jasper Brinkley, Miles Burris, Jayson DiManche, Nate Irving and Nick Moody. All six have multiple years of experience in the NFL, but Laurinaitis is the only one who has seen action in the regular season this year. Laurinaitis played five games for the Saints early in the season, but was released from injured reserve recently.
Mike Garofalo of NFL Media reports that “it sounds like” the Chiefs will give players already on the roster a crack at filling the void. Ramik Wilson has started eight games since Justin March-Lillard went on injured reserve with Terrance Smith and D.J. Alexander also on hand.