The Kansas City Chiefs announced yesterday that they have signed their first-round pick, Dontari Poe. Poe, who hopefully addresses the Chiefs’ need for a high-impact nose tackle, was the 11th overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. The Chiefs have signed all eight of their 2012 draft picks heading into training camp, the first time this has happened in six years.
Full financial terms were not disclosed, but Poe’s four-year contract is expected to be worth around $11.3 million in fully guaranteed money, including a signing bonus of around $6.6 million. The team will hold a fifth year option, which is a new component to first-round selected rookies’ contracts as part of the new collective bargaining agreement.
Poe, a 6’4, 346 pound product from Memphis, is currently listed as the team’s starting nose tackle. The Chiefs struggled against the run last season, and have been in search for a star at NT to anchor Romeo Crennel’s 3-4 defensive scheme. While Poe had an impressive combine, he put up pedestrian stats at Memphis, and many have questioned his work-ethic and how well he will produce in the NFL. The team has had disastrous luck drafting defensive lineman in the past, but Poe fills a need, and hopefully a full training camp will get him up-to-speed.
Kansas City also signed offensive tackle Tony Ugoh, a veteran who should add some depth and leadership to a group that is talented but young. Ugoh has played in 40 career games with 28 starts in five NFL seasons, and most recently played with the defending Superbowl champion New York Giants. Adding Ugoh was a nice move by the team’s front office to solidify the line going into camp, and hopefully the new faces along the Chiefs front can gel quickly before the start of the upcoming season.
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