Chardee MacDynasty - Volume V
Chew bridges the gap from NFL Combine to free agency with 10 veterans that are vulnerable to losing their jobs by this time next year. To the game of games!
The fifth installment of Chardee MacDynasty is here! We are at a lull between the NFL Combine and the beginning of free agency in the legal tampering period. So let’s take a look at some veterans vulnerable to being replaced and some trades to get rid of them. Their replacement may not necessary occur during 2025 but by the beginning of the 2026 season these players may very well be forgotten by their current teams.
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*Vulnerable veterans are based on a range of factors including but not limited to: age, production, and contract status.
Geno Smith
You are not going to find a bigger believer in Geno Smith than me. And despite his success, Smith is a part of the prior regime which leaves him vulnerable as evidenced by the release of Tyler Lockett. He still very much deserves to be a starter in this league and has the benefit of having Klint Kubiak joining the Seahawks as the offensive coordinator in 2025.
While the Seahawks could release Smith with a post-June 1st designation and generate $31M in cap savings, I do not think they are positioned for that. As much as I want the Seahawks to roll with Geno for the next few years, I could see them going for a second or third round quarterback in Jalen Milroe or Jaxson Dart to be waiting in the wings. After having Geno spin it for one more season Kubiak could make his mark on the aforementioned rookie quarterback. The cap savings at the quarterback position would allow the Seahawks to spend elsewhere on the roster to take back the NFC West.
Derek Carr
Derek Carr has lost his offensive coordinator in Klint Kubiak that unlocked his connection to Rashid Shaheed. But hopefully he will have a healthy Chris Olave back in the fold and another weapon or two acquired in the draft. The Saints continue to battle with the cap, despite the jump from $255.4M to $275M, which hampers free agent additions.
Carr remains one of the top 32 quarterbacks in the NFL, but he enters his aged-34 season in 2025 amidst declining performance. Following the 2025 season there is a more palatable dead cap figure over the subsequent years if he were to be released or traded. Kellen Moore enters the fold as head coach in 2025 and I think he will do what he can given the cap-constricted roster. Does that mean Carr remains on the roster by this time next year? I lean towards no.
Travis Etienne
Liam Coen enters “Duuuvalllll” with Trevor Lawrence under center and a lot of roster decisions to make alongside new general manager James Gladstone. Christian Kirk and Evan Engram are no longer on the roster but does it stop there? We have a collective habit of imprinting a coach’s prior situation onto their current team. Is Coen looking for his Bucky Irving and could Etienne be his Rachaad White?
The Jaguars picked up Etienne’s fifth-year option and he will be an unrestricted free agent following the 2025 season. Etienne has consistently shown an ability to handle a steady volume of touches both on the ground and through the air. But with a healthy crop of running backs in the 2025 rookie class could Coen and the Jaguars draft another back? I am inclined to think yes, the only question is will it be day two or day three of the NFL Draft.
D’Andre Swift
I do not think that Ben Johnson had the final say in D’Andre Swift being traded away from Detroit. However, I have a hard time believing that Johnson sees Swift as the bell cow of the Chicago backfield going forward. I fully expect more running back competition with the expectation of cutting Swift following the 2025 season where the dead cap is palatable.
The Bears have already made a statement investing in the interior offensive line with trades for guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney. With that investment I expect both the Caleb Williams and the Bears’ running backs to benefit in 2025. But as Johnson has time to put his fingerprints on the roster, look for Swift to fall out of favor by this time next season.
George Pickens
The Steelers have a lot to figure out on the offensive side of the ball, especially at quarterback. My belief is that Justin Fields will be resigned to a prove it deal and the Steelers may snag a quarterback in the draft. After settling the quarterback the focus shifts to his weapons, with Pickens leading the wide receiver room in 2025.
For years the Steelers have been a wide receiver factory, drafting and developing receivers with regularity. Pickens was an uber-talented, albeit enigmatic, receiver out of Georgia that immediately stepped into a prominent role in 2022. Despite consecutive 100+ target seasons, Pickens’ future on the Steelers does not seem certain. Could Pickens take a big leap forward in production in the final year of his contract? Absolutely. But the Steelers have historically not been quick to dish out top-of-the-market receiver contracts and I don’t expect Pickens to be the exception.
Christian Watson
Josh Jacobs made waves this offseason for saying that the Packers are lacking a true #1 receiver. I tend to agree but when he has played Christian Watson offered a strong presence on the outside. A torn ACL in January puts Watson’s 2025 season in jeopardy, which is a contract year. Given his injury history and the remainder of the wide receivers on the roster I have a hard time believing Watson is resigned by Green Bay.
The Packers have already operated without Watson in the past couple of years due to various injuries. And Watson fits the mold of the oft-injured outside speedster receiver that is relegated to one year prove it deals. The hope is that Watson rebounds from the ACL injury and puts together a healthy 2026 season but if that is going to happen it will likely be in something other than green and yellow.
Kendrick Bourne
Bourne was on pace for a career year in 2023 but had it derailed by an ACL tear in Week 8. 2024 was a forgettable year for most Patriots players, including Bourne, as he was still recovering from the knee injury and playing in an atrocious offense. The Patriots have a new coaching staff and their franchise quarterback so things are on the up and up for the New England offense. But will Bourne be there to experience it?
Bourne is not a free agent until after the 2026 season; however, the Patriots save a whopping $6.3M if he is released post-June 1 of this year. While the Patriots are dripping with cap space, I expect them to invest heavily in upgrading Drake Maye’s supporting cast. Bourne may very well stick around for 2025 but I don’t see him gaining favor over the pass-catchers brought in by the new regime.
Kyle Pitts
The athletic marvel, number four pick of the 2021 NFL draft Kyle Pitts may be wearing a different jersey in 2026. The Falcons picked up Pitts’ fifth-year option but he will be an unrestricted free agent following the 2025 season. Surrounding the now second-year quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. is a must, but perhaps Pitts has worn out his welcome.
There is no doubt that there is a market for uber-athletic tight ends but by all accounts Pitts has not lived up to expectations thus far. The likely floor for a top-half tight end is $12M per year and I would guess Pitts will get it from a team not located in Atlanta after 2025. Barring a tremendous turnaround for Pitts in 2025, the Falcons should focus on supplementing Penix’s weapons in the draft and free agency.
Travis Kelce
The word is that Kelce will return for the 2025 season but as he enters his aged-36 season the dreaded “R-word” looms. Retirement. The most recent contract extension has Kelce set to be a free agent following the 2025 season. If there were a real belief in Kelce to continue beyond 2025, I would have expected an extension by this point. Since it hasn’t happened, this being Kelce’s final season is not unfounded.
The Chiefs are fresh off a Super Bowl loss where they were overwhelmed by the Eagles. There is no need to panic as it feels likes any season the Chiefs have a chance to make a run but the next two years will be a transitional period. Kelce had his fewest fantasy points per game in 2024 (12.2) since 2015 (11.6). The connection that Mahomes and Kelce have is second to none, but it is likely that Kelce is entering his final season in the NFL.
Jake Ferguson
You’re looking at (figuratively) the guy that bought heavily into Ferguson ahead of his breakout 2023 season. But with that being said the writing is on the wall. We saw this unfold with the previous Cowboys’ tight end, Dalton Schultz. Schultz finished his rookie contract and was franchise tagged, only to move within the state the following season to the Texans.
Ferguson enters the final year of his rookie contract and unfortunately had a down year in 2024 following a Dak Prescott injury. A bounce back in 2025 could offer a chance for Ferguson to recoup some value heading into free agency in 2026. However look for that value to be realized on a different roster. The Cowboys are positioned to fill Ferguson’s absence with Luke Schoonmaker and to a lesser extent Brevy Spann-Ford.
Which NFL-er?
Each article I give three clues to an active or retired NFL player. Comment below with your guess! If you are interested in the answer tune in for the next article for the answer; as well as, a fresh trio of clues.
For a refresher, last article’s clues were:
Retired RB
6th round pick in 2012 & played CFB in the state of Florida
Finished Top-12 in fantasy points per game only one season of his career
Played for five teams, all in the NFC
And the answer is… Alfred Morris!
Here are the clues for this week’s NFL-er:
Active TE
2rd round pick who played college ball in the SEC
Top-10 among active TE’s in: receptions, receiving yards and receiving TD’s
3 of his 8 seasons among top-12 in fantasy points per game among TE’s
Which NFL-er am I? (comment below)
So you made it this long and hopefully you enjoyed it (that’s what she said). If you wouldn’t mind sharing this in your group message with your fellow dynasty degenerates I would greatly appreciate it!