Ty Law signs with the Chiefs

[Deattribution]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Pro Bowl cornerback Ty Law agreed to a five-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Law will rejoin Herman Edwards, who coached him with the New York Jets last year, when the veteran came back from a severe foot injury and led the NFL with 10 interceptions. Chiefs spokesman Bob Moore said Law will take his physical Monday.

Edwards, who replaced Dick Vermeil as head coach of the Chiefs, is a former Pro Bowl cornerback and has vowed to revamp a Kansas City defense that the past five years has been near the bottom of the league.

The 32-year-old Law, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, will pair with Patrick Surtain in what could be the Chiefs' strongest secondary since James Hasty and Dale Carter anchored the backfield in the mid-1990s.

Also bolstering the defense will be end Tamba Hali, the team's first-round pick out of Penn State who is thought to be close to signing a contract that would get him in uniform for the start of training camp in River Falls, Wis., on Friday.

Since 2001, a woeful defense has hurt the Chiefs' offense, which racked up yards and points behind running backs Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson, tight end Tony Gonzalez, and Pro Bowl linemen Brian Waters, Will Shields and Willie Roaf.

But the defense last year showed signs of coming around, with the signing of Surtain and the emergence of second-year defensive end Jared Allen, who led the team with 11 sacks.

Law cost the Jets around $6 million last year. Terms of his deal with Kansas City were not immediately available.

His presence is certain to excite both fans and teammates, as it did Allen, who was driving to Kansas City on Sunday when told of the news.

"That is awesome," he shouted. When he turned to teammate and linebacker Boomer Grigsby and told him, Grigsby let out a whoop, too.

"That's going to be a huge help to us," Allen said. "Our defense is going to be awesome. The guy's a great athlete, a great player. He's been to the Super Bowl."

The Chiefs talked with Law last year before he signed with the Jets. They were one of several teams interested in picking him up this season.

"I didn't think it would happen," Allen said. "Rumors were always floating around. But I'm really glad we got him."

If they can get their defensive line straight, the Chiefs could have a pretty solid defense this year. Also have to wait and see how much of a hit their offense takes losing the HC and OC.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2527839

[jeff061]

Going to be a lot of disgruntled Pats fans if they continue to decline. Even if they give Branch what he wants they still will have a boatload left under the cap.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by jeff061

Going to be a lot of disgruntled Pats fans if they continue to decline. Even if they give Branch what he wants they still will have a boatload left under the cap.

Yeah, I didn't understand this move. They have the cap room, and could have given Law the same deal (even money says it a frontloaded deal similar to the Jets deal last year) and still had the room to spend next year. If they're not "rebuilding" (which seems unlikely), why wouldn't you give Law a shot ?

[ISiddiqui]

Great pickup by the Chiefs. If their defense is actually decent, that is going to be one scary ass team.

[jeff061]

Could only be duration and bonus. Not saying I agree with it, but what else could it be?

The guys been a great player every year of his career, even coming off that injury. The Pats have Randall Gay, Ellis Hobbes and Asante Samuel, not hopeless but hardly a sure thing. They needed Law.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Great pickup by the Chiefs. If their defense is actually decent, that is going to be one scary ass team.

Amen. This is one sport where SI gets to beat me up about.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Great pickup by the Chiefs. If their defense is actually decent, that is going to be one scary ass team.

We've only been saying this for what... 4 years?

[kcchief19]

I'm dangerously optimistic now. I already felt the defense was going to be improved just thanks to having a more defensive-minded coach at the top. The two weak links are defensive line and corner back. If this team can figure out anyway to get pressure on the quarterback with the front four, this can be a Super Bowl team.

They better, because the window is quickly closing. You know Trent Green is going to collapse at some point, the offensive line is running on fumes and at some point Larry Johnson is going to refuse to get on the field without a new contract.