BREAKING: LB Anthony Hitchens Signing With Kansas City Chiefs

Linebacker Anthony Hitchens, an unrestricted free agent of the Dallas Cowboys, is reportedly heading to the Kansas City Chiefs with a big new contract.

The #Chiefs are now adding a big weapon on defense: They plan to sign former #Cowboys LB Anthony Hitchens to a deal worth $9M per year, sources tell me and @TomPelissero.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2018

If that number is accurate, Hitchens will be one of the highest-paid linebackers in the NFL. For perspective, the Cowboys’ Sean Lee averages $7 million per season.

Few expected Hitchens to return to Dallas. The Cowboys appear set with their starting lineup of Lee, Jaylon Smith, and Damien Wilson. They weren’t going to pay what Anthony could get in the open market.

It was widely assumed that Hitchens would follow his former linebackers coach Matt Eberflus to Indianapolis, where Eberflus is now the defensive coordinator.

But it will be the AFC West instead of the AFC South, and Chiefs red instead of Colts blue, for Anthony Hitchens. We wish him the best in his remaining career.