A look at Chiefs Receiver Acquisitions and More

Who is Going to be on the Receiving End of Patrick Mahomes Passes

With the departure of Ty Hill, Demarcus Robinson, and Byron Pringle, let’s take a look at the WR Room as it is comprised now.

Ty Hill is departed. The Chiefs received draft picks, and they immediately made hay in the marketplace, first signing JuJu Smith-Schuster(JS-S) and then Free Agent Marquez Valdes-Scantling(MV-S) while at the same time they took a Brett Veach Flyer signing a former first-round draft pick, Corey Coleman.

Let’s keep in perspective, Interchangeable roles among Chief’s Receivers in Reid’s offense. I’ll cover the three signings first and then look at the rest of some of the WR Group.

Let’s take a peek at JuJu first.

JuJu Smith-Schuster(Free agent signing, formerly a Pittsburgh WR)

Smith-Schuster signed a one-year contract to come to Kansas City. I think he is a perfect addition to the #2, possession type WR, running routes for Mahomes out of the Slot or from the edge. The Z WR can get deep in the case of JuJu as well. I see the overall deep threat from the X receiver role. and I see that player as being Valdes-Scantling. He is more of a deep threat, as he showed in Green Bay. The Z brings a capability lacking on the Chiefs Roster, a true #2, or “x” WR. He can also run routes from the outside and arrives, having been Ben Roethlisberger’s number one target.

I like that JS-S is a big-framed Receiver with excellent hands — Just what has been missing since Sammy Watkins left KC. I see him as a top-level good short-to-intermediate route running threat that will stress the secondary. In terms of the new nomenclature, JuJu is the perfect flanker, whether split to the edge or in the slot opposite the Z WR, linked up wide on the line of scrimmage. Of course, the Chiefs variations of formations do not account for things such as the Z WR lining up in the slot or preventing their X WR from doing so. Often, it could be that Travis Kelce will line up well off the LoS, and he would be the Y receiver in tight or wide-out, with Possession WR. In my view, JuJu anywhere along the LoS set back at the Flanker type position.

Whatever happened in Pittsburgh in 2021, I am putting aside. In 2020, JS-S tallied 97 catches, 831, and 9 touchdowns.

I wouldn’t say I am fond of the new nomenclature, especially for the Chiefs. For me, the short-intermediate route runner is the Z Receiver or the “Possession/#2 WR”. Kelce is the Y WR, and he stands alone in overall receiving yards since 2016, a story that will eventually tell a new tale in the NFL when Travis’s career ends. He is that special.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling (WR, signed Free Agent, Formerly a Green Bay WR)

Marquez was the #2 Possession/Z WR target for Aaron Rodgers at Green Bay. with Davante Adams being the #1 or X WR. Like the Chiefs, the Packer roles were interchangeable.

Corey Coleman – The Outlier WR (Former NY Giant WR Former first-round pick of the Browns)

Coleman had all the promise when breaking into the NFL with the Browns in 2016. He has had injury problems and a suspension and has not played in an NFL game since 2018. I have no idea what to expect of Coleman,and we won’t know what he is capable of until camp and pre-season games. So Coleman is placed here due to being a Free-Agent Signing. One thing I do know is that at the Combine in 2016, he recorded a 4.37-40.

Mecole Hardman (Chiefs Round 2 draft Pick, 2019-Georgia)

Hardman comes to the WR in his fourth season. Hardman has blazing speed, very close on the heels of the speed possessed by Ty Hill. What has been missing is the footwork and shake-loose moves that Hill used, and he has had difficulties with route-running and drops. He has fallen from favor a couple of times over the last 2 seasons, but after a couple of games bereft of being targeted, he came back strong and finished the season with 59 Catches, 693 yards, and 2 Touchdowns. Charles Goldman observed the same thing about Hardman’s 2021 outing and stated that “…Toward the end of the regular season and into the playoffs, he hit his stride, and it seemed that the coaching staff figured out how best to utilize him.”

I have believed where Hardman best fits are to run intermediate and short routes, especially on slants where he can run away from defenders and break downfield. When you think of his big plays, we saw three or four such breakaway targets that were greatly successful. It is true that Hardman can get deep and over the top as well. Suppose he had not fallen off (been in disfavor?). I can see him as having had 800 yards receiving a true value as a #2 type WR. I suspect the disfavor part goes back to Hardman’s reads of Mahomes and him breaking off of the called route for a given play.

Hardman certainly does not possess the Football moxie that Tyreek Hill owns. At the start of camp, I’d assign him as being the Chief’s #3 WR.

Josh Gordon(drafted out of Baylor, round 2, Browns)

Gordon’s first season as a Chief was one of negligible consequence. He was an essential non-factor for the season and had no post-season snaps. I was hoping he could fit perhaps show signs that he could re-emerge as the WR he had been in the past. Gordon is a big-bodied WR, 6-2, 225 LB. He was not a factor for 2021. He was drafted in the 2nd round by the Browns, now entering his 9th season. He was drafted out of Baylor and had a breakout season in 2013 with 1646 receiving yards, 95 receptions, and 9 Touchdowns.

and was previously on two other rosters of the Patriots and Seahawks. Gordon’s problems were because he was suspended for 2020 and not signed until the season was well underway. He is signed to a Reserve/Future Contract for 2022. If this is how the Chiefs view Gordon, the Chief’s coaching staff must have a positive outlook that his career turns around this season. He comes in familiar with the Chief’s playbook and will have a full off-season and camp to be in top condition to succeed. Let’s hope that happens. Capturing the genie after he is out of the bottle is difficult. We must wait for Gordon’s camp and preseason games to see what he might do.

At this point, let me cover two other receivers.

Daurice Fountain (Coastal Carolina, drafted 5th round by the Colts)

In 2021, the outlook for Fountain was positive. He played well on Special Teams and had 10 receptions for 118 yards in pre-season games. Fountain is a big-bodied WR with size(6’1″, 225 LB) and can make catches in traffic and battle to make contested receptions. Fountain is entering his 5th NFL Season. I personally like him. I doubt he makes the active roster.

Cornell Powell (Chiefs Draft 2021 5th round draft pick-Clemson)

The Chiefs drafted Powell in the fifth round in last year’s draft. After watching Powell’s game film, I thought he would make the active roster. I was wrong on that. I thought he would show up in preseason games. It didn’t happen. I think he could become the Chief’s 5th Receiver if the team keeps 5 WRs active.

That’s it for the potential WR corp. There are other players on the 90 man roster. These were players of primary focus at this point.

David Bell – ArrowheadOne