Laddie Morse
Break-out… Break-in… what’s the difference? Well, I’ll tell you. A Break-Out player is one who has been on the team and they had a Break-Out season while… a Break-In player is one who came to the team this offseason and had a Break-Out year. Last year the Break-In Winner was rookie WR Rashee Rice, as I predicted last May. However, I also predicted that Kadarius Toney would be one of the Chiefs Break-Out players and that was a total failure, not only on Toney’s part, but mine as well. I bought into the hype and while Toney is on the last year of his rookie deal, and as Terez Paylor used to say, “The Contract Year is Undefeated“… I seriously have my doubts about Toney ever returning to form. It’s not because I don’t want him to… I surely would love to see that happen… I just don’t think he has the drive to do it.
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If you buy into the idea that the Chiefs have gone to short ball passes in the past two season (without Tyreek Hill) then it may be easy to see how some of us believe that the Chiefs are going to go back to a long ball approach this season. At least that’s what the tweet above suggests. While I agree the Chiefs are going to go back to a long ball approach, they also drafted a Tight End who I believe will excel (breakout?) this year. Andy Reid does a good job — maybe better than anyone in the league — of designing an offense that take great advantage of the skills of the players he has on his roster. I would venture a guess that even though Reid has gone to “small-ball” — shorter and intermediate passes, the past two years — his Hall of Fame Tight End has taken a beating in the yards gained department.
Although, Mr. Kelce has had the best run of 1,000 yard + seasons in a row, last year he did not reach that mark. Was it because of old age? Was it because he sat out the last game of the season? Or was it because the opposing defenses have figured out that Kelce is the primary target for Patrick Mahomes and they dropped one of their Safeties down into the box to help double-team him?
With the Chiefs going back to having not just one, but two speedsters on the outside, Kelce and the rest of the tight end menagerie should go off. From an article written by Bill Barnwell for ESPN called, “2024 NFL offseason: AFC teams’ best and worst deals, picks, more” (subscription required) he said,
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“After averaging 8.8 air yards per attempt in 2018,
he [Kelce] averaged a league-low 6.2 air yards per throw
last season. Imagine if Steph Curry emerged as
the NBA’s best scorer in the paint or Aaron Judge
morphed into the league’s best contact hitter.
That’s the sort of shift Mahomes has made to thrive.”
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Here then, are the players I believe will Break-Out/Break-IN… for the Chiefs in 2024. One on Offense and one on Defense.
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Offensive Break-In Player of 2024
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Marquise Hollywood Brown
Hollywood Brown runs a 4.27 40 yard dash. Although Brown has a fast 40 time, he didn’t run the 40 at his Combine or Pro Day because he had Lisfranc surgery on his foot the January before that. However, I think a lot of people forget just how fast he is. With both Hollywood and Xavier Worthy available to go long at any time, opposing teams will have to keep two Safeties deep nearly 100% of the time which is going to open things up for not only our collection of superior Tight Ends, but for WR Rashee Rice (whenever he is available… probably half the year but possibly 100% of the time)… but our Running Backs should benefit as well.
It will not surprise me at all if the Chiefs choose a 3rd RB based upon which one is best at catching the ball out of the backfield. A return to the long ball, means more passing, and passing will be on Andy Reid’s mind and if that is the case. A RB with WR skills is in line with that thinking. Here are some Marquise Hollywood Brown highlights (3:30):
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Offensive Honorable Mention
Jared Wiley
For the 2024 season on the Offensive side of the ball, for my Honorable Mention, it’s… TE Jared Wiley, out of TCU. With Travis Kelce getting older and HC Andy Reid wanting to elongate his time in K.C., Reid may be providing the framework to augment Kelce’s career by sending Wiley out on routes to set him up for success, instead of Kelce.
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Defensive Break-In Player of 2024
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First lets’ take a look the Chiefs Draft Class of 2024, which took place 32 days ago now:
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Safety Jaden Hicks
Safety Jaden Hick was the #1 Safety and according to Draftek.com he was their #49 best prospect overall (and #56 by CBSSports.com), but was drafted with the Chiefs pick #133. Consequently, Hicks has often been referred to as a Steal. Hicks has already been getting extra attention from Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo, which is seen as a positive instead of a negative. In an article featuring Jaden Hicks by the BleacherReport.com (BR) called, “Jaden Hicks NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Washington State Safety” written by their NFL Scouting Department, they say of the 6-foot-2, 211 pounder:
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“Jaden Hicks was a versatile defender who aligned at all three levels for the Washington State secondary. A physical defender, Hicks has the size to play the run from the box and the athletic profile to play in coverage. When playing the run, Hicks is a great box defender. He’s physical and can make quick reads, shooting gaps and beating linemen to the spot. He often looks to deliver big hits, especially to unsuspecting receivers or ball-carriers. When in tight space, Hicks often throws his shoulder for tackles, but he does a good job of wrapping up for secure tackles.”
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“All three levels of the… secondary”… sounds a bit like L’Jarius Sneed to me. However, let’s not get our hopes and expectations too high just yet. BR. like other web sites says Hicks weakness is in coverage deep. They say it’s not severe, but he is more of a box Safety who can blitz and play the run whenever needed. He has a change of direction limit. Here’s Jaden Hick highlights for the 2023 season (3:48).
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Since we know other teams will be taking to the run often this season, Hicks and his skills should come in handy. I don;t see any teams on the Chiefs schedule who will be able to run the ball and wear the K.C. Defense down so much that they keep themselves in the game. With the Chiefs new Offensive blueprint to throw deep as well as throw underneath… they should be able to win most games.
What do you think? Are their others who you are hoping will be Break-Out or Break-In players this year?
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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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