Part 1 of the Chiefs Receiver Mode, Grade Card Day was published on Sunday. In Part 2 is a more granular look at the Chiefs WR group. In part 1, I concluded that the Chief’s Receivers would be a very good overall group of targets for QB Patrick Mahomes. This specifically included WR #1 & 2 — Hill and Hardman — RB’s as receivers — CEH and Williams — TE’s Kelce with the hopeful asterisk placed on Noah Gray. Gray has been earning credos from the coaching staff and Patrick Mahomes. That is a great omen for the upcoming season because his ball skills and hand talent are a great fit for the Chiefs offense. Let’s hope that this comes to fruition quickly.
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Leaving Part 1 behind, and to keep things in perspective, in the Chief’s terminology, doesn’t really fit the vernacular of the new nomenclature. For the Reid Offense, there is no true “Y” or “Z” Receiver when referencing specific player personnel because all WR’s on the game roster can run every route tree. That is a Reid-quirement in his offense.
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Since that is the case, what I am looking for is the Receiver who is not just a deep threat, on a given play, but the route runner who excels in shorter, intermediate route running. For this reason, I prefer that we go back to using the terminology of –> “Possession Receiver.” However, as observed in Part 1, the Chiefs have the best “Z” receiver in the game, bar none, in Travis Kelce.
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At this point, the grade is B-
A lot is yet to be proven
The #2 must go deep with skill and explosiveness and at the same time possess contingent skill while running routes –> For the Short and Intermediate Route Trees. Plus, he must block for other receivers.
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For the upcoming season, barring the emergence of a young newcomer, the focus here is going to be on the Chiefs #2, #3, and #4 WRs. At this time, we can only project who those players will be. The obvious choices are Mecole Hardman, Demarcus Robinson, and Byron Pringle.
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I think about these three players in this manner: Hardman has over-the-top speed that nearly matches that of the Chiefs’ #1 WR, Tyreek Hill. Therefore, as #2, if it’s a deep zone pass (20-40 yards and beyond), then Hardman is a solid player in that component of the aerial game. I recently discussed Hill in terms of his rating by a trusted statistical technician.
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Hill was #3 behind Hopkins and Adams. While I disagree with that, it is similar to a discussion of the best TE. Here you might have the top 3 being Kelce, Kittle, Ertz, or Gronkowski. The point I will make is the Kelce is the best in the business, bar none. Same with Tyreek Hill. It’s when we get to the topic of running short and intermediate routes that the Chiefs need one of the players to emerge — to excel, run the exact route tree that is called for, make sure they make the catches, and/or block for other receivers. This is a skill that was possessed by the now-departed Sammy Watkins.
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For this particular Focus, I am going to state that Mecole Hardman is the logical person to be that Y-Receiver for 2021. It’s up to him. We know he can get deep and that he nearly Matches Hill Step-for-Step. Having observed this, the Y-Receiver that I feel must emerge is the “Possession Receiver”, that special player who gets open regardless of route, depth, or snap. Knowing that Reid’s playbook and the player personnel is complex, this may very well be a receiver by committee.
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At this point, I don’t have a known and proven talent that I can guarantee as that perfected route runner. Demarcus Robinson spoke about it and said he felt that his role would be expanded in 2021. Mecole Hardman spoke about it in response to a question where he addressed public misperception, stating he could run every route in the complicated route tree of Reid’s playbook.
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Actually, I believe there is truth to both players fitting the picture but in my book, the true #2 WR will be Mecole Hardman. Byron Pringle will also likely supersede Robinson and I really like what he brings to the table. For that matter, we are dealing with the opinions and views of outsiders. I know some do not think that Robinson will make the 53-man cut at “Alchemy Day.” After Ryan Tracy of RGR gives way to Daniel Harms affection for Cornell Powell, he states that he believes Pringle — or possibly Robinson — will emerge in the mix as well.
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I am sure that Robinson has made superior plays but he’s also has had significant drops, that interrupted drives and failed to move the chains. This is an Interesting conundrum: Pringle or Robinson?
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Second Phase Wide Receivers
Who Excels When the Play Breaks Down?
What do I mean when I use the adjective phrase “Second Phase”? The graphic below by Brad Congelio demonstrates my point. You will note that the players that are highly ranked include both Kelce and Hill. The size of the red “Dot” indicates the average depth of the “recovery” or second phase reception.
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Among the Chiefs receivers otherwise, who might best fit this in a new outcome of an added receiver who drops into a hole when Patrick Mahomes has to scramble?
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I will provide some foresight of the future about a newcomer who might fit such as receiver for the Chiefs: Cornell Powell. It is my view that he will become the true Chiefs “Possession or Go-To” receiver for Mahomes WR. However, that’s merely an impression from watching game tape of Powell at Clemson in his Senior season. Powell showed real progress his last year at Clemson and the Chiefs may be getting him on the upswing.
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The real question becomes: which WR of the top 3 contenders — between Hardman, Robinson, and Pringle — emerges as that top player who is a trusted “Second Phase” receiver? At this early point, we can only project. Although the team arrives at camp this week, they won’t put on the pads and play contact football until next week.
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The deliberations by the coaching brain-trust — HC Andy Reid, OC Eric Bieniemy, Receivers coach Joe Bleymaier plus the passing game Coordinator Mike Kafka won’t be easy but they’ll consider a player’s talents and their knowledge of the playbook, and the aerial route tree will be the test-bed.
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What is difficult to envision is how the players react to the break-down of a play and do they drop into a hole that will have an open passing lane that Mahomes can exploit? As camp opens and competition becomes intense, It will be an intriguing study of the dynamics of camp, practice, and each player’s ability to become worthy of trust.
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My evaluation as camp opens is as follows:
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- #1 WR – Hill.
- #2 WR = Hardman
- #3 WR – To be determined
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Getting to a determination of who will be the best 3rd alternative will be difficult.
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Who will emerge as Possession Receiver?
Probably, it’s Robinson or Pringle. Keep in mind there are other experienced players with talent who could emerge quickly. This is where I believe that before we are halfway point of the season, something special happens. A young player will stand out. He will become the future Possession and Go-To WR.
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I think that Kafka and Bieniemy will have constant end-of-day sessions evaluating what they have witnessed throughout camp and preseason. It may be that there will be a 3rd, as yet the unidentified player who is vying for snaps and targets and becomes depended upon to be the player who finds the spot that Patrick Mahomes needs to see a receiver alter a route and get to the point that he finds him?
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Final Arbitration
It’s really too early to make a valid forecast for what will happen, but I go over the young players time and again, not only the WR’s but the youth movement on the offensive line.
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Cornell Powell had an awakening as a Senior at Clemson. The light-bulb suddenly turned on and it was a bright and shining orb. Cornell Powell should become the Chiefs #2 WR, that Possession player that I so desperately want to have as a top target for our future GOAT, Patrick Mahomes.
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I’m not the only observer who believes this. The topic has come up time and again as the opening of camp approached. Mahomes himself has been highly complimentary of Powell’s efforts thus far. Cornell, demonstrating a maturity that is coveted by every NFL Club played his part. He said of his early participation:
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“I learned there’s nothing you can really do to get ready for training camp besides doing it and learning from experience… So just coming out here, make sure your conditioning is up, making sure that you know the plays, knowing and being knowledgeable of the game and your assignment and your alignment will take you far. The rest of it is just football at the end of the day. You got to go out there and be a dog and make plays.”
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That is the right attitude for a rookie coming to NFL Training camp to have. Daniel Harms has also made a prediction regarding Cornell Powell emerging in 2021, not down the road but now…. well, week 4.
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Now, it’s time for contact football in camp and preseason games!
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David Bell – ArrowheadOne
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