Chiefs: Winning Off the Field

Laddie Morse

Those who comprise Chiefs Kingdom want nothing more than to hear good news about the Kansas City Chiefs returning to the Super Bowl or hoisting another AFC Conference Championship Lamar Hunt Trophy in Arrowhead. We also want to be assured that GM Brett Veach is making the right moves off the field and to that point, the man has been busy this past week. To win on the field, the Chiefs have to win off the field, which I believe they are doing.

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Saturday, December 16

Deon Bush (S) was signed from he Practice Squad to the Active Roster. Bush has been on the Chiefs active roster before and in the game against the Patriots, he had 28 out of 30 total snaps and they all came in Special Teams.

Mike Pennel (NT) was signed from Practice Squad to Active Roster. Pennel was previosuly on the Chiefs active roster back in 2019 and help K.C. win their first Super Bowl in 50 years.

Deneric Prince (RB) was signed from Practice Squad to Active Roster. Prince was waived in late August this year then re-signed to the practice squad. On Saturday he was elevated to the Active Roster. Pricne was first signed as a UDFA by the Chiefs in the 2023 offseason.

Darius Harris (LB) was waived to make room for Deon Bush (most likely). Harris is a 27 year old who was signed by K.C. as a UDFA in 2019. He’s played parts of each season for the Chiefs and played on 417 snaps on Defense and 361 snaps on Special Teams.

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Monday, December 18

Skyy Moore (WR) was sent to the Injured Reserve List which essentially means he’s done for the year. My question is, does that mean he’s done with the Chiefs once and for all? Moore was a second round pick in the 2022 NFL draft and that makes him a bust as far as I can tell. I projected him to become the Chiefs #1 WR in his rookie year and now it looks like he may have run his course with K.C. after two very unproductive seasons.

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Tuesday, December 19

Darius Harris (LB) was re-signed and placed on the Practice Squad.

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Wednesday, December 20

The Chiefs announced they have signed two players: WR Anthony Miller and TE Izaiah Gathings.

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WR, Anthony Miller

Anthony Miller runs a 4.48 – 40 yard dash and has a 39 inch vertical jump. ArrowheadPride had this to say about Miller:

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“The 5-foot-11, 199-pound Miller was a second-round pick (51st overall) out of Memphis for the Chicago Bears in 2018. Over three seasons there, he registered 134 receptions for 1,534 yards and 11 touchdowns. He played for both the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021, but sat out the 2022 season after the Steelers placed him on their Reserve/Injured (injured reserve) list that August. Pittsburgh released Miller in June. Since then, he’s spent time on the practice squads for the San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts.”

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It’s not surprising that K.C. is seeking out another wide receiver. Miller had several great — and I mean GREAT — catches here so I’m including his college highlights:

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The Chiefs have led the league in drops this season, enough to turn QB supreme Patrick Mahomes into a mad man. If you’re not associating the WR drops and Mahomes shows of emotion in/after multiple games… think again. K.C. currently leads the Cleveland Brown by three drops with 26 to their 23. If I’m a free agent WR right now, K.C. would be my first of all possible destinations.

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TE, Izaiah Gathings

Izaiah Gathings run around a 4.5 – 40 yard dash and has a 36 inch vertical jump. He is now a tight end. Travis Kelce will end up with his lowest number of yards this season since 2017 when he had 1,038. He currently has 924 with three games to go. He’s not only complained about his surgeries still hurting him but he has become more of a decoy than a great target for Patrick Mahomes. Izaiah Gathings may end up helping him out with getting so many snaps.

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First of all, Gathings was originally a WR. He began his college career at Gardner-Webb before transferring to Middle Tennessee State. He was first signed by the N.Y. Jets, and Ethan Greenberg, their team reporter, said this of him on newyorkjets.com:

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“Gathings (6-4, 222) played wide receiver at Middle Tennessee State. He finished second on the team with 60 receptions for 559 yards and 2 touchdowns in 12 games (11 starts) last year. Gathings had 24 receptions, 302 yards and 1 touchdown in 2021, his first season with the Blue Raiders. He began his college career at Gardner-Webb, totaling 101 receptions, 1,341 yards and 13 scores.”

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Gathings looks like more of a receiving TE than a blocker. He is 23 years old while Jody Fortson (runs a 4.78 with a 34 inch vertical) is of a similar size and make-up (being a previous WR and a pass catching TE) Fortson is also now 28 years old, so, Gathings could be a substitute, developmentally, for Fortson.

While I am a big Fortson fan, the addition of Gathings, who is almost exactly the same size, makes me think he’s here to take Fortson’s place. Here’s some of Gathings Highlights from his days at Gardner-Webb and you can see the talent in his hands (you may need to mute your speakers):

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While Gathings doesn’t look like a world beater, Miller may have a very different path with the Chiefs. Miller may end up help K.C. this season too. Both Miller and Gathings are starting out on the Practice Squad.

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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne

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