Laddie Morse
Sure, Kansas City would be a great offense if they had a number one wide receiver, but do they really need one to win it all? The answer to that is –> look at the 2023 season. Plus, was JuJu Smith-Schuster really a number one wideout? I don’t think so either… so you could also look back at the 2022 season when K.C. won it all –> without a #1 WR as well.
The question of whether or not K.C. needs a WR #1 is an important question to answer, because I hear a lot of NFL, and Chiefs, analysts looking forward to the coming NFL Draft with the idea that the team needs to come away with a #1 guy. If you look back at the previous seasons, it was Travis Kelce who provided that number one target anyway. So… where is this idea that the Chiefs need a #1 WR coming from?
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• Perhaps… the idea of needing a #1WR is coming from a
time when the Chiefs had Tyreek Hill running away from
everyone who could pull on a football jersey. Then
again, the 2022 season proved we don’t need a Tyreek Hill.
• Perhaps… the idea is coming from the way most teams
have been constructed over the years. With the Chiefs
signing of Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, it may be a moot
point. The way QB Patrick Mahomes spreads the
ball around, these Chiefs may no longer “need” a #1 guy,
instead… just someone who can contribute.
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I’m sure that when K.C. signed Hollywood Brown, he was hoping for a thousand yard-plus season and that he could cash in on playing with Mahomes. The reality is, if it all works out as I expect it will, he’ll be just another one-thousand yard receiver in the Chiefs system… and… and… and… there’s a very good chance the Chiefs will end up with three of those one-thousand yard performers in 2024 anyway.
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Hollywood, as he prefers to be called, has already had a one-thousand yard season, while in Baltimore (1,008 receiving yards in 2021).
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Hollywood is hoping to have all of his tools utilized in the Chiefs Andy Reid offense. If that does happen for him, it will likely mean the Chiefs were at least in the running for a three-peat, and if K.C. does win it all once again, Hollywood may get priced right out of the Chiefs range for keeping him.
Travis Kelce, who many think is Patrick Mahomes primary target — and why wouldn’t they — had 984 yards receiving in the regular season, just 16 measly yards away from him garnering his 8th season in a row with at least 1,000 yards. However, Kelce did the honorable thing by sitting out the last game of the year to rest his weary bones. It’s a good thing he did because Kelce gained 355 yards through the air during the playoffs, which works out to 88.75 YPG (Yards Per Game over 4 games). Of course, Kelce was a big reason the Chiefs were able to repeat as Super Bowl Champions. Plus, he’ll be needed this year so they can three-peat. Here’s one of Kelce’s best catches ever. (0:40):
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Kelce’s 2023 performance cements him as R#1 and many agree that he is now the TE GOAT.
Rashee Rice was a rookie in 2023, and gained 938 yards via the passing game. Rice was just 62 yards short of the one-thousand yard mark as well and he also sat out in week 18 vs the Chiefs last opponent, the Los Angeles Chargers: a 13-to-12 victory for the good guys.
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Rice averaged nearly 12 YPR (Yards Per Reception) — 11.9 — and should be able to reach both the 1,000 yard mark for the season and YPR milestones in 2024. Here a catch by Rashee Rice in October:
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WR Justin Watson has had another solid season in the red and gold. Watson had 460 yards in his second season for K.C. and his YPR was 17.0 which is an amazing number. Watson also had a long of 41 yards. His average per reception tells us that his usage was as a long ball receiver, and it should be with a 4.42 – 40 yard dash time in 2018. Here’s one of Mahomes best throw of the year and Justin Watson’s best catches (0:19):
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Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney may be a different situation. Toney was thought to be WR #1 at one time but I doubt that Moore ever was. Although both Moore and Toney have been like an absentee student in a hidden course, they each have another year on their deals so I doubt Veach will jettison them at this point.
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As far as Mecole Hardman is concerned, I doubt the Chief re-sign him. He was drafted at a time when Tyreek Hill’s future was unclear so they may have thought he could take over his role, but Hardman never developed into the player we all thought he could be. So, although he was asked to come back and help win a championship, it doesn’t’ seem likely that he’ll be re-signed.
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This year’s group of receivers includes a new Tight End in Irv Smith Jr.. Smith played his college ball at Alabama and had 715 receiving yards his last year there. Smith was drafted in the 2nd round with the 50th overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2019 NFL Draft. He stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 240 lbs. so he’s a little bit smallish to be a great TE prospect. However, I was high on him when he was coming out and he has good hands. He is seen mostly as a replacement for Jody Fortson who now plays for the Dolphins.
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The Chiefs have many capable receivers and while none of them should be considered a #1 man — except maybe Kelce — they are all important and all of them play a role in the Chiefs offensive success.
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Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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