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It has been a little bit of a sluggish begin for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in 2023. Curiously, the Chiefs are nonetheless ninth in factors scored and fourth in complete yards. It has simply been a largely inconsistent exhibiting for a often potent assault. That’s very true at one particular place on offense. General, the large receiver place has been a continuing head-scratcher.
Some names have had vivid moments in essential spots. However outdoors of tight finish Travis Kelce, actually one large receiver has put collectively an encouraging physique of labor all through most weeks. That might be rookie Rashee Rice. By means of six video games, he has 28 targets, 21 receptions, 245 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
With others nonetheless trying to discover their footing, many have puzzled about what the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs will do on the commerce deadline. Will the Chiefs make a transfer so as to add to their large receiver room? How possible is that to occur, as issues at the moment stand, two weeks earlier than the 2023 commerce deadline? Let’s kick it off.
Persistent Points Stay
We talked about that Rice has possible had the most effective physique of labor of any Chiefs large receiver to date. For starters, Kansas Metropolis has seen him enhance in opposition to man protection and his drops have begun to lower. Relating to beating man protection, Rice has began to be efficient in the midst of the sector. Discovering the soccer shortly and remaining targeted in site visitors has benefitted him and the offense in key spots not too long ago.
Past Rice’s ample begin, the problems for different Chiefs large receivers are objects that every go catcher has struggled to shake off individually. Kadarius Toney has been in a position to spark some performs with a landing final week and transferring the chains in different video games. Nevertheless, Toney has been unable to separate routinely, and defenders haven’t been fooled by his ways in area.
In the meantime, Skyy Moore has been up and down as a route runner. Many anticipated a doable breakout season for the Western Michigan product. But, his routes have been rounded far too usually. You may also see Patrick Mahomes missing belief in him at occasions, as Moore can get caught not working on the desired depth. For each Toney and Moore, Kansas Metropolis has seen these points pop up far more than what’s desired.
Had been We Too Excessive On Chiefs Vast Receiver Room Getting into Season?
Because the common season was beginning, we puzzled in regards to the ceiling of this Kansas Metropolis large receiver room. For those who have a look at the well-roundedness of the scale and talent of this group, it was doable to consider that this was the deepest large receiver room that Mahomes had probably had.
Sadly, the youth of a lot of the unit continues to be going by way of a significant growth part. Kansas Metropolis is caught in between needing to get higher shortly for his or her total outlook this season, and giving a few of their large receivers less complicated play designs. The Chiefs have been dealing with a few of these questions final yr after dropping Tyreek Hill. And whereas it was not at all times fairly, Mahomes and the KC offense had certainly one of their best seasons. It led to Mahomes throwing for five,000 yards passing for the second time in his profession, in addition to his second profession NFL MVP award.
Merely put, if the Chiefs don’t consider that this group can absolutely attain their potential this yr, a transfer could possibly be mandatory. It might not be doable to discover a true WR1 talent set on the commerce deadline. Nonetheless, there are extra skilled go catchers that look like obtainable, who know easy methods to win in opposition to defenses. Maybe, this group shouldn’t be at the moment constructed to try this persistently.
Will KC Shake Up Present Group?
The largest query might not be about Kansas Metropolis being able to make an addition. As an alternative, it is going to be extra fascinating to see if the Chiefs need to shake up this present large receiver room. Each head coach Andy Reid and basic supervisor Brett Veach have mentioned mini packages for a few of these large receivers at numerous factors. Past that, the plan is for the youthful large receivers to earn deeper packages throughout the playbook.
The Chiefs have to have the ability to depend on among the names which are struggling early, although. Sooner or later, Kansas Metropolis might want to see extra flashes because the season will get deeper and the video games grow to be much more vital. In the event that they decide to make a transfer at large receiver earlier than the commerce deadline, will that disrupt any likelihood at enchancment for these incumbent items? Or, will the Chiefs discover {that a} new addition opens up extra alternatives for everybody else?
Probability Of Attainable Deal
Relating to the chance of a doable deal, the Chiefs are sitting effective, when it comes to capital to provide away. At the moment, Kansas Metropolis nonetheless has picks in every of the primary 4 rounds in each 2024 and 2025. Some groups might also be trying to eliminate a chunk for any type of draft capital. Even when it’s not essentially a premium decide, groups trying to construct for the long run are in search of any form of asset that could possibly be utilized down the street.
We are going to look into some names that the Chiefs may probably commerce for subsequent week. Within the meantime, there look like many groups with among the worst data within the league that could possibly be trying to make offers. Now we have additionally seen the NFL enhance their willingness to make trades through the season lately. There are reportedly names obtainable on the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings and others, in line with Dianna Russini of The Athletic. In all chance, Kansas Metropolis could possibly be seen as doable commerce matches with any NFC crew, whereas the Broncos could also be troublesome to do enterprise with within the AFC West. Time will inform if the Chiefs look to make a cope with any of those groups for a large receiver.
Be looking out for extra FPC Chiefs articles and evaluation all through this week. For extra nice sports activities and NFL content material, keep tuned to Full Press Protection.
– Braden Holecek is the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Protection. He covers the NFL. Like and comply with on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Fb.
