KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When it comes to their roster numbers from final season, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are at a web damaging at broad receiver with the draft three weeks away.
They signed free agent Marquise Brown, however launched Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Mecole Hardman and Richie James, who have been additionally within the enjoying rotation, are free brokers and stay unsigned.
The Chiefs started the offseason needing assist at broad receiver, even earlier than the uncertainty of Rashee Rice’s availability after the chain response automobile crash in Dallas final week. Rice was far and away the Chiefs’ main broad receiver as a rookie final season.
Is it too apparent the Chiefs will choose a large receiver with the No. 32 choose? Perhaps. The Chiefs have made shocking strikes earlier than with using their first-round choose. In 2020, they chose a operating again, Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Final yr, they chose Felix Anudike-Uzomah, giving them a defensive finish within the opening spherical for the second straight yr.
Better of NFL Nation
• Why the Jets signal HOFers after age 30• Chargers promise bodily model of soccer• Will the Chiefs draft a WR in first spherical?• Lions speak draft-day technique• Packers count on extra from QB Love
The Chiefs even have three different fundamental broad receivers again from final season. Justin Watson was second among the many workforce’s broad receivers in yards and touchdowns. However the others, Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney, had disappointing seasons.
That is why broad receiver makes probably the most sense for the Chiefs, even after signing Brown. He’s two seasons faraway from his finest NFL season with the Baltimore Ravens, when he had 91 catches and greater than 1,000 yards. His two seasons in Arizona have been marked by Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray’s torn proper ACL, an damage that took 11 months of rehab.
Brown caught 51 passes in 14 video games with the Arizona Cardinals final season.
“Marquise provides you that velocity factor on the surface, or inside for that matter,” coach Andy Reid mentioned. “He is performed all of the completely different spots. He is a sensible child. He is had some productive years so I invite that in.
“You will have that man who can take the highest off [the defense] and observe the ball effectively. However his quick and intermediate video games are good, too. He is performed inside and he is performed exterior. He is versatile that means so we’ll have the ability to transfer him round a bit of bit.”
Brown mentioned he got here to the Chiefs as a result of enjoying in Reid’s system and with quarterback Patrick Mahomes provided him an opportunity to point out his full sport in a means he did not with the Ravens or Cardinals.
“I really feel like I can have an effect on all three ranges of the sport: quick, intermediate and deep,” Brown mentioned. “I really feel like instances in Baltimore and in Arizona I confirmed aspects of issues that I may do however not on a constant foundation.”