Revisiting The Five Free Agents The Kansas City Chiefs Lost In 2014

Oct 26, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans running back Dexter McCluster (22) carries the ball against Houston Texans linebacker Justin Tuggle (57) during the second half at LP Field. The Texans beat the Titans 30-16. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

DEXTER MCCLUSTER

New Team: Tennessee Titans

Contract: 3 years, $9 million

Dexter McCluster had something of a breakout season for the Chiefs in his first year under Andy Reid’s system. In his fourth professional season, McCluster set career highs in targets (83), receptions (53), receiving yards (511), and receiving touchdowns (2). He also returned two punts for touchdowns.

McCluster parlayed that into a significant pay increase, a three-year, $9 million deal from the Titans. At $3 million per season, the Titans were banking on the continued improvement of McCluster as a receiving threat in addition to his abilities as a returner. That simply did not happen.

In 14 games McCluster caught only 26 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown, and saw his yards per reception drop by two full yards. His 328 yards from scrimmage were the lowest in he’s produced since his rookie season in 2010. McCluster also failed to make an impact as a punt returner, averaging only seven yards per return, the lowest of his career.

One of the biggest knocks on McCluster was that he was not the big play threat we were led to believe he would develop into. The stat that seemed to best illuminate this idea was the ratio in which McCluster would score touchdowns compared to the amount of fumbles he lost. In his first three years with the Chiefs he had five total touchdowns and eight career fumbles lost. Andy Reid helped him even that number out a little bit in 2013, improving to nine touchdowns and 10 fumbles lost.

In 2014 McCluster had one touchdown and one fumble lost. So in five NFL seasons McCluster has lost more fumbles (11) than he has scored touchdowns (10).

If Kansas City was going to spend $9 million on a player then they were going to need somebody who was going to produce more positive explosive plays. McCluster simply was not that guy, and 2015 proved it.

Next: Tyson Jackson