Kansas City Chiefs: Much Ado About Wide Receivers
Can Any Of This Actually Happen?
Dec 7, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (18) on the sidelines during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey G. Pittenger-USA TODAY Sports
Talk of grabbing Demaryius Thomas, Jeremy Maclin, or any other receiver is all well and good, but each of those guys is going to want to be paid. Can the Chiefs realistically expect to do so?
That is a great question. Unfortunately, the best answer is a non-answer—it depends.
It depends on whether the Chiefs give Houston a lucrative new deal or simply place the franchise tag on him to avoid the potential cost.
It depends on which quarterbacks the Chiefs end up keeping around. They are not going to take five into next season; it was unusual to have four last year. Smith and Aaron Murray seem like locks to stay on the roster, but who of Chase Daniel, Tyler Bray, and Terrelle Pryor ends up joining them? Daniel appears to have the most talent but also the biggest price tag.
It depends on what happens with Bowe and Tamba Hali. Either one of them could be kept, restructured, traded, or cut. Being brought back under their current contracts seems like the least likely option for either of them. If Bowe restructures instead of departing the team, there will be less need and money to bring in a new pass catcher.
And, of course, it depends on what really ends up happening in the draft. Morse’s mock draft realistically expects Amari Cooper, Kevin White, and DeVante Parker to be gone before the Chiefs first pick. However, the draft often ends up looking different than what we think makes sense. If a high level receiver somehow falls to the Chiefs, then everything becomes a lot simpler, and free agents end up being a luxury.
What do I think will actually happen?
Daniel and Bray are cut. Houston ends up with the franchise tag, as the Chiefs don’t have a lot of room to maneuver under the cap, and they have other areas that need to be addressed. Bowe is cut because restructuring would require too big of a pay cut for him to accept. Hali agrees to restructuring. And the Chiefs miss the highest-touted prospects at receiver in the draft.
Kansas City is left to fill the gap left by Bowe with free agency, and use whatever they saved from cuts and restructuring to get the best available receiver they can afford.
Then again, all of that could end up wrong.
What do you say, Addicts?
Next: Reach's Early Round 1 Options For The Chiefs