Five surprise players on Chiefs roster bubble

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Can Streater stay healthy and return to his former self? Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Rod Streater: I can already hear you furiously typing your angry response. However, I’ll stand by this one without hesitation. Rod Streater is here on a one year “prove it” deal in order to jump start his career and get a long term deal somewhere. But he’s got a lot to prove in order to make that happen.

First of all, we do not know that he is fully recovered from his injury issues. He may be healed and cleared to practice and play, but that is not the same as recovered. Can he cut the same? Does he have the same speed? Is he able to withstand contact? Can he go full speed for a full game? For a full season?

These are the questions the Chiefs will want answered before Streater gets any kind of a chance to prove himself to the rest of the league.

Fun Fact: In 2015, Wilson gained more receiving yards than the 2014 and 2015 totals of Streater, Conley, and Mike Williams…COMBINED.

Next, there is the issue of the other wide receivers currently on the roster. Jeremy Maclin is, of course, taking a roster spot. Chris Conley and Albert Wilson should also be likely members of this team. Then there’s Demarcus Robinson, Tyreek Hill, and DeAnthony Thomas who should/could all be in the mix. Not to mention Mike Williams who is really trying out for the same exact spot that Streater is. Plus Daron Brown and the multiple UDFA receivers the team brought in this year. A spot in the wide receiver corps is no gimme.

Albert Wilson is actually the most productive Chiefs receiver, not named Maclin, over the past two seasons. Mandatory Credit: Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports /

And that crowded wide receiver group really feeds in to the next point…money. It’s actually in the best interest of the Chiefs that Streater doesn’t make the roster. That would clear up $4.7 million in cap space for the team. That’s money that can be rolled over to next year, or used to bring in help at another position.

While it’s fun to speculate on what Rod Streater could be if he returns back to the level of talent he once showed, there’s no guarantee. So unless he does show that level of talent, this may very well be a very short tenure for him in KC.

Next: The Replacement Is Replaced

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