Should you panic over Jeremy Maclin’s release from the Kansas City Chiefs?

I mentioned at the start of this post that one of the key factors in Maclin’s release was that he had become the clear number three option in the passing game. Unless you didn’t watch the Chiefs at all last season, you already know that the top two options are Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill. Those two players are not only the stars of the Chiefs passing attack but the two most important players for K.C.’s offense in general.

Travis Kelce has established himself as one of the elite tight ends in the league. He’s a playmaker that they design plays for and a guy that Alex Smith trusts and will dump off to when things break down. I simply can’t take anyone seriously if they suggest Kansas City should use Kelce less in 2017. So let’s just pencil him in for another 85 receptions again next year (that was his exact number in 2016).

Tyreek Hill was arguably the most explosive playmaker in the NFL last season. As a rookie that was transitioning from playing running back at West Alabama to playing wide receiver in Andy Reid’s complicated West Coast Offense, he totaled 61 receptions for 593 yards and six touchdowns. He added another three rushing touchdowns and three more on returns. Once again, does anyone want to argue that Hill should be less involved in the offense in his second season?

I would go so far to argue that now that he is entering his second season, he should be more comfortable both in the offense and as a wide receiver in general. I was expecting his reception totals to increase in 2017 before Jeremy Maclin was released. If he totaled 61 receptions as a rookie changing positions that didn’t start the year as someone the Chiefs were building their offense around, I don’t think it’s a stretch at all to expect 80 receptions now that he has established his importance and productivity. Over a 16 game season, that is only five receptions per game.

So now we have 165 receptions accounted for in Kelce and Hill alone.

“But Lyle, the Chiefs had 365 total receptions last season! That’s still 200 more receptions we need! I CAN’T BELIEVE THEY CUT MACLIN!”

It’s ok, take a deep breath, when you dig into those numbers a little more it’s not that bad. Hang with me.