Are the Kansas City Chiefs wanting to upgrade at slot receiver?

Lost in the wake of recent moves was a visit from Eli Rogers which signals that Brett Veach might not be done adding offensive pieces, at least at slot WR.

Between the start of training camp, Patrick Mahomes hype, Anthony Sherman’s outfits and Bashaud Breeland’s visit, you might have lost a storyline that has now crept in a couple times when fans were looking the other way.

Last Sunday, Eli Rogers visited the Kansas City Chiefs on a free agent visit that came and went without much fanfare. That’s okay because Rogers ended up back with his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, on a one-year deal that made a lot of sense for both player and franchise. That said, it was the second such visit this offseason by a slot receiver, which makes us wonder if Brett Veach is looking for something in particular.

Four months ago, wide receiver Kendall Wright visited Arrowhead Stadium in the wake of the team having also signed Sammy Watkins to a $48 million deal. Like Rogers, Wright came and went before signing with the Minnesota Vikings in late March. Looking back, however, he was the first such player to visit and we should have kept better watch on other potential players and their chances of landing with the Chiefs.

Yes, Watkins has been added to a wide receiver group that has a lot of talent already in Tyreek Hill, Chris Conley, Demarcus Robinson, Jehu Chesson and more. However, it’s clear that Veach is interested in potential options to help replace the slot production vacated by Albert Wilson when he signed with the Miami Dolphins. Watkins is the dynamic new playmaker who will help all over the field, but Veach clearly has a vision for that dependable player in the middle who can be an important outlet for Patrick Mahomes and move the chains with dependable hands inside.

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Wright is a 5’10, 185 lb. target. Rogers is the same height but weighs two pounds more. Tyreek Hill actually matches the size profile, but he’s already doing what he can do best on the outside as a top end target. Daniel Braverman and maybe Elijan Marks are the only other wide receivers on the roster who even profile in a similar way, but both are long shots to even make the practice squad. In short, maybe Veach is onto something here.

There are other options in free agency if Brett Veach wants to bring some other ideas in. Eric Decker is likely at the top of that list as a big slot, although it’s impossible to tell how much he has left. However as a longtime vet, he’d be able to likely jump in faster than most players and adapt for the regular season.

If the Chiefs are open for that big slot sort of player, Chesson could likely be that player given his history of being a very physical receiver from his days at Michigan. Then again if Veach felt good about Chesson’s pro chances at the slot, would he have brought in Rogers and Wright for visits? Hard to say.

dark. Next. What's next in the Breeland sweepstakes?

The best case scenario would be for one of the Chiefs internal options to step up, but it will be interesting to see if Veach continues to bring in other wide receiver options as free agent visits to round out the offense. Veach’s actions make it clear that Wilson will be missed.

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