The four biggest roster questions for the Kansas City Chiefs
#2 Wide Receiver
The Chiefs possess one of the most prolific passing attacks in all of football thanks to the combination of Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and the offensive mind of Andy Reid. However, the production at their number two wide receiver spot has been a little inconsistent. For the past three seasons Sammy Watkins has struggled to stay healthy and now he’s left via free agency.
The Chiefs have Mecole Hardman to play in the slot, and while he’s been inconsistent in his first two seasons, he has enough big play ability to have a role in the offense. However, Hardman simply doesn’t have the skill set to start on the outside opposite Hill. So that leaves those snaps open for guys like Demarcus Robinson, Byron Pringle, and rookie Cornell Powell.
Robinson has the most production in that spot over the past few years as he frequently filled in when Watkins wasn’t in the lineup. He’s averaged 33 receptions per season over the past three years, with a career best 45 receptions last season. The problem is that Robinson, like the #2 wideout position itself, has been inconsistent. He’s made some nice plays from time to time but has also had some frustrating drops. It feels like at this point we’ve seen what Robinson is and that’s a guy that you’d rather have on the bench as a fourth receiver than the primary number two.
The Chiefs also seem high on Pringle, who has looked pretty good in limited opportunities, but still only has 25 career receptions. While Robinson has the advantage in experience and overall production, if last year’s playoffs are any indication, Pringle could be primed to leapfrog Robinson in the pecking order. In the postseason, Pringle had six receptions to Robinson’s two.
While there are several other young wideouts in camp, the one with the best chance to earn playing time and maybe eventually some snaps on the outside is rookie fifth round draft pick Cornell Powell. Powell was a productive weapon in Clemson’s high powered offense in his final college season. He’s a good route runner that tracks the ball well and has pretty reliable hands. While he may not be super tall or have breakaway speed, neither do the guys that he is competing with for snaps. So Powell just needs to prove he has a grasp of the offense and can be reliable to start getting some looks.
The Chiefs were linked to some free agent wideouts this offseason, so it’s also not out of the realm of possibility that they could bring someone else in. There was a little buzz last week about some KC players reaching out to Dede Westbrook, and they could also wait to see if anyone becomes available after roster cuts. The Chiefs may not need huge production out of their starting #2 wideout, but if they can get someone to step up and earn Mahomes’ trust, it would just make the Chiefs offense that much more impossible to stop.
Next up, let’s talk about the biggest question mark on the defense.