Three KC Chiefs players with the most to gain against Las Vegas Raiders

Byron Pringle

If the last week was a weird game of NFL Musical Chairs, then the Kansas City Chiefs were definitely one of the teams left standing without a place to sit when the music stopped playing. A few wide receivers were made available over the last week or so, and despite clear public interest in at least one direction, the team was left without any new help.

Of course, Josh Gordon was supposed to be the help that filled the role that Sammy Watkins once occupied, but through a handful of games after being reinstated and then signed by the Chiefs, he’s yet to make any discernible impact whatsoever. In fact, the Chiefs were very public in their pursuit of Odell Beckham Jr. in the last few days despite Gordon’s recent addition. Still that didn’t stop these sorts of reports from coming out:

Yeah, not the best look when you lose here, and the Chiefs even lost out on a chance to grab Josh Reynolds, a wide receiver just let go by the Tennessee Titans. The Chiefs reportedly wanted Reynolds this past offseason but couldn’t; convince him to sign in free agency. Then the Detroit Lions, who had the top waiver spot, claimed him this week. That’s certainly not anyone’s fault in K.C., but it’s the cherry on top of a forgettable week.

The bottom line here is that Byron Pringle now has a very clear path to some serious playing time ahead of him, if he didn’t already. If Gordon is not going to become that option, and if the team is learning they simply cannot trust Mecole Hardman, then Pringle is really the last bit of hope for a higher ceiling. Someone has to be able to start to create separation. Someone has to be able to win one-on-one matchups. Someone has to force defenses to reconsider their options.

Can Pringle be that guy? He’s certainly been a promising role player and nothing more to date, so this would require a big jump, but the Chiefs are out of options and that could mean good things for a guy like Pringle.