KC Chiefs: A full history of Brett Veach’s reclamation attempts
WIDE RECEIVERS
Kelvin Benjamin
Kelvin Benjamin had a great start to his career after recording 1,000 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns in his rookie year in 2014. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in training camp prior to the 2015 season. He was able to bounce back with 941 yards in 2016, but in October of 2017, the Panthers traded him to the Bills where he struggled with injuries, consistency, and effort. After a 13+ month stint with the Bills, he was released.
Shortly after his release from Buffalo, Veach and the Chiefs signed Benjamin to a contract for the remainder of the 2018 season. To say his Chiefs career was forgettable would be an understatement. In three appearances, he only managed 2 catches on 4 targets for 26 yards and a drop. He was not re-signed and has not appeared in any type of NFL game since then.
At the time, this signing was a low-risk, high-reward one. It didn’t work out for the Chiefs didn’t lose much outside of a roster spot and ~$350,000 in cash.
Josh Gordon
To say that Josh Gordon has had a strange career would be another understatement. He was selected in the NFL’s Supplemental Draft in the second round by the Cleveland Browns. After a solid debut season, he exploded in 2013 going for over 1,600 yards and 9 touchdowns—good for a Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro nod. But then he was suspended for the better part of the following four seasons before short stints with the Patriots and Seahawks in 2018 and 2019, where he won a Super Bowl with the former and was awarded a ring, despite being suspended.
Out of the blue, Veach and the Chiefs signed Josh Gordon to a one-year in late September of 2021. His signing was polarizing among Chiefs fans—some thought his signing would amount to nothing, while others believed thought he had a chance to be a productive player in Kansas City. The fact that he only caught 7 balls for 32 yards in 12 games in 2021 more or less proved the doubters right.
Gordon was re-signed for another season but he’s far from a lock to make the team. He’ll have to compete with the depth players like Justyn Ross, Justin Watson, Cornell Powell, and Corey Coleman in order to make the team. His signing, like every player on this list, was a low-risk, high-reward one and still hasn’t paid many dividends yet. However, there is still time for him to make an impact.
Corey Coleman
Another former Baylor Bears and Cleveland Browns wide receiver. After being selected 15th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft, Coleman never quite got it going in Cleveland. During training camp in 2018, Coleman (shown on Hard Knocks) demanded to be traded. He was eventually traded to the Bills for a 2020 7th-round pick. He never appeared in any action for the Bills or the Patriots (whom he also signed with during the 2018 season) but did record 5 catches and 71 yards for the Giants that season. He has not appeared in an NFL regular-season game since primarily due to injuries and a suspension.
In March of this year, Brett Veach and the Chiefs (again) took a strange flyer by signing another troubled wide receiver who has been several years removed from his last productive season of any kind when they signed Coleman to a one-year deal. As stated with Gordon, Coleman will have to compete with other down-the-depth chart receivers for a spot on the active roster in August/September.