Chiefs free agency: Isaiah McKenzie is enticing return option on market

The Buffalo Bills just turned Isaiah McKenzie loose on the open market and he could be an answer at returner.

At a time when plenty of players are coming and going in the National Football League, it’s important to remember that every transaction will feature an equal and opposite reaction—in the form of another player released for most every player signed. As teams make their moves, it means that a player like Isaiah McKenzie of the Buffalo Bills finds himself available on the open market after nearly five seasons with the team.

ESPN reporter Adam Schefter noted that McKenzie was cut loose on Friday, making him available as a free agent immediately to any interested parties. One such team could be the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chiefs are already operating at a deficit at wide receiver where they’ve lost JuJu Smith-Schuster to the New England Patriots and watched Justin Watson and Mecole Hardman hit the open market. The only reliable receivers set to return in 2023 are Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, and Kadarius Toney. While the promise of that trio can be bright, they all come with questions as well.

Enter the idea of McKenzie. If the Chiefs are leaning heavily on Moore and Toney in the receiving game, and with Hardman off of the roster, it makes sense for the Chiefs to look for further return help. That’s where McKenzie, or someone with a similar player profile, could really help the Chiefs.

In his career with the Bills, McKenzie has 137 catches for 1,316 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns, proving he can be a solid receiving option while also serving up special teams value. While the Bills had other options alongside McKenzie, the 27-year-old receiver definitely did the heavy lifting most years on kick and punt returns and even brought a punt back 84 yards for a touchdown in 2020.