KC Chiefs: How Richie James affects plans at wide receiver

Earlier this week, the Kansas City Chiefs signed another player in free agency when word leaked of a deal with wide receiver Richie James. Formerly of the New York Giants, James is a veteran who gives the Chiefs another reliable target in a room that was lacking in quantity and quality heading into the 2023 NFL Draft.

A signing like James is important, on one level, due to the security that it provides. As 32 teams jostle for talent via free agency and the draft, each team works hard to strengthen each position as best as they can before the regular season. If a team can take care of things before the draft, that’s even better, since it keeps a team from feeling forced to reach at a certain position.

The Chiefs have already found value in signings like James at other positions for these same reasons—from Mike Edwards at safety to Byron Cowart at defensive tackle. Beyond that, however, what does a signing like James offer to the position? And how are others affected? Let’s take a look.

The offensive impact of Richie James

Last year, James set several career marks after playing in the NFL since the 2018 season. Given the Giants’ injury woes at the position, James stepped up among receivers and enjoyed a banner year catching passes from Daniel Jones in Brian Daboll’s offense (along with former Chiefs assistant Mike Kafka at offensive coordinator). James finished the year with an impressive 57 catches on 70 targets (81.4% catch rate), 569 receiving yards, and 4 touchdowns.

On a base level, it feels safe to say that James is going to fare better statistically in an offense like the Chiefs—with Patrick Mahomes at the helm—if given the opportunity. Last season’s efficient catch rate showed him to be a very reliable target for Jones. At a position where Skyy Moore has little experience, Marquez Valdes-Scantling has struggled with drops or consistency, and Kadarius Toney has durability concerns, a steady option like James is a good addition to the group.

The questions around Richie James

While James was a very stable target in the Giants’ offense, he also had three fumbles last season alone. JuJu Smith-Schuster had that many carrying a much greater load, while Travis Kelce only had 1 with an even higher volume than both. Think of this: Marquez Valdes-Scantling has only 1 fumble on 174 career touches, while James has 8 fumbles on 99 career touches. Yeah, that’s not good.

James also forced only two missed tackles, per Pro Football Focus, and with only 3.4 yards after the catch on average, it seems James isn’t going to provide much in the way of additional offense after catching the ball. There’s value in someone who can reliably make the grab, but fans shouldn’t really expect him to extend a play on his own without considerable help.

The real value from Richie James

While there is very real value in his presence as a pass catcher on offense, as previously highlighted, the real value play for the Chiefs is in the fact that he’s a competent returner for both kickoffs and punts.

Last year, James handled only punt returns for the Giants but he averaged a solid 7.3 yards/return average—which is higher than the Chiefs’ average punt return of 6.7 yards on the season in 2022. In years past, he’s also handled kickoff returns as well, serving as a primary specialist for the San Francisco 49ers for years.

For the Chiefs, it’s important to keep the bigger picture in mind. A report earlier this year from NFL Network’s James Palmer stated that the Chiefs thought of Kadarius Toney as a No. 1 WR. If that’s the case, Toney will not only need to stay healthy but he’ll also want to focus solely on offense—think of how the Chiefs transitioned Tyreek Hill away from regular return duties after his first season.

The same can be said on kickoffs when it comes to running back Isiah Pacheco. Coming into his second season, it should be assumed that Pacheco will handle a heavier load than ever before in 2023 and that he will do so from the start of the season. If that’s the case, there’s no reason to make further demands upon him as a returner when proper roster planning could relieve key players of extra special teams duties.

If James can provide a reliable offensive target and carry the load as the top specialist, he’ll not only provide value with his own skill set but his presence will also allow others to blossom with freedom and focus.