He was the name on everybody’s lips at training camp, but two weeks into the new season, we haven’t seen Kansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver Cyrus Allen make his mark with his new team – yet.
That shouldn’t come as a surprise, but could that be about to change on Sunday?
Kansas City will travel to Florida to take on the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon, a game the Chiefs are heavily favored in and are predicted to win by double digits. So, could that be the perfect chance to give Allen his first real taste of NFL action? I hope so.
Chiefs remain patient with Cyrus Allen’s development
Despite all the hype around him during the preseason, the Chiefs have opted to ease Allen into the offense slowly.
Allen was on the field for just 3 snaps (4 percent of plays) last week against the Indianapolis Colts and just one snap in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos. His sole target came on that play against Denver, but a third-down pass intended for Allen was batted down at the line of scrimmage.
This type of slow introduction is what we typically see from the Chiefs and Andy Reid with rookie wide receivers. Jalen Royals, who was taken a round earlier than Allen was in the preceding draft, saw practically no playing time in his rookie season last year.
Royals featured in 7 of 17 games for Kansas City last season, but his usage was practically non-existent. He had just two catches for four yards and three total targets, and Royals only got his first career touchdown last week against the Colts.
Is such patience necessary?
It's been a slow build for Royals, but given the state of Kansas City’s ineffective offense last year, it was frustrating not to see him get a greater look. Given some of the hype and excitement around Allen at camp, it would be even more annoying if he got the same treatment too.
Kansas City’s new wide receiver coach Chad O'Shea spoke glowingly about Allen just this week, but hinted that his development will take time.
“Cyrus is doing a great job,” O’Shea said. “It’s always a work in progress with a rookie, especially at the receiver position, playing in an offense that's been intact for so many years.
“He's done a great job of everyday improving … He's done that both fundamentally and schematically with a lot to learn.I think he's really embraces the challenge of let's get better at something small everyday, and he's done that.
“So I like his progress, I'm very excited about his future and if he just continues to work and make those small improvements then I think we're going to be real happy at the end with Cyrus.”
Miami could be the perfect opportunity to unleash Allen
Which brings us to Sunday. I understand the need to be patient, and I understand that these things take time, but the Miami game could be a starting point.
I'm wary of counting my chickens before they hatch, but if the Chiefs build up a big lead over the Dolphins, it could be the perfect time to give Allen an extended run for the first time. Even if it's close, I'd still like to see Allen out there more.
No type of practice can truly replicate game experience against competitive defenses, and the more experience Allen can get early on, the better, in my opinion. Sunday could give him a chance to get that.
Kansas City’s wide receiver room is healthy, but it still seems limited. Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice haven’t set the world on fire in the first two games, and Royals isn’t playing a major role, despite the touchdown catch. Tyquan Thornton caught two impressive deep passes, but he isn’t a WR1 or WR2. Could Allen become the Chiefs’ top target one day? Maybe. Let’s see if we can start that journey on Sunday.
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