NFL analyst says Chiefs have a 'bottom 7' wide receiver group
By Greg Morse
![Jul 22, 2024; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise (Hollywood) Brown (5) catches a pass during training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports Jul 22, 2024; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise (Hollywood) Brown (5) catches a pass during training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_7942,h_4467,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/130/01j41tttp2vyj400kvdg.jpg)
In the sports media landscape, it's not hard to find hot takes that turn ice cold rather quickly. It comes with the territory. Even I've had some predictions that didn't take long to freeze over. But earlier this week I heard one of the worst takes, I've heard in a while.
One of the most popular sports talk shows around is The Herd with Colin Cowherd. I like Cowherd a lot, and listen to his shows most days. But Cowherd also has an "assistant" (if you want to call him that) who sits across his desk and will chime in from time to time. That spot is currently held by Jason McIntyre (also known as J-Mac).
Jason McIntyre should just place this take straight into the freezer.
J-Mac has had some terrible takes, and sometimes it sounds like even Cowherd gets embarrassed by them on occasion. That happened again earlier this week when McIntyre was talking to Cowherd about Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce getting older and perhaps more in danger of getting hurt.
That's a reasonable discussion to have, but what McIntyre said next is just dumbfounding. He asked the hypothetical of what would happen to the Chiefs if Kelce were to miss 8 games this season. To J-Mac, this is a scenario of doom for the Chiefs. The reason? "Their wide receivers are probably a bottom seven group." Bottom seven?!
You can hear the whole exchange here starting at around the 20 minute mark. But the more he kept talking, even Cowherd seemed a little shocked. His reasoning for calling the Chiefs a "bottom seven" wide receiver group? A question mark next to Rashee Rice, and then questioning if Xavier Worthy is better than *checks notes* Brandin Cooks. (Cooks is currently a Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and has been on more teams than I can count.)
There's just so much wrong with this take. McIntyre really thinks that a Travis Kelce injury will completely disrupt the entire AFC. Look, Kelce is the greatest tight end ever, but would an injury be conference-disrupting? Give me a break.
Back to the whole "bottom seven" common on the Chiefs wide receivers. It is true that Rashee Rice might be suspended, although that's looking less and less likely by the day. But to say Xavier Worthy might only be as good as Brandin Cooks? Are you serious?
First of all, for all of his traveling, Cooks has actually been a solid wide receiver, so I don't know how that was supposed to be an insult. Yet even in training camp, it is already becoming obvious that Worthy is probably going to be greater than Cooks (something Cowherd did point out, thankfully).
Hey J-Mac, have you seen this clip lately?
GET USED TO IT 🔥
— KC Sports Network (@KCSportsNetwork) July 21, 2024
Mahomes scrambles to find Xavier Worthy DEEP for the touchdown pic.twitter.com/qqEQrwSuyO
And did J-Mac forget that the Chiefs also signed Hollywood Brown this off-season?? Look, I get not wanting to say this unit is top seven in the NFL. But to say they are bottom seven? That was 2023, and it was specifically the reason Brett Veach revamped this crew through free-agency and the draft. That doesn't include Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman, Nikko Remigio, Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, and other roster hopefuls. Again, bottom seven?
So back to McIntyre's original point: losing Travis Kelce for a stretch would completely wreck the Chiefs season and hope for a three-peat. Tragic? Yes. Season-ruiner? Not even close. Remember, Patrick Mahomes won a Super Bowl with a "bottom seven" receiving corps just last year.
J-Mac should place this take right in the freezer.
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