The Kansas City Chiefs have some questions at wide receiver. And at least in the depth spots, there is a bit of a logjam. Last Thursday, that logjam became even more crowded afterMecole Hardman re-signed with the Chiefs on a one-year deal.
Names like Hollywood Brown, Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy sit near the top of the depth chart. A veteran like Justin Watson has also built some of a rapport with Patrick Mahomes in recent seasons. But beyond that, it is a messy looking picture attempting to determine the final wide receiver spots.
Will Hardman have a role with this return? Can Skyy Moore flash any sign of promise? Plus, what expectations should there be, if any, surrounding someone like Kadarius Toney? Perhaps, the Chiefs saw bringing Hardman back as a sign that suitable depth was still needed at wide receiver. In fact, should the Chiefs still look into additional wide receiver moves, even after re-signing Hardman?
Hype Train Hopefuls
Regardless of what happens in training camp with names like Moore and Toney, there are a few other wide receivers to keep in mind. Each of the following names have had some level of hype surrounding them over the course of the last couple of years. This includes both Justyn Ross and Nikko Remigio.
Ross and Remigio were both undrafted free agents that signed with the Chiefs. In certain spurts, Kansas City has seen both Ross and Remigio have solid reps in the preseason. Unfortunately, injuries have cost each player some time. That has led to items like stunted development and additional uncertainty.
So far this offseason, it appears that Remigio is still garnering plenty of hype. As for the hype train around Ross, that appears to have begun to fade away. As always, though, training camp and competition on the field will determine if these hype trains lead to any sort of realization. Banking on that materializing may not be the wisest move for Kansas City, however. The Chiefs should not feel content at wide receiver after Hardman's deal and with buzz around two former undrafted free agents.
Chiefs Look For Improvements At Any Moment
General manager Brett Veach has said publicly and repeatedly that the team will look to get better in any way, especially if it helps Mahomes. He mentioned this in his press conference at the end of the season a few years ago. "If it makes sense to us, it doesn't put us in any long-term binds and if there's any way we can get better and get Patrick Mahomes more weapons, we'll do that," Veach said.
Sure, Mahomes and the Chiefs won another Super Bowl last year with a weaker wide receiver. Mahomes can elevate many different pass catchers once they join the offense, but if Veach is looking at the current room, multiple questions remain. If Kansas City is truly looking at getting better in any way, the Chiefs should look into additional wide receiver moves, in my opinion.
You have Mahomes. You have Andy Reid. Kansas City re-signed much of their stellar defense for this year. Just think how much more dangerous they could be with another stable option within the wide receiver depth. The Chiefs have to have at least some options out there worth tapping into.
Possible Additional Wide Receiver Moves
There are a handful of teams in the NFL that have an overabundance of talent at the wide receiver position. Of course, making any deals with the Chiefs may prove to be too difficult of a pill for some opponents to swallow. But if we are being honest, there are teams that stick out as potential trade partners.
How about the Houston Texans? After adding Stefon Diggs this offseason, Houston also extended Nico Collins and traded for Ben Skowronek in a minor trade. You also have Tank Dell, Noah Brown and John Metchie III as more depth options. On top of that, others like Robert Woods, Xavier Hutchinson and Steven Sims are hoping to crack the roster. Could the Chiefs be interested in acquiring one of those depth pieces from a crowded wide receiver room?
You have some other teams that possess wide receivers who have been in continued trade rumors, as well. The 49ers have seen names like Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel pop up in trade scenarios. Who knows what the future holds for Tee Higgins of the Bengals? The Chiefs may not be able to afford to trade for any of those blockbuster names. Though, those teams may still have some possible pieces worth moving from lower on the depth chart, in order to keep those top names happy.
There are also some veteran wide receivers still available in free agency. None of those names will likely cost much at this point in the offseason, either. Immediately, guys like Hunter Renfrow and Michael Thomas stand out. Given his versatility and speed, Jamal Agnew is not a name to rule out, to boot. Will the Chiefs look into signing any of these wide receivers after re-signing Hardman? A flier would not hurt or hold much risk.