Kansas City Chiefs should look for receiver help
By Ben Almquist
![Kansas City Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill. (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images) Kansas City Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill. (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/4eea8a112d99067932f08e5e8312b6e47380ce4613f76e70fe87cc67ac461cb6.jpg)
The Kansas City Chiefs don’t have a lot of proven talent at wide receiver. This past week’s preseason game highlighted the need for the Chiefs to find some help there.
One area of the Kansas City Chiefs roster that is still very much in question right now is the receiver corps. That showed up this past week in the Chiefs preseason game against the Seahawks. The KC receivers dropped five passes in the first half, essentially killing any chance of building momentum. This is an issue they can’t carry into the regular season.
It has been a long time since the Chiefs have had anything resembling a reliable wide receiver corps. The passing game hasn’t been a staple of the Kansas City offense since the Dick Vermeil days. Since then, KC has gone from one failed experiment to the next, and that trend seems likely to continue.
A lot of this is self-inflicted. Former Chiefs GM John Dorsey chose to release veteran wide receiver Jeremy Maclin this offseason. That was a move that astonished nearly everyone, including many on the team. It is also looking like an ill-advised move as none of the team’s receivers seems to have stepped up into that vacant role.
Related Story: Kansas City Chiefs Should Make A Move On Jarvis Landry
A Lot Of Potential
That isn’t to say there isn’t talent on this Kansas City Chiefs roster at wide receiver. The Chiefs have a lot of young players with a good deal of potential. However, no receiver on the team has ever accounted for 600 receiving yards in a season. That leaves a lot to be proven by this group.
The top receiver job currently belongs to second-year man Tyreek Hill. The young speedster emerged as a big play threat last year as a rookie. However, Hill does not have a lot of experience at wide receiver and still has much to learn. He has also shown some struggles when it comes to catching the ball.
Said this on my GM Street podcast @RingerPodcasts in May. Miami will listen to offers on Jarvis Landry and seriously listen.
— Michael Lombardi (@mlombardiNFL) August 27, 2017
Kansas City is also relying heavily on third-year player Chris Conley to emerge as a leader in the receiving corps. Conley has the mental makeup for that job, however his production has not been particularly notable to this point in his career. The Chiefs could certainly use a more reliable and productive player as their #2 man.
There Are Options Out There
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This preseason has already seen a pair of big moves at wide receiver. The Bills traded Sammy Watkins away to the Rams, and then traded for Jordan Matthews of the Eagles. That proves that teams have been willing to listen to trade offers. The question is whether or not the Chiefs are willing to make inquiries.
The big name on the trade market right now is Dolphins receiver Jarvis Landry. The star receiver is in the final year of his deal, and it appears that Miami does not intend to keep him. Landry is a talented player who can work at different levels of the field in the passing game. He would be an instant upgrade to the Chiefs receiving corps.
A further plus is that Jarvis Landry should not be an expensive piece to add right now. He is in the last year of his contract and also is under investigation for a domestic violence incident, though authorities have indicated they will not prosecute. Landry’s trade value is incredibly affordable right now, and the Chiefs would have no obligation to re-sign him after the season.
It’s a move that makes a lot of sense for Kansas City to make right now.
The Kansas City Chiefs have a strong roster, but there are still some concerns to be worked out. The wide receiver position is definitely one to keep an eye on. The Chiefs simply do not have enough proven talent out there to rely on. They need someone who can be that guy who comes through at any time.