Kansas City Chiefs: What Kalija Lipscomb can provide in 2020
What should the Kansas City Chiefs expect from Kalija Lipscomb in the 2020 season?
For a team like the Kansas City Chiefs, having plenty of offensive talent is key and they didn’t quit with what they had. It’d have been easy for them to look at their current crop of receivers and think “We’re good”, but the Chiefs signed several UDFA receivers hoping they’d compete for a roster spot.
One such UDFA is Vanderbilt’s Kalija Lipscomb, who played four seasons for the Commodores and could be a dark horse to make an impact on the 2020 roster.
His best season came as a junior in 2018 when he hauled in 87 receptions for 916 yards and nine touchdowns. The season prior he had eight touchdowns, giving him 17 in a two-year span.
More from Kansas City Chiefs
- How to Bet on the Chiefs vs. Cardinals in NFL Preseason Week 2
- The 3 Most Intriguing Games on the Chiefs’ Schedule
- DraftKings + FanDuel Kansas Promos: INSTANT $150 Bonus Plus Two Chances to Win!
- Fan-Favorite Locks Up Chiefs Roster Spot With Stellar Preseason Performance
- DraftKings NFL Kansas Promo: Bet $5 on Chiefs vs. Saints, Win $150 Bonus!
His senior campaign wasn’t nearly as impressive with 40 less catches and just 511 yards while only finding the end zone three times. Vanderbilt wasn’t good last year though, winning just three games, which was a huge drop-off from their 2018 season when Lipscomb was such a force on their offense.
What should the Kansas City Chiefs expect from Lipscomb?
As of now, the top four receivers on the depth chart is pretty locked in with Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Demarcus Robinson, and Mecole Hardman. While Byron Pringle had a really good game against the Colts last year and had some nice plays in other games, he isn’t a lock to make the team, but his chances are pretty good.
If the Chiefs end up having seven receivers on their 55-man roster, Lipscomb has a chance to make it on the backend of the roster. The team gave him quite a bit of money for a UDFA, as Tom Pelissero reported after the draft concluded. KC probably doesn’t give Lipscomb that kind of money if they don’t plan to keep him around for 2020.
Another significant commitment to an undrafted free agent: the #Chiefs are signing Vanderbilt WR Kalija Lipscomb to a contract that includes $110,000 guaranteed, including a $10K signing bonus, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 26, 2020
Out of all of the UDFAs we’ve covered to this point, Lipscomb is one who I’m the most confident in not only making the roster, but packing a punch in a regular season game. I’m big on Marshall linebacker Omari Cobb as well, but Lipscomb is at a flashier position and has a chance to make a name for himself in 2020 if all goes according to plan.
Will he be a huge star in Kansas City in 2020? Probably not, as he’ll have Hill, Watkins, Robinson, Hardman, and likely Pringle and a few others ahead of him on the depth chart, but Hill was injured for a chunk of time last year as was Watkins, so injuries do happen.
Must Read. Top 15 Leaders in Receiving Yards All-Time. light
If a few key ones happen, Kalija Lipscomb could be propelled into a more important role and that could be all that’s needed for him to have a long tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs.