On paper, the Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver corps should be fine. Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Tyquan Thornton are three speedy playmakers for Patrick Mahomes, with Eric Bieniemy looking to bring back some explosiveness in his return as offensive coordinator.
Then, rookie Cyrus Allen has looked like one of the steals of the draft, and he should be the first man off the bench. That said, Rice and Worthy have a history of injuries; Thornton is a big-play threat, and Allen is a first-year player.
That's why the Chiefs should still be unsettled at the position. And now that the Cleveland Browns have finally cut ties with Cedric Tillman, there's a strong case to be made for getting him on the first plane to Missouri. Let's break it down.
The Chiefs would be smart to put out some feelers on recently released Cedric Tillman
The Chiefs hired Chad O'Shea to be their new wide receiver coach this offseason. He spent six years with the Cleveland Browns, serving in the same role and as Kevin Stefanski's offensive pass game coordinator.
The Browns were always high on Tillman, who showed flashes of strong play when healthy, and O'Shea worked closely with him every step of the way. He should be a seamless, plug-and-play guy in Kansas City.
Of course, the mere fact that Tillman couldn't crack the Browns' 53-man roster is a red flag, and the last thing this team needs is another injury-prone pass catcher. Those concerns are valid, but he'd certainly appreciate to have an opportunity to reunite with his former coach and play with a steady and great quarterback situation for a change.
A former third-round pick, Tillman flashed his contested-catch ability in college and when he was able to play in the pros. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds, he's a bully who can manhandle his opposition as a prototypical X-receiver, but he's also a twitchy guy who can find lanes in tight spaces.
The Chiefs have a long history of taking a chance on high-upside receivers, with mixed results. Given the coaching connection and the fact that he'd probably be a cheap pickup with little to no guaranteed money, he's more than worth the chance.
If this team's wide receiver corps can stay healthy — which is admittedly a big 'if' the Chiefs might finally go back to fielding an explosive offense after years of having Patrick Mahomes do everything.
Adding another guy with a history of soft-tissue injuries to the mix probably won't help their health problems, but this should definitely be a risk worth taking.
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