The Kansas City Chiefs had additional time to rest and recover ahead of Week 6. Unfortunately, some of their guys might need more than a week to get healthy enough to take the field against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Andy Reid's offense is down two key guys. Tyquan Thornton will miss the remainder of the regular season with a freak ankle injury, and Rashee Rice, though he should be back soon, was just ruled out for Week 6.
That's why Patrick Mahomes has officially put the younger guys on notice. The Chiefs will need the next men up to step up, and the quarterback believes Cyrus Allen can give them the punch they need at this time.
Patrick Mahomes believes Cyrus Allen is ready to help the Chiefs
"They've put in the work. Obviously, we've had guys in front of them... Now their number gets called... I have a lot of trust and confidence in them. We'll continue to push it forward," Mahomes said of Allen (h/t Charles Goldman).
Allen is one of the most intriguing players on the team right now. Analytics didn't love him coming out of the University of Cincinnati, and his history of jumping between college programs and facing lesser competition made him slide in the NFL Draft. But he can ball.
The Chiefs desperately need a vertical threat with Thornton on the shelf, and Allen can provide just that out of the slot. While not incredibly fast, he's got a quick first step and elite ball-tracking skills that help him deceive his defender.
Moreover, even against subpar competition, he was a true ball-winner and a big end zone threat in his final year in college, recording 13 touchdowns. He might not dominate that way against more physical and stronger defensive backs, but he must get a chance.
Allen was a training camp darling due to his pristine route running and separation ability versus man coverage. He looked poised to have some sort of role right out of the gate. Coach Andy Reid doesn't usually give offensive rookies a long leash; he expects them to get the ins and outs of his complex system first.
Nevertheless, beggars can't be choosers, and the Chiefs just can't afford to be picky right now. They have a potential playmaker there (two if you also count Jaylen Royals), and they have no choice but to give them an opportunity to prove their worth.
Mahomes is giving the fifth-round pick the benefit of the doubt, and that should be all that matters. That endorsement alone should get him on the field, and he definitely has a higher ceiling and more upside than KC's latest free-agent signing, Justin Watson.
The Chiefs got a potential steal in the fifth-round, and it's about time they unleash it.
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