What does the WR corps need, do you think?
 

Just want to say, this forum has been awesome the last month or so. End announcement.

So here's the WR corps right now for 2023.

Marquez Valdez-Scantling ($11m cap hit)
Kadarius Toney ($1.9m)
Skyy Moore ($1m)
John Ross (vet min)
Justyn Ross (rookie min)
Ty Fryfogle (rookie min)

When you look at this depth chart, what kind of WRs are the Chiefs most in need of?

Big, possession body guys? Speed demons? Gadget players?

UFAs: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman, Justin Watson

Here's your free agent options.
Here's your draft class options.

I think the honest answer is: Just give Andy and Patrick good football players and they'll make it work.

Veach has literally said as much recently.

Deeper dive answer is that hot, nasty speed is always welcome. Short area agility is an easily used skillset. Big body possession guys are useful, too, but usually are less expensive and not hard to find.

It’s still a dumb absolute long shot. But I can’t help but get excited remembering Justyn Ross was the best receiver on a team that included Tee Higgins


It worked out this year, but I don’t know how sustainable it is not having a true number one receiver. Watching Burrow and Hurts have those guys as well as a #2 who would be some teams #1 is such a cheat code. I’m all for taking one early as long as our Tackle situation is solidified

Well, I mean, I'd argue that having an offense that can beat you six different ways is perfectly sustainable.

I mean, it's a thing of beauty to have that gamebreaker at WR, but we saw that defenses can take that away from you if they want to.

Just keep drafting one every year and developing guys and we'll hit on one.

But I'd just draft ONE every year, really. At least high in the draft. They're not going to give you much that first season.

I agree. If Justyn Ross is fully healthy he is a #1 WR. As a freshman he was the guy at Clemson and like you mentioned has Tee Higgins.

I also think Toney if he stays healthy could be a huge weapon too.

Skyy Moore will continue to develop as a dangerous spot WR too.

A pure speed guy to watch will be John Ross. Maybe Reid and Mahomes have the key to unlock all that potential.

And then MVS will have another year in the system and will be even better.

I like that top 5.

Justin Ross will never play a snap in the regular season for the Chiefs. Why are we doing this?

These are the three that matter right now.

Marquez Valdez-Scantling ($11m cap hit)
Kadarius Toney ($1.9m)
Skyy Moore ($1m)

I would bring back Justin Watson, find another mid level WR in FA and draft one in the top 3 rounds.

You got a crystal ball there?

I've seen some posters mention that they would like to see a bigger bodied receiver for jump balls or back shoulder throws. While it's definitely something we've lacked (other than Fortson), I don't think it's necessary. With Mahomes and Andy Reid, the one attribute I value more than anything is the ability to create separation. Receivers with the ability to separate within short routes, medium routes and the long ball will have the most success in Andy's system and with Mahomes.

Looking at our receiving corps, assuming that Hardman walks in free agency, I think the receiver we draft or free agent signing will need to be somewhat of a burner. Doesn't necessarily need to be game breaking speed, the offense clicked just fine with or without Hardman in the lineup but MVS and Watson are really our only deep threats I expect to see back. I don't see Toney or Moore has deep threats, I think they excel and creating separation in the short to medium areas of the field, I'd like to add a receiver that can stress the deep part of the field.

*Caveat I don't know what to expect from John Ross but he's a total wildcard.

Best guess depth chart for next season:

1. Hardman (if he returns)
2. Toney
3. MVS
4. Moore
5. Rookie

If Hardman is gone then move everyone up a slot and insert a guy like JJSS as your #3.

It's fun to dream about a guy like Jamar Chase on the roster but if I were Brett Veach I would spend my top picks on the trenches this year, preferably moving up for one of the better pass-rushing DE prospects in the first. Then a DT or a RT in the second.

Of course, this assumes that Brown is back at LT. If Brown is gone, then we will need to spend some draft capital to move up and get a guy or send a pick somewhere in a trade.

You’re correct because it’s Justyn Ross

Veach has said that Reid values speed and versatility in the WR room - guys that can play any spot.

Those types to me are:

Darius Slayton, FA - NYG
Parris Campbell, FA - IND
Ashton Dulin, FA - IND (My "This Year's Justin Watson")
Trent Sherfield, FA - MIA

(Rounds my current estimation)
Jalin Hyatt, 1st Rd - Tennessee
Jordan Addison, 1st Rd - USC
Jaxon Smith-Njiba, 1st Rd - Ohio State
Tyler Scott, 1st/2nd Rd - Cincinnati
Zay Flowers, 2nd Rd - Boston College
Josh Downs, 2nd Rd - North Carolina
Kayshon Boutte, 2nd Rd - LSU
Jayden Reed, 2nd/3rd Rd - Michigan State
Marvin Mims, 3rd Rd - Oklahoma
Rakim Jarrett, 4th Rd - Maryland
Charlie Jones, 4th Rd - Purdue

Slayton and Hyatt is a ****ing wet dream.

Yeah, Slayton and Hyatt is a nice little combo. I like Campbell too.

MVS
Toney
Moore
Slayton
Hyatt

That's an even better WR room than this year.

Saying this definitively is just as silly as claiming he's our new #1.

Ross had the scary spinal injury, and a botched knee surgery.

Two very serious, but unrelated injuries.

Now, has he lost a step? Totally possible. Is he just too far behind to ever catch up? Also totally possible. Might he incur other injuries that end his career before it begins? Sure, that's possible. Is it a given? No. His injuries thus far, while being terrifyingly serious, are not related.

I'm not PLANNING on anything from Justyn Ross, but it wouldn't surprise me if he ends up being a good player.

If it's up to me, I'm bringing back MVS, Watson, and offering Hardman a Juju deal to increase his possible payday in '24 since he lost most of the year. I feel pretty good about that plus a Moore development and Toney.

He was an UDFA because of injuries and got injured again in camp IIRC.

Guys in that situation that go on to contribute are outliers, so I'll stick with the likely scenario.

He didn't have spinal injury, he had a congenital fusion that needed to be corrected. This was the big reason teams were scared to draft him.

He didn't have a knee injury, he had a stress fracture in his foot. He certainly shouldn't lose a step from that. He did need a second surgery on it, which is why KC put him on IR.

He was an UDFA because of his injury history (including a truly terrifying spinal injury), and they discovered that they'd previously done a shit job on the knee surgery (sorry, foot*) and opted to do it over.

That's not quite the same thing.

I don't think it's smart to pencil him into the line-up, but I also wouldn't be surprised if he turns out to be a good player.

I don't think anyone is planning on anything with the kid.

You are correct! Thanks.

Anyway, There's no reason to dismiss the kid out of hand, but there's also no reason to DEPEND on anything him in your planning.

I'm solely basing my thoughts on previous history with these situations. Odds are there's not much there so expect that and be surprised if otherwise.

How do you know he has lost a step?

The only thing I worry about with Ross is the foot. Michael Thomas' career is basically over because of it. Sometimes spiral fractures in the foot just never heal correctly. I'm not sure what his fracture is but it's a bit worrisome that he needed a second surgery.

If the neck were an issue the Chiefs would not have signed him at all. The docs here wouldn't sign off.

So we'll see. If that foot is healed, I think the Chiefs got themselves a gem. If not, well... turd it is.

Thank you. Finally some truth put out on him here.

Ross is a ****ing lottery ticket and nothing more. If he hits....****ing awesome. If he doesn't...it doesn't hurt the team in any way.

Absolutely.

6'1"-6'2", 200 lbs., 4.5 speed or better, excellent route-running, excellent hands, very good athleticism, high football IQ. Preferably a vet, so great situational awareness and improv capability.

Both Ross brothers are figments of Veach's imagination until proven otherwise.

Woof. Sorry for the derailing. I just watched some Ross highlights today and had it on my mind. Like I said though, I absolutely view it as a lottery ticket. But I’m not going to write him off, yet. Kelce had microfracture surgery his rookie year, and the majority of chiefs fans assumed he wouldn’t amount to much after that.

It was short lived.. but the hype around him was real at OTA’s. Kelce and Mahomes both were raving about him. He was the most talked about rookie by a good margin

He's worth talking about man, I don't think you're derailing. The Chiefs do need a guy like him and he's already in house. He's the perfect replacement for JuJu. Had this guy never had the spinal thing or foot injury, he was on a trajectory to be a top-15 pick. He was absolutely better than Tee Higgins.

If he gets back to healthy, he's got a legitimate chance to start for this team next year and not just fight for a roster spot. We just have to see where he ends up with it all. I'm pulling for the guy.

I'd say this-

IF that kid is healthy and could stay that way-and that's a HUGE IF, AND:
IF that kid is a smart, hard working kid-

Then that kid can be the Juju guy in this offense, with a tad more up the field potential.

Huge IF's, and not anything we should assume and plan for, but possible.