Tag: receiver

WR, CB, S listed as ESPN’s 3 biggest needs for Colts entering NFL draft

Not surprisingly, ESPN listed receiver, cornerback, and safety as the Colts’ biggest needs following free agency and heading into the draft.

Not surprisingly, ESPN’s Stephen Holder listed cornerback, safety, and receiver as the Indianapolis Colts’ top needs heading into the 2024 NFL Draft.

In the secondary, Holder notes that the Colts finished 2023 with one of the youngest defensive backfields in the NFL. In their final four games, with their playoff hopes on the line, the Colts ranked 30th in completion rate allowed, not to mention that explosive pass plays were an issue as well.

At receiver, while the Colts do have Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce, Holder mentions that another playmaker could take that unit to the next level—not to mention that giving your young quarterback another weapon is never a bad idea.

Recently, GM Chris Ballard mentioned that he does like his young cornerback room, which is made up of JuJu Brents, Jaylon Jones, and Dallis Flowers, however, the opportunity to add some immediate impact help should be available in the draft.

This is considered to be a fairly deep cornerback class, with Quinyon Mitchell, Terrion Arnold, Cooper DeJean, and Nate Wiggins all potential options at pick 15. With the depth of this position group, the chance to add on Day 2 if needed should also be there.

The safety position, however, is not nearly as deep. In fact, the overall draft class received the second-lowest grade from PFF in regards to talent and depth.

There isn’t a player at this position who the Colts will draft at pick 15, meaning they will have to address it on Day 2 or Day 3. Safety is not often a position where we see players make an immediate impact, and of course, the further away a team gets from the first overall the selection, the odds of finding that level of help decreases.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea for Ballard to try to address the need in free agency, where there are still several impact players available, including Julian Blackmon.

Back to the positives for the Colts, this wide receiver class is loaded with talent. PFF graded this position group as the best overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Realistically, Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze, and Malik Nabers – the top receivers in this class – will be off the board before the Colts are on the clock, but Brian Thomas Jr. from LSU is a name that could be in play at 15th overall. If the Colts don’t address the need there, they will have plenty of other options on Day 2.

Getting Richardson back under center will help, but this is a Colts’ offense looking to generate more big passing plays this upcoming season.

Twitter reacts to Xavier Worthy’s historic 40-yard dash

Users on Twitter were stunned by Xavier Worthy’s record-setting 40-yard dash at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.

Xavier Worthy is a wide receiver prospect that the Kansas City Chiefs may want to keep their eyes on in the upcoming draft.

He set the record for the fastest 40-yard dash time at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, making a mark for himself in the history books in front of scouts in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Check out this clip of his historic run:

Worthy was a star at the University of Texas, playing alongside Adonai Mitchell in a Longhorns offense that ended the 2023 season with a 12-2 record.

His fantastic showing at the combine is likely to make his draft stock rise before the annual player selection meeting in April and may draw the attention of receiver-needy teams like the Chiefs.

Social media exploded after his official 40-yard dash time was announced, and some users thought that Kansas City could be a logical destination for Worthy:

Check out what users on Twitter thought about Worthy’s record-setting run below:

Texans 4-round mock draft: Senior Bowl exclusive

What if the Texans could only draft from the Senior Bowl? John Crumpler’s latest mock draft does just that.

Senior Bowl practices have officially come and gone in Mobile, Ala.

One of the most talented groups in years, according to director Jim Nagy, did not disappoint. It was a phenomenal week of football that saw multiple NFL draft prospects help themselves over three days of practice against their draft-eligible peers.

The Houston Texans are involved heavily in this event annually. Last year, the team selected participants Tank Dell, Henry To’oTo’o, Dylan Horton and Jarrett Patterson. This year, general manager Nick Caserio and director of college scouting James Liipfert were both present, and multiple players confirmed meetings with the team.

What if the Texans could only draft from the Senior Bowl? Well, fortunately, there would be plenty of talent to choose from. This mock draft goes through the first four rounds with four players to watch in each potential round from the Senior Bowl that could majorly boost the Texans in April.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling was PFF’s highest-graded WR in Divisional Round of playoffs

#Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling was Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded receiver in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling had a tough time making an impact for his team during the 2023 regular season but got back on the right track against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night.

His two catches for 62 yards helped the Chiefs stay on schedule in the hotly-contested AFC playoff matchup, and the experts at Pro Football Focus were impressed by his outstanding performance.

Valdes-Scantling graded out as the best wide receiver in the divisional round, an accomplishment that few fans expected of him after his dismal showings in the regular season.

While the Chiefs’ work in the postseason is far from over, Kansas City’s coaching staff should enter the team’s next matchup against the Baltimore Ravens with a newfound confidence in their highest-paid receiver.

Expect Patrick Mahomes to look Valdes-Scantling’s way on Sunday as the Chiefs endeavor to take down Baltimore to earn a second-straight Super Bowl berth.

Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling ends regular season with abysmal numbers

#Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling ended the regular season as Kansas City’s fourth-leading receiver.

The Kansas City Chiefs have a glaring need at the wide receiver position, and veteran pass catcher Marquez Valdes-Scantling is a major reason why the team’s offense underperformed during the regular season.

When the Chiefs signed him as a free agent in 2022 fans had high hopes for the speedy 6-foot-4 receiver, and his performance last year was admirable, even if he didn’t produce a 1,000-yard campaign.

However, in 2023, things have gone completely sideways for the 29-year-old. Despite suiting up for Kansas City’s first 16 games as the highest-paid receiver on the team’s roster, Valdes-Scantling only managed to catch 21 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown this season, according to Pro Football Reference.

He will end the year as the Chiefs’ fourth-leading receiver behind Travis Kelce, Rashee Rice, and Justin Watson.

The playoffs will present an opportunity for Valdes-Scantling to right the ship, but after his poor performance in Kansas City’s Super Bowl championship defense campaign, it seems likely that the Chiefs will elect to cut him in the offseason, which could save the team $12 million in cap space.

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice on prolific pace after the catch, per PFF

#Chiefs WR Rashee Rice has proven to be one of the best pass-catchers in the NFL after the catch, according to Pro Football Focus

The Kansas City Chiefs needed a receiver to step up and give Patrick Mahomes a reliable target in the passing game, and rookie Rashee Rice has answered the call in recent weeks.

Rice put together the best performance of his young career against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12, hauling in eight receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown to help secure Kansas City its eighth win of the 2023 season.

His work as a runner after the catch has been stellar, and according to Pro Football Focus, his 8.1 yards after the catch per reception ranks second among all wide receivers in the NFL.

While this may not mean that Rice is the second-fastest or second-shiftiest receiver after the catch, his ability to find open spots in opposing defenses and haul in passes with room to work is proving to be a boon for the Chiefs offense.

He will have a chance to outdo his Week 12 performance against Las Vegas on Sunday when Kansas City takes on the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

Packers monitoring WR trade market ahead of deadline?

Per ESPN, the Packers are belived to be monitoring the trade market at wide receiver ahead of the deadline.

The Green Bay Packers are among of teams believed to be monitoring the wide receiver market ahead of the trade deadline, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

Among the receivers Fowler pointed to as trade candidates are Jerry Jeudy, Hunter Renfrow and Terrance Marshall Jr.

The Packers have lost two straight games and are 2-3 coming out of the bye. Adding a receiver via trade would appear to be unlikely given the draft capital invested at the position over the last two years: a second-round pick on Christian Watson, a fourth-round pick on Romeo Doubs, a seventh-round pick on Samori Toure, a second-round pick on Jayden Reed, a fifth-round pick on Dontayvion Wicks and a seventh-round pick on Grant DuBose.

The Packers are attempting to grow together in the passing game around Jordan Love. The offense is obviously struggling and could use a spark, but would it make sense to spend future draft capital and add another unknown into the mix?

In previous years, the Packers were true contenders while poking around the wide receiver trade market. Now, the Packers are a team in transition in the first year with Love as the starter.

It’s certainly possible the Packers liked one of the available receivers during the draft process and are simply doing their due diligence in terms of calling teams and inquiring about interest and/or price.

For this Packers team, a trade now only makes sense if the player is young, cheap, under contract for multiple seasons and capable of fitting a role years into the future. It’s unclear if such a player exists in the NFL’s current trade market.

Fowler also mentioned the Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs as teams potentially interested in adding a receiver before the Oct. 31 trade deadline.

Brett Veach sees Justyn Ross, Rashee Rice as package players ahead of 2023 season

#Chiefs GM Brett Veach told reporters that Justyn Ross and Rashee Rice will be in limited but crucial roles to start the 2023 season.

The Chiefs are relying on a youth movement within their receiving squad in 2023.

Four of Kansas City’s seven rostered receivers have two or fewer NFL seasons under their belts. And with Kadarius Toney (who’s entering year three) injured heading into Week 1, the Chiefs are really leaning on second-year players Skyy Moore and Justyn Ross, and rookie Rashee Rice. And Ross is essentially a rookie after missing all of 2022 with an injury.

The Chiefs are really banking on Moore to take a step forward in 2023, but Rice and Ross have the potential to break out. However, it might be a slow transition for them.

To start the season, the plan is to ease Rice and Ross into the offense, utilizing their talents in key situations and giving them chances to succeed.

“I think we’ll see a big jump with Skyy, and I think what you’ll see from both Justyn Ross and Rashee as the games goes on, you’ll see them probably have certain packages,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said during Wednesday’s press conference. “That will lead into more utilization within the offense and graduating from a package player to an every-down receiver.

“The hopes with all these young guys is to gradually make that transition. I think we have a bunch of guys that are candidates to do that on this roster and I think, in the meantime, coach (Andy Reid) does a great job in finding what they do and putting them in position to gain their confidence and to help us on game day. Like I said, if they are able to do that and naturally progress over the volume, they can handle for the course of a season.”

Long story short? Don’t expect to see Rice and Ross earn a lion’s share of snaps early on, but don’t be surprised to see them earn more reps as they find their roles within the offense. Expect Rice to receive plenty of short passes in the beginning, while Ross will be utilized for his size — think the goal-line fade that earned Ross a touchdown in Week 3 of the preseason.

Chiefs’ rookie WR Rashee Rice reflects on his preseason debut

Chiefs rookie Rashee Rice reflected on his preseason debut against the New Orleans Saints in comments to the media on Tuesday. | from: @LazarczykLogan

Rashee Rice was a popular ‘watch for’ name in the Kansas City Chiefs’ opening preseason game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. The former SMU receiver produced a solid performance in his limited action with the second-string offense.

Rice was asked how he felt about his first preseason game after the Chiefs’ practice on Tuesday.

Said Rice: “I think I played well – being able to transition from college to the NFL – big spotlight, [different game feel].”

In college, Rice was the focal point of the offense, and that led to him being much more fatigued after games. The 23-year-old receiver felt more refreshed after Sunday’s game. In addition to playing less snaps than a prototypical game, Rice pointed to the fact that there are more players that can make an impact.

“Honestly, I was a lot more refreshed than I would be if I was in college because we have a lot more guys that contribute on offense,” Rice explained. “Not everybody played as much as they normally would, and that let us keep our pace and take our time on the sideline.”

Butterflies are completely normal for any rookie making their professional debut. Rice felt that nervous energy being under the lights in New Orleans.

“I [am] not going to lie I was a little nervous just because there are a lot of lights [in the dome],” Rice said. “You just knew that you were in the spotlight on the field. Even the first time running on the field, I knew that everyone [saw] me run onto the field by myself.”

The speed of the game was comfortable for Rice, despite it being his debut against an NFL defense. The rookie receiver pointed out how practice has helped him adapt to the speed on the field.

“I think everything we do in practice translates to the game,” Rice said. “The speed we do out here [in practice] is the same thing we went through in the game.”

Although practices help rookie players gain a better understanding of what to expect, there is nothing like going up against a real defense in live action. He’ll get plenty more experience on Saturday against the Arizona Cardinals when Kansas City travels to the desert for their second preseason matchup.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid praised WR Justyn Ross for progression after redshirt rookie season

#Chiefs head coach Andy Reid praised wide receiver Justyn Ross for his progression at training camp after practice on Wednesday. | from: @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs are a little over a week away from opening the preseason as their coaches continue to evaluate the team’s roster. The long hot days at Missouri Western State University have been filled with intense competition, bonding, and challenges to get the best out of each player the Chiefs are hosting at their training camp.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has earned a reputation for running a challenging camp throughout his hall-of-fame-worthy career. While speaking with the media on Wednesday, he addressed several topics, including his thoughts on the progress of wide receiver Justyn Ross.

“[2022] was a redshirt year that he [Justyn Ross] probably didn’t want to have right with the injury. But he’s done a nice job,” said Reid, “He had a good off-season. And then he’s worked his tail off here. And he just needs to keep doing that. You know, it’s how you answer the bell every day and push through it. So, he’s got the right mindset to do that.”

Reid has also earned a powerful reputation amongst his players for being supportive and not giving up on them when they are down. He’s helped resurrect careers offering second chances in the past and hopes that a healthy Ross could be the latest success story in his system.