Tag: receiver

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.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: Justyn Ross is ‘learning the offense fast’

#Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes seemed pleased with the development of receiver Justyn Ross, who he said is “learning the offense fast”. | from: @LazarczykLogan

The Kansas City Chiefs have one of the most interesting wide receiver corps in the NFL because of the group’s unknown potential. There is not a clear-cut top option for the team at the position, and their development at training camp has been the object of intense speculation.

Kadarius Toney has been talked about by his coaches and teammates as a potential number-one wideout, but an injury during the first week of training camp has delayed his rise to definitively take over the top spot on Kansas City’s depth chart.

One player that has flown under the radar, though, is Justyn Ross. The 23-year-old receiver was a first-round talent in the 2022 NFL Draft, but a spine injury cost him the chance to be drafted last year. Instead, he signed with the Chiefs as a free agent following the annual selection meeting and immediately became a darling of the team’s fanbase, who immediately took a liking to his collegiate film that belied his undrafted status.

After spending last year on the practice squad, Ross has worked his way up to first-team reps in the Chiefs’ 2023 training camp. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has taken notice and told the media on Wednesday that he believes that the young receiver can make an impact for Kansas City’s high-octane offense in the regular season.

“He [Justyn Ross] has had a good one [training camp] – learning the offense fast – you can tell he has been in the offense for a year now,” Mahomes said. “Obviously [he is] making big plays. He is getting more involved in those first-team reps. [He is] a guy that I hope can be a really good player in this offense.”

With a ton of talent and heretofore unknown potential, Ross has a great opportunity to carve out a role for himself as a reliable weapon for Mahomes ahead of the Chiefs’ 2023 Super Bowl defense campaign.

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Top quotes from Chiefs’ July 31 post-practice press conference

Check out some of the top quotes from the #Chiefs’ post practice press conference on July 31:

The Kansas City Chiefs conducted a rain-shortened practice on Monday as they kicked off their second full week of training camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.

Steve Spagnuolo, Drue Tranquill, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, and Rashee Rice all addressed reporters after workouts concluded on Monday and provided valuable insight into Kansas City’s preparation for the 2023 season.

Check out their top quotes below:

Top quotes from Chiefs’ July 30 post-practice press conference

Check out some of the top quotes from the #Chiefs’ post practice press conference on July 30:

The Kansas City Chiefs have been hard at work during their training camp practices in St. Joseph, Missouri, and gave the media some great quotes about their preparation for the 2023 season in their post-game press conference on Sunday.

Andy Reid, Justin Watson, Donovan Smith, and Joshua Williams all addressed reporters after workouts concluded on Sunday, and shared some interesting tidbits about the method to Kansas City’s madness at Missouri Western State University:

Check out their top quotes below:

Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling taking Justyn Ross under his wing

Marquez Valdes-Scantling has taken Justyn Ross and the rest of the #Chiefs’ young receiving corps under his wing. | from: @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs’ young crop of wide receivers will see opportunities at training camp and in the preseason to prove the team made the correct decision to not add more veterans. The next few weeks will determine who is ready to take that next step in their development and help push forward one of the best offenses in the league.

Rookie Rashee Rice and emerging wideout Justyn Ross are among the most talked about in the receivers group. Veteran pass-catcher Marquez Valdes-Scantling discussed the similarities of the two with reporters after practice on Saturday.

“Those guys remind me a lot of myself as a rookie, just their size and now how they move, especially Justyn Ross,” Valdes-Scantling explained. “So, you know, that’s one of those guys that [I have] kind of just taken under my wing. I [just] tell them to be themselves, you know, they’re here for a reason they’re talented. Don’t let the moment get too big, [there is] no pressure. It’s just football stuff you’ve been doing your whole life.”

Valdes-Scantling was a reliable target for Patrick Mahomes on multiple occasions, hooking up with the reigning MVP on several long pass plays and building immediate chemistry over the course of his first season in Kansas City. The veteran’s awareness and maturity will be essential for Rice and Ross to latch on to as they attempt to build their names in the league.

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