Patrick Mahomes believes Richie James can make Chiefs’ offense more dynamic

#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes expressed confidence in veteran WR Richie James, who could have an expanded role in Kansas City’s offense.

While the Kansas City Chiefs offense has been able to rely on Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce as consistent targets in the passing game, the team has been searching for another receiver to step up and produce.

After Skyy Moore’s placement on the injured reserve list and Kadarius Toney’s continued struggles with dropped passes, veteran Richie James has emerged as a player that Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes could look to in the last three games of the 2023 season.

While speaking to the media on Thursday, Patrick Mahomes expressed his belief that James can be a key component in Kansas City’s offense with increased opportunities.

“I think he’s [Richie James] done a great job with the opportunities that he has had,” Mahomes began. “You’ve seen he’s able to catch the ball, get vertical, break tackles, be in the right spot at the right time.”

Later in his comments, the 28-year-old quarterback elaborated on how James has earned his trust and the coaching staff’s confidence.

“I know [Head] Coach [Andy Reid] is talking about how we need to get [James] more involved,” Mahomes explained. “You see we’re trying to add him in as much as we can. I think the coaches are going to continue to do that because he offers a different skill set. He’s a veteran guy that knows where he needs to be at the right time.”

James played only two snaps against the Patriots, but with the receivers struggling to produce consistently, the 28-year-old wideout could be a player the Chiefs turn to in the hope of getting out of the mud offensively.

WATCH: Chiefs execute insane double flea flicker vs. Raiders

Watch the #Chiefs pull off this insane double flea flicker against the #Raiders in Week 12

Andy Reid got deep in his bag of tricks to help the Kansas City Chiefs even the score of their Week 12 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Just before halftime, Reid dialed up an insane double flea flicker to push the ball deep into Raiders territory.

Reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes first tossed the ball to Isiah Pacheco who lateraled to receiver Richie James. James pitched the ball back to Mahomes who immediately threw the ball downfield to Travis Kelce, who managed to get Kansas City inside Las Vegas’ 10-yard line.

Reid’s trickery paid off on this play, but if Kansas City has to resort to more tomfoolery to sustain its offense in this game, the Chiefs could be headed for another loss.

Fans will have to stay tuned to see if Kansas City can maintain its momentum in the second half to earn the Chiefs their eighth win of the 2023 season.

Chiefs coordinator Dave Toub prefers WR Richie James as primary punt returner

#Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub wants wide receiver Richie James to be Kansas City’s primary punt returner.

The Kansas City Chiefs on special teams have seen a variety of options on punt returns this season. The role has been passed to several players as the unit continues to evaluate following Monday night’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub has juggled multiple players, including an unexpected change in Week 11 due to Mecole Hardman’s injury. Kadarius Toney stepped into the role during the game, providing positive yardage, but it doesn’t appear clear it will remain his role. Toub addressed the change and his suggestion for the role in his Zoom press conference with reporters on Tuesday.

“We haven’t even gotten a report yet from our trainers; it’s so early,” Toub explained. “So we have to see how Mecole (Hardman) is. We have to see Kadarius (Toney). He runs so hard and tough that he kept getting banged up in there, too, like his hand got hurt and his foot, you know, all different things.

“We just have to wait, see, we’ll get the doctor’s report. We’ll move forward from there. But yeah, I mean, he gave us a little bit of a spark. He runs hard. You know, he’s a good catcher. He’s fearless back there. So, we’ll just have to evaluate as we go forward.”

A player expected to play that role when he signed in the offseason is Richie James, who has been dealing with injuries and was activated off of injured reserve before Week 11. He wasn’t active for the game but could play a significant factor for Toub and his unit once he’s active for a game.

“He would have to be; we would like him to be the punt returner if he’s going to be active. If he’s going to help us at all on special teams, that’s where he would have to help us,” said Toub. “Well, for me, I mean, offense, they could use him a lot of different ways. Obviously, he’s a wide receiver, but if he’s going to help me, I would use him as a punt returner. He’s not really a cover guy or gun or anything like that.”

James’ knee injury has only allowed him to play two games this season, tallying only 24 yards on six returns.

Chiefs’ Nick Bolton, Richie James officially out vs. Bears in Week 3

#Chiefs Nick Bolton, Richie James are officially listed as out vs. #Bears | from: @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs will be without two key players heading into Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears. Injuries suffered in last week’s victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars will force linebacker Nick Bolton (ankle) and wide receiver Richie James (knee) to be sidelined for Week 2.

Bolton and James missed practice all week. James was hinted earlier in the week to be out after special teams coordinator Dave Toub discussed trying out other options as this week’s punt returner. Bolton is a leader on defense and one of the best tacklers in the NFL. He could not get any work on the field because of lingering ankle pain.

During Friday’s press conference, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was initially optimistic about James and Bolton. “As far as injuries go, the guys who didn’t practice today were Bolton and Richie James.” said Reid before the official injury status listings. “So they’re making progress. They just weren’t able to practice.”

Kansas City also listed running back Isiah Pacheco (hamstring), wide receiver Kadarius Toney (toe) and linebacker Wille Gay (quadriceps) as questionable.

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy praised progress made by WR Richie James

Kansas City #Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy praised the progress of veteran wide receiver Richie James in his comments to the media. | from: @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs surprised many critics with the decision to keep seven wide receivers on the 53-man roster. The options at quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ disposal have never been this varied as he looks to build on his 2022 MVP season.

The added firepower for Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has opened his ideas further with specific players. A player in particular that caught his eye is offseason signee Richie James. Nagy spoke with reporters on Monday about James’s impressive progress since joining the team.

“Yeah, for me, having met Richie when he first got here and seeing him in OTAs, what he transferred to training camp, and where he’s at now is just a great knowledge of the offense being in the right spot at the right time,” said Nagy, “And so as a quarterback, or as a coach, when you have somebody like that you trust him. And then, on top of that, he’s very talented. You saw that in a preseason game with being able to go downfield, make great catches, etc. So he’s got some veteran experience that he brings to that room as well.”

Nagy will see James used on special teams with coordinator Dave Toub this season, creating more flexibility opportunities with personnel in the game plan.

WATCH: Chiefs WR Richie James mic’d up against Saints

Richie James provided plenty of laughs during his mic’d up segment, which was recorded during the #Chiefs’ loss to the Saints on #Sunday.

Wide receiver Richie James is settling in well in the Kansas City Chiefs offense and has quickly become a reliable target for the team’s quarterbacks. His standout performance in the Chiefs’ first preseason game against the New Orleans Saints gave fans a taste of what he might be able to do in the regular season and wasn’t only notable for his impressive stat line.

As it turns out, James was wearing a microphone during the matchup and revealed himself to be quite the character during interactions with his teammates during the game.

While the outcome of the tilt wasn’t exactly what the Chiefs were hoping for, the hilarity of James’ mic’d up appearance was worth something for fans who were distraught after Kansas City’s last-minute defeat in the Big Easy.

If he can continue providing excellent content like this, James will become a fan-favorite early in his career with the Chiefs.

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Top quotes from Chiefs’ August 15 post-practice press conference

Check out all the top quotes from the #Chiefs’ post-practice press conference on August 15:

The Kansas City Chiefs got back to work on Tuesday after their heartbreaking preseason loss to the New Orleans Saints over the weekend. They suffered a few injuries during their first workouts of the week and may be heading into their second preseason exhibition a bit shorthanded.

Andy Reid, Richie James, Rashee Rice, and Nick Bolton all spoke to the media after Tuesday’s practice concluded, and gave reporters valuable insight regarding their preparation for Arizona, the 2023 regular season, and their teammates.

Check out all their top quotes below:

Chiefs WR Richie James talks about comfort with Patrick Mahomes

#Chiefs WR Richie James talks about comfort with Patrick Mahomes after practice on Tuesday. | @LazarczykLogan

When the Kansas City Chiefs signed Richie James earlier this offseason, it was an acquisition that many people brushed off. However, the 27-year-old wideout has been very productive in training camp, and that extended into the first preseason game this past weekend.

James talked to the media after the Chiefs’ Tuesday practice session and was asked to compare Patrick Mahomes to the other quarterbacks he has played with during his career.

“They’re all great leaders. Obviously, Pat has done [a lot] more than most of them,” James said. “He is just a great leader, great quarterback, knows how to run the show — does his job really well.”

The former 49ers and Giants receiver has been a major benefactor of Mahomes. The 27-year-old quarterback is always open to telling James and the other receivers what his thought process is on certain plays.

“Getting an opportunity to work with [Mahomes] – he gives you a lot of advice of what he is thinking and where you should be at when he releases the ball,” James continued. “Like I said, he is running the show right now.”

Mahomes’ mastery of the offense has given the quarterback the opportunity to be a coach on the field for these receivers coming into the system. James gave his perspective on how Mahomes has helped him adapt to the scheme.

“You can tell [Mahomes] has been in the system for a while – he knows where the ball is going to go pre-snap,” James said. “[Mahomes] does a really good job of telling you [when to expect] the ball – eyes better be up, hands ready.”

With Kadarius Toney hurt and Justyn Ross suffering an injury in Tuesday’s practice, expect James to receive more snaps with the first-team offense.

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Takeaways and reactions from Chiefs’ preseason loss to the Saints

Check out our key takeaways and reactions from the #Chiefs’ preseason loss to the #Saints.

The Kansas City Chiefs fell short in their effort against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, losing 26-24 in their opening preseason game. There were a few storylines from the game that were particularly notable, including one that involves one of the Chiefs’ cornerstone players.

Preseason football is not about winning or losing, but rather an exercise in giving young prospects live reps against opponents to test their progression after training camp.

Take a look at our key takeaways and reactions to Kansas City’s two-point loss to New Orleans:

WATCH: Chiefs WR Richie James scores first touchdown of Kansas City’s preseason

Richie James’ touchdown catch against the #Saints got the #Chiefs on the board for their first points of the 2023 preseason.

The Kansas City Chiefs offense looked flat-out bad before wide receiver Richie James caught this highlight-reel touchdown against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

James, who is in his first year with Kansas City, was able to wriggle free in the corner of the endzone against New Orleans and caught a fantastic throw from University of Missouri legend Blaine Gabbert.

The Chiefs needed a score in the worst way, and James’ touchdown got Kansas City back in the game after they faced a 17-point deficit following their abysmal first-quarter performance. James has shown flashes of his potential at training camp in St. Joseph, and his ability to make this crucial catch when the Chiefs needed it most bodes well for his future in Andy Reid’s offense.

Kansas City will need James and their other receivers to continue stepping up later in this matchup as they look to finish their first preseason game on a high note.