On Monday, ESPN workers author Invoice Barnwell launched his annual offensive weapons rankings, which take away the quarterback and as a substitute take a look at every crew’s group of huge receivers, tight ends and working backs.
In line with Barnwell, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs dropped from No. 16 getting into the 2022 season to No. 19 with this yr’s crew. Once they nonetheless had huge receiver Tyreek Hill (2021), he had them at sixth within the NFL.
The San Francisco 49ers, Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles rank first to 3rd, respectively, with the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 5, Las Vegas Raiders at No. 11 and the Denver Broncos at No. 24.
On this publish, I’ll react with some ideas to Barnwell’s notes on the Chiefs.
No. 19: Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
BARNWELL: Right here’s the final of the groups constructed round one star pass-catcher, as a result of he’s the most effective of the bunch. Travis Kelce advantages from taking part in with Patrick Mahomes, however anybody who has performed even informal consideration to the Chiefs over the previous couple of seasons has seen Kelce routinely get himself open and create after the catch on a weekly foundation. I ranked him because the second-best tight finish of all time, and after turning into the primary tight finish in 50 years to high 1,000 yards in his age-33 season, it doesn’t seem like he’s slowing down.
Many marvel about “life after Kelce” — and for a superb purpose. There’s merely no person like him within the league. Fortuitously for the Chiefs, the longer term Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame tight finish stated he isn’t contemplating retirement anytime quickly, and he occurs to play a place wherein, traditionally, strong manufacturing could be sustained as gamers push into their mid-30s. Barnwell makes no point out of Noah Grey or Jody Fortson on this piece, which can find yourself being a mistake. I are inclined to suppose that Grey and Fortson are hiding in plain sight from a nationwide standpoint, due to Kelce’s distinguished shadow.
BARNWELL: The Chiefs additionally discovered an improve at working again final yr in Isiah Pacheco, who gave them the facility again they wanted to problem groups that attempted to face them with mild packing containers. Jerick McKinnon additionally stepped up as a receiver and have become an unlikely risk close to the purple zone, greater than doubled his profession totals by placing up 9 receiving touchdowns. McKinnon’s knees probably restrict him to a change-of-pace function, however his partnership with Pacheco represents a significant enchancment on the limp type of Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
Pacheco comes off a bit underrated on this providing, as he almost reached 1,000 dashing yards (830) after not incomes the beginning function till round Week 7. He added one other 197 dashing yards within the playoffs, and there’s a creating facet to his story concerning the passing sport. Having Jerick McKinnon again within the fold and Clyde Edwards-Helaire wholesome are each good issues, and I feel undrafted rookie Deneric Prince additionally carves out a task. I’m unsure Pacheco rivals any of the true bell cows that stay within the league — comparable to Derrick Henry or Saquon Barkley — however I do suppose the Chiefs current one of many higher-upside committees. With Pacheco getting into his first full yr because the starter, maybe of us received’t notice that till subsequent yr’s version.
BARNWELL: So why did the Chiefs fall again from their Sixteenth-place end? The huge receiver depth chart is even sketchier. The nominal high wideout in the meanwhile is Kadarius Toney, who has performed 70% or extra of the offensive snaps precisely as soon as in two NFL seasons. Skyy Moore, a second-rounder final yr, did not make an influence earlier than scoring a landing within the Tremendous Bowl. Whereas the Chiefs added one other second-round wideout in Rashee Rice, they misplaced two regulars in JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman.
After all, Mahomes will do exactly high quality with one of many league’s worst huge receiver depth charts, provided that he simply received MVP with a barely higher group a yr in the past. Exterior of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, it is a younger group, and there’s an opportunity that Toney, Moore and even Justyn Ross emerges as a No. 1 receiver. So long as Kelce is Kelce, the Chiefs can be high quality. If he have been to say no or undergo an harm, or in the event that they didn’t have Mahomes to conduct the orchestra for any time frame, this may seem like an underwhelming set of huge receivers.
This criticism is honest from Barnwell, particularly in the case of Toney. I consider the crew after they say that Toney is usually a No. 1 huge receiver within the NFL (we’ve seen flashes when he feels proper). What additionally helps the Chiefs’ weaponry as a complete is that “No. 1 huge receiver” actually means “No. 2 choice” in Kansas Metropolis, no less than till Kelce does lastly determine to name it quits. Like Barnwell, I’m far much less satisfied Toney can keep on the sector for a whole season.
Others might want to step up within the video games the place the Chiefs don’t have Toney energetic. Look no additional than the second half of the Tremendous Bowl to see how essential a dependable goal after Kelce comparable to JuJu Smith-Schuster is for Mahomes. So if it’s not Toney, who might or not it’s? I see Moore to take a big step ahead this yr — and it sounds as if Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid do, too. Given Toney’s harm historical past, I’ve stated on these pages that I like Moore’s possibilities of breaking out for a 1,000-yard season.
With no confirmed weapon past Kelce, Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s second season in Kansas Metropolis can be essential. Justin Watson and Richie James present the Chiefs a little bit of safety, contemplating they’ve beforehand produced within the NFL. It’s early, however I get the sensation Rice can be a larger consider 2024 than in 2023. It seems the Justyn Ross hype has reached Barnwell, however I’m nonetheless not satisfied he makes the 53-man-roster.
The underside line
The dings on the huge receiver place from Barnwell are cheap, and whenever you take Mahomes out of the equation, the truth that it’s a room with so many unproven commodities means the Chiefs needs to be in that middle-of-the-league ballpark on these rankings.
However for me, they’re nearer to final yr’s rating at No. 16 and even No. 15 than the underside 20.
Regardless, these are (clearly) simply rankings.
As Barnwell was certain to say, Mahomes simply received the Most Worthwhile Participant award, having moved on from a 1,700-yard receiver. When the Chiefs face accidents, Reid pulls magic out of his playbook to place the gamers who’re energetic in a positive place to win.
And hey, perhaps the Chiefs are nineteenth in the case of offensive weapons; as of Monday, they’re nonetheless favored to win a second straight Tremendous Bowl title.
Do you agree with Barnwell? Why or why not? Tell us within the feedback beneath.
