Getty New York Jets wide receiver Corey Davis.
If the Kansas City Chiefs wanted to go a cheaper route at wide receiver outside the organization that would give them a solid floor of play at a potentially adjustable rate, New York Jets receiver Corey Davis might be the man for the job.
The defending Super Bowl champions would have to either trade for the 28-year-old or potentially wait for him to be cut. Regardless of how they go about it, the Chiefs-Corey Davis chatter has ramped up on social media.
“Trade later round pick for WR Corey Davis and rework the remaining year of his contract,” one Twitter user wrote. “Also possibility Davis could get cut. Good size good hands good speed. Jets suck, Mahomes can get this player going again.”
Another user wrote, “Corey Davis is going to be released with the signing of Lazard, Davis to the chiefs????”
Corey Davis is going to be released with the signing of Lazard, Davis to the chiefs????
“Corey Davis could be a diamond in the rough WR to trade for. He has had garbage QB’s throwing to him in New York. Davis will play 2023 season as a 28 year old,” another user wrote. “He was great in [Tennessee] before going to a Jets team with bad QB’s.”
Corey Davis a Solid Veteran Option
Corey Davis, 28, enter the NFL as the fifth overall draft pick by the Tennessee Titans in 2017. Despite being highly touted coming out of Western Michigan, Davis, who stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 209 pounds, has underperformed thus far in his NFL career based on his draft status.
During his six-year NFL career, Davis has yet to register 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. His best season to date was his final season with the Titans in 2020 when he recorded 65 catches on 92 targets — 70.7% catch rate — for 984 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns according to Pro Football Reference.
Overall, Davis has 273 catches, 3,879 receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns during his career.
After his rookie contract expired in Tennessee, Davis took to free agency in 2021 and signed a three-year, $37.5 million deal with New York.
Unfortunately, drafting quarterback Zach Wilson second overall in 2021 didn’t stabilize the Jets’ QB play, which factored into two of the worst statistical seasons to date for Davis despite the occasional splash play.
ZACH WILSON 🚀 COREY DAVIS
During the 2021 season, Davis had a 34-392-4 stat line. During the 2022 season, his stat line was 32-536-2. He also missed a total of 12 games during those two seasons due to injury.
On March 22, the Jets traded 2021 second-round pick Elijah Moore to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for multiple draft picks that could be used in the team’s pending blockbuster trade for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
2023 marks the final year of Davis’ contract with New York. As it stands, he’s on the books with an $11.1 million cap hit for the 2023 season, which ranks 21st in the NFL amongst receivers according to Spotrac.
The Jets have already signed former Packers receiver Allen Lazard, to a four-year, $44 million deal this offseason and are rumored to have interest in signing other free agents like Odell Beckham Jr. So, moving on from a player like Davis, who hasn’t lived up to expectations as a Jet and has a sizable cap hit in 2023, would make sense for New York.
Chiefs Receiver Room Full of Youth
JuJu Smith-Schuster, who signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs in 2022, took to free agency this offseason and signed a three-year, $25.5 million deal with the New England Patriots. Mecole Hardman also took to free agency and signed a one-year $6.5 million deal with the Jets. Justin Watson is a free agent but has yet to sign with a team.
As it stands, the Chiefs have three wide receivers on the roster that played meaningful snaps during the 2022 season and are under contract for the 2023 season: Marquez Valdes-Scantling (28 years old), Kadarius Toney (24), and Skyy Moore (22).
The defending Super Bowl champions also have John Ross (27), Cornell Powell (25), Justyn Ross (23), Ihmir Smith-Marsette (23), and Jerrion Ealy (22), who will all work with the team this offseason and battle to remain in Kansas City come September.