Getty Former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been linked to the AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers in NFL free agency.
The Kansas City Chiefs made a significant swap at wide receiver in 2024, releasing veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling in favor of free agent Marquise “Hollywood” Brown.
Now Valdes-Scantling is looking for a new home on the open market, and ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler noted that the AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers could target the recent KC cast-off during the April 5 episode of NFL Live.
“The Chargers, I’m told, have some interest,” Fowler stated on the show, regarding “MVS.” Adding: “They’re looking for a speed receiver out there.”
The Chargers are interested in former Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Bachar and Chiefs podcaster Farzin Vousoughian both confirmed this live report on April 5, among others.
Chiefs Fans Likely Won’t Lose Sleep Over MVS to Chargers If Signing Occurs
MVS signing with the Chargers isn’t going to ruin the day of most Kansas City fans, especially when you consider that Los Angeles totally blew up their once-formidable WR corps in 2024.
Superstar Keenan Allen has been traded to the Chicago Bears. Partner-in-crime Mike Williams has been released — and has since inked a contract with the New York Jets.
This is not the same Chargers offense that used to push the Chiefs late in games.
Now, LAC might be better off in the long run under head coach Jim Harbaugh, but there will likely be some growing pains as the big-name HC overhauls the roster. Valdes-Scantling would likely fit the mold of an affordable stopgap during that period, and any in-game “revenge” factor should be minimal.
If MVS were to join the Chargers in free agency, he’d slot in alongside Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston as one of quarterback Justin Herbert’s top three wide receiver options in 2024 — but that could change after the NFL draft.
Looking Back at Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s Up & Down Tenure With Chiefs
Valdes-Scantling was an obvious cap casualty heading into the offseason, but the coaching staff’s consistent defense of him provided a glimmer of hope. In the end, the Chiefs opted for the cap savings despite winning two-straight Super Bowl titles with MVS.
It’s tricky to measure the successfulness of the Valdes-Scantling addition.
On one hand, there was the aforementioned team success. And although MVS was not necessarily the reason KC won their two most recent championships, he did account for very clutch moments in each playoff run — and the argument could be made that the Chiefs don’t win without him.
On the flip side, Valdes-Scantling did not live up to his contract whatsoever during his two regular season campaigns.
MVS did reach 1,000 receiving yards (at 1,002) if you combine his two years in Kansas City, but he was paid like a high-end WR2, or perhaps even a low-end WR1 at the time of his deal. Even more frustrating were his key drops and his lousy catch rate of 51.2% with the Chiefs, including just three total touchdowns ahead of each postseason run.
In the playoffs, however, Valdes-Scantling added another three touchdowns with the Chiefs, as well as 250 receiving yards and 12 first downs. His catch rate also rose to 62.5% over those seven appearances — including a signature performance versus the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2022-23 AFC championship and a touchdown during this year’s Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers.
So, when looking back at MVS’s tenure in KC, will the memories be fond or disappointing? In all honesty, the answer to that question may depend on who you ask.