Getty Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes
Typically, the Kansas City Chiefs offense has been highly productive funneling the ball to wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce. However, the 2021 season showed that the Chiefs need a third, reliable pass-catcher in their offense to produce at an elite level moving forward.
Third-year wideout Byron Pringle had a career year this past season, as he set career-highs in targets (60), catches (42), yards (568), and touchdowns (5), per Pro Football Reference. However, Pringle and fellow receiver Demarcus Robinson are pending free agents, with the former set to earn a payday that might be too large for Kansas City to match when considering his modest level of production with the Chiefs.
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Mecole Hardman — a receiver the Chiefs spent a second-round pick on in 2019 — also set career-highs in targets (83), catches (59), and yards (693), according to Pro Football Reference. Despite the career year, Hardman doesn’t appear to be the explosive third option in the passing game quarterback Patrick Mahomes needs to provide consistency within Kansas City’s passing game.
Veteran wideout Josh Gordon was signed with the hope that he’d be the answer to Kansas City’s problems opposite of Tyreek Hill. However, his impact was minimal in his first season with the Chiefs (five catches, 32 yards). Gordon, 30, doesn’t look like the same All-Pro player he once was with the Cleveland Browns.
So, bringing in a No. 2 receiver that can consistently threaten defenses opposite of Hill is one of the top priorities for Kansas City this offseason.
That’s why Mahomes has “voiced his desire” to the Chiefs about bringing in a veteran pass-catcher this offseason.
Report: Mahomes Wants Chiefs to Sign Veteran WR
Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline shared on March 2 what he’s hearing regarding the position Mahomes wants Kansas City to address this offseason.
“The Chiefs enter the offseason with a need at WR, and word is Patrick Mahomes has voiced his desire for the team to sign a veteran free agent receiver rather than acquire one through the draft. Count that as another offseason expense,” Pauline wrote.
Here is the list of Chiefs wide receivers from the AFC Championship Game that are under contract for 2023:
Potential Free-Agent WR Targets for KC
Here are some of the wide receivers that are set to test free agency this offseason that could be of interest to Kansas City: Allen Robinson, Chris Godwin, Davante Adams, Will Fuller, Juju Smith-Schuster, Mike Williams, and Odell Beckham Jr.
Kansas City was one of a handful of teams that were in the sweepstakes for Beckham when he was released by the Cleveland Browns in November, to the point where the Chiefs offered Beckham a contract, albeit a minimal one, according to independent reporter Dov Kleiman.
Smith-Schuster declined a larger contract from Kansas City to re-join the Pittsburgh Steelers last offseason, according to NFL Network’s Taylor Bisciotti. But after a lackluster 2021 season with the Steelers, Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson said in February that Smith-Schuster ‘hopes’ to join the Chiefs this offseason.
While Beckham and Smith-Schuster seem like the two most likely candidates to join Kansas City this offseason, any of the aforementioned wide receivers would be a welcomed addition to the Chiefs’ receiver room. However, the price tag would ultimately determine which one will join forces with Kansas City’s offense.