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At the start of their playoff bye week, the Kansas City Chiefs brought in wide receiver/punt returner Slade Bolden for a workout, according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero on January 9.
Bolden played his college ball at Alabama. During his three seasons with the Crimson Tide, he accumulated 68 receptions for 712 yards and 4 touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. He also did damage on the field as a punt returner, averaging 9.8 yards per return and scoring 4 touchdowns on 74 total plays.
As mentioned by Pelissero, Bolden spent the summer of 2022 with the Baltimore Ravens but had to undergo sports hernia surgery in September. After being on injured reserve since August, Bolden was cut by the Ravens on October 18.
Why Bring in Bolden for Workout?
The beginning of the playoffs is also the beginning of a frenzy in the NFL in which teams can sign current free agents to Reserve/Future contracts. That might be what Kansas City’s intention is following Bolden’s workout with the AFC West champions.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com did a writeup on Bolden ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft that provides insight into what Bolden can do on the football.
“Slot target who will catch and gain what is available but is unlikely to do much beyond that,” Zierlein wrote of Bolden. “Bolden has adequate quickness for the Alabama scheme but isn’t an explosive separator. He has the hands and toughness to work in the middle of the field but will see diminishing catch windows the further he gets from the line of scrimmage. He doesn’t have the speed or catch radius to help inaccurate passers and he doesn’t appear to have enough talent to shine outside of the Alabama juggernaut.”
Eric Bieniemy’s Time Coming as NFL HC?
January 9 not only marks the opportunity for NFL teams to sign players to Reserve/Future deals, it also marks the end of several NFL head coaching tenures each year.
As of midday on Monday, Houston Texans’ Lovie Smith and Arizona Cardinals’ Cliff Kingsbury had been fired from their head coaching duties.
The Texans and Cardinals head coach vacancies can be added to the list along with the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, and Indianapolis Colts, who fired their head coaches midseason.
With five head coach vacancies in the NFL in 2023, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy will once again be a popular name floated around as a head coach option. That’s why Twitter users began talking about him as the firings were announced on Monday.
“Eric Bieniemy seems like a natural fit for the Cardinals. I’m just not sure his personality would mesh well with Kyler’s [Murray],” Arrowhead Live wrote.
“If the Cards can’t get [Sean] Payton or [Jim] Harbaugh, I’d love to see them hire Eric Bieniemy,” another user wrote.
“Eric Bieniemy got to be absolutely stewing daily watching incompetent Coaches get hired and fired and hired again in some cases while his career is stuck in neutral,” another user wrote.
“Would love to see Eric Bieniemy get his overdue shot as a HC, which could also set up the reuniting of Kliff Kingsbury and Mahomes with him coming in as OC,” another user wrote.
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