Getty Jets safety Marcus Maye breaks up a deep ball against Steelers receiver James Washington.
While the Kansas City Chiefs continue to have an explosive offense, one position that could use a bit of touching up on that side of the football is wide receiver.
Tyreek Hill continues to be one of if not the most explosive receiver in the NFL with quarterback Patrick Mahomes throwing him the football, locking him in as the de facto No. 1 wideout for Kansas City. Third-year receiver Mecole Hardman could be in line for a breakout season now that Sammy Watkins is out of town, but he’ll need to produce consistently on the field before he is crowned as the true No. 2 receiver for the Chiefs.
However, outside of Hill and Hardman Kansas City has a lot of question marks in their receiver room.
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Here are the following players that fill out the remainder of the team’s depth chart at wide receiver: Byron Pringle, Demarcus Robinson, Antonio Callaway, Cornell Powell, Marcus Kemp, Daurice Fountain, Darrius Shepherd, Gehrig Dieter, and Chad Williams.
Of these players, Robinson and Pringle are the only two that earned a worth-mentioning snap count in 2020 and could be in line as the No. 3 wideout for Kansas City. But there hasn’t been enough production from either to award them that title just yet. Robinson caught 45 balls for 466 yards and three touchdowns last season, and Pringle caught 13 passes for 160 yards and one score.
That’s why it wouldn’t hurt for Kansas City to bring in another body during training camp that could be a potentially explosive option for them in the passing game.
Following Thursday night’s Hall of Fame game between the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, fourth-year pass-catcher James Washington requested a trade from the Steelers, stating that he is unhappy with his limited playtime last season and in the first preseason game of the 2021 season, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Steelers’ WR James Washington, a former 2018 second-round pick, has approached the Steelers and requested a trade based on his limited playtime last season and so far this preseason, per source.
Through three seasons, Washington has accumulated 90 receptions for 1,344 yards and nine touchdowns. In 2020, Washington played a career-low 44 percent of the team’s offensive snaps, catching 30 passes for 392 yards and five touchdowns.
Why Washington Is a Good Fit for Chiefs
Washington, a 2018 second-round draft pick, had a hopeful start to his NFL career before seeing his role in Pittsburgh’s offense diminish due to the emergence of Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool. Washington’s field-stretching ability didn’t pair too well with a Steelers offense that tried to get the ball out of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s hands as quickly as possible in 2020. That’s why Washington joining a team like the Chiefs, who love to get the ball downfield in the passing game, would be a great match.
Despite Washington’s ability pairing well on paper with Kansas City’s offense, he would still need to battle with players like Hardman, Pringle, and Robinson for playing time. With that being the case, it’s also worth mentioning what the Chiefs should be willing to give up in a trade for the Oklahoma State product.
What’s the Cost?
Given his lack of production during his first three NFL seasons and being a former second-round pick, it’s fair to look at the Houston Texans’ recent trade for wide receiver Anthony Miller in late July. Miller is entering his fourth season in the NFL as well, failed to produce consistently during his tenure with the Chicago Bears, and is a former second-round pick. Houston traded a fifth-round pick in exchange for Miller and a seventh-round pick, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.
The Chiefs do not own a 2022 fifth-round pick because they packaged that selection in the trade for offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr., which is why offering up a fourth-round selection makes plenty of sense for a team that will presumably be drafting in the backend of each round in 2022.
In terms of salary cap implications, Washington is on the books for a $1.4 million cap hit in 2021, according to Spotrac. That’s a number that the Chiefs can fit into their budget, as they have $7.8 million in available cap space, per OverTheCap.
The compensation to acquire him would be low and the potential is high, which is why trying to acquire Washington should absolutely be in the cards for Kansas City.
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Steelers WR James Washington a Great Trade Option for Chiefs