Getty Arrowhead Stadium, where Armani Watts played for the last four seasons.
The Kansas City Chiefs have drafted some incredible value over the last decade and a half.
Whether it be Travis Kelce or Jamaal Charles in the third round, or L’Jarius Sneed in the fourth round, to name a few, there has been no shortage of diamonds in the rough for the Chiefs come draft day. But which draft pick provided the greatest amount of value to Kansas City since 2006?
PFF did the research and determined that former Western Alabama wide receiver Tyreek Hill being drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft was the best value draft pick for the defending AFC West champions.
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“The single most impactful receiver in the NFL over the past half-decade, Hill exceeded even the most optimistic expectations as a former running back who was forced to transfer from Oklahoma State,” Michael Renner of PFF wrote on June 22. “Since entering the league in 2016, Hill accumulated 458 more deep receiving yards (2,773) and six more deep receiving scores (30) than any other player in the NFL.”
Hill’s NFL resume speaks for itself. During his six seasons in Kansas City, he accumulated four 1,000-yard seasons, 62 total touchdowns, six Pro Bowl nods, and three All-Pro nods. At 28 years old and now with the Miami Dolphins, Hill has a chance to continue his Hall of Fame trajectory in a new town with Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Chiefs Veteran to be Cut During Training Camp?
With a ton of potential in Kansas City’s wide receiver room heading into the 2022 season, that position will be one that’s closely watched when training camp is underway on July 27.
A surplus of receivers — 14 on the roster heading into training camp to be exact — means that not all of them will make the active roster come September. While probability says that several spots on the roster will be reserved for Kansas City’s veteran receivers and for second-round pick Skyy Moore, it’s very possible that one of the experienced receivers on the squad could be cut to save space for one of the several inexperienced pass-catchers competing this summer.
That’s why one Chiefs insider believes that Kansas City’s oldest receiver won’t make the team’s 53-man roster next season.
Teicher: Josh Gordon Won’t Make KC’s Active Roster
ESPN Chiefs reporter Adam Teicher dished out his first 53-man roster projection for the 2022 season on June 21. Headlining his projection is the exclusion of one veteran receiver that was on the Chiefs roster in 2021: Josh Gordon.
Teicher has JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mecole Hardman, Skyy Moore, and Daurice Fountain as the receivers making the active roster next season.
“The top four seem set and it’s difficult to see a place for Josh Gordon if he doesn’t earn a lot of playing time because he doesn’t help on special teams,” Teicher explained. “That’s why I went with Fountain as the spare receiver. But the Chiefs have many candidates to consider during training camp and the preseason.”
Teicher’s projection comes as a bit of a surprise, especially when considering how different Gordon, 31, has looked this offseason based on the reports from media on-scene for OTAs and minicamp and from head coach Andy Reid.
“You guys were out there, you could see that [Josh Gordon’s] running better, catching better,” Reid said. “He’s working hard at all of this. He’s a good kid and he’s smart, so that helps. That’s the way he’s approached this whole thing and he’s getting reps, so he can get himself back
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Ex-Chiefs All-Pro Named KC’s Best Value Draft Pick Since 2006