Chiefs headlines for Wednesday, May 29th
The latest
NFL analyst thinks Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce can have a huge comeback season in 2024 | AtoZ Sports
With the arrival of new offensive weapons in Xavier Worthy, the rookie they traded up for in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and Hollywood Brown, whom they signed as a free agent, the Chiefs’ offense is poised for a significant improvement. The addition of these talented players instills a sense of hope and optimism for the upcoming season. A stronger offense enhances the team’s overall performance and alleviates the pressure on Kelce.
With other weapons, teams can not focus on Kelce as much. Last season, we saw teams be able to focus solely on Kelce because mostly no one trusted the other players on the Chiefs to beat them. And that’s fair. But, because of how the offense will operate in 2024, with likely much more of a deep threat than last year, Kelce can have a comeback season.
Early Projection for Xavier Worthy Features Promising Rookie Numbers | Sports Illustrated
Naturally, there are three Andy Reid wide receivers to look at when considering Worthy’s 2024 possibilities. Back in 2016, Tyreek Hill hauled in 61 passes for 593 yards and six touchdowns. In 2019, Mecole Hardman recorded 538 yards and six scores on just 26 receptions. Last year, Rice led all Kansas City wideouts in catches (79), yards (938) and touchdowns (7).
Given the presence of Brown and tight end Travis Kelce, it’s difficult to see Worthy matching Rice’s 2024 numbers even if the latter misses any time. A blend of Hill and Hardman’s production — perhaps similar yardage and touchdown totals on a middle-ground receptions mark — is more realistic. That’s far from an indictment on Worthy; the fact of the matter is the Chiefs have two or three mouths to feed before the first-rounder.
What Kind Of Impact Rugby Star Louis Rees-Zammit Can Make On Chiefs | Forbes
At his rugby position of wing, he had to field a lot of high balls, which should serve as good preparation for returning kicks. That’s where Benson could see the 23-year-old Rees-Zammit making his biggest contribution, and because of NFL’s new kickoff rules, returns should have more significance this year.
“Dave (Toub) will have an opportunity to have him on special teams,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said, “and see where that goes.”
Listed at 6-2, 209 pounds, the lean Rees-Zammit posted a 4.43 in his 40-yard dash at the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) pro day. Given that size and speed combination, Rees-Zammit, who idolized Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver and DeSean Jackson growing up, would seem to project as a wide receiver.
Chiefs OTAs: Former Cowboys second-round draft pick making plays in practice for Kansas City | AtoZ Sports
Still, there was a lot of positive buzz about Joseph coming out of the lone day of practice media have been able to attend thus far. Chiefs team reporter Matt McMullen mentioned his interception in his post-practice observations. KSHB-TV’s Nick Jacobs and Chiefs Digest’s Matt Derrick also discussed Joseph as a standout during practice on their “41 Is The Mic” podcast.
“A very sneaky-good player was Kelvin Joseph,” Jacobs said. “Like the guy was all over all over 7-on-7 and team, and he had a lot of deflections and was in good position a lot of the times. And he made that interception on Mahomes.”
Cowboys fans often regard Joseph as a draft bust because he didn’t live up to his second-round draft status. If he can continue to show this type of coverage skill and ability with consistency, he’ll certainly be in the mix for a post-L’Jarius Sneed secondary in Kansas City. One thing that could potentially help him out even more? Special teams ability.
Former Chiefs players don’t like NFLPA’s proposed change for training camp | KC Star
Former Chiefs offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz believes the players association would be making a mistake by doing away with OTAs. “Clearly the start of changing the offseason schedule for 18 games,” Schwartz wrote on X. “Also… I continue to be surprised by NFL players hatred of OTAs. You’re trading voluntary workouts under less stress for more training camp? OTAs are when you start building friendships and relationships. “This is also going to hurt young guys trying to make a roster. Not that current NFL players care about that.” Schwartz, who played for the Chiefs in 2013, added: “Also players continue to trade eliminating OTAs for more games. A trade the owners love. And it never seems players get equal value in negotiations for this.”
Clearly the start of changing the offseason schedule for 18 games
Also… I continue to be surprised by NFL players hatred of OTAs. You’re trading voluntary workouts under less stress for more training camp? OTAs are when you start building friendships and relationships.
This…
https://t.co/Prt2z5F8nZ— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) May 28, 2024
RotoPat’s 2024 NFL GM rankings: Analysis for all 32 teams | Yahoo Sports
It’s not as easy as just having the quarterback. As the Patriots’ “one year too early instead of one year too late” mantra taught us, you have to make painful decisions to stay on top in the NFL. For the Chiefs that has meant things like foregoing a No. 1 receiver two years in a row. That enabled them to build and spend at other premium positions like cornerback … until they could no longer even afford the corner. L’Jarius Sneed was an integral part of February’s latest Lombardi lifter. He was gone two months later. The roster fire is never really out when you’re paying Patrick Mahomes $45 million per season. It just spreads somewhere else. So far, Andy Reid and Brett Veach are doing quite literally the best possible job of adapting on a yearly basis. They waited out Chris Jones’ holdout before eventually coming to a mutually beneficial long-term agreement and finally found some money to spend at wideout. They are keeping superstars Mahomes and Travis Kelce happy. Most importantly, they are winning more games than anyone else. If they can continue to pair Mahomes’ magic with front office savvy, this dynasty will become even more difficult to dislodge than the Brady/Belichick machine of yore.
Around the NFL
No pitch count for Joe Burrow as Bengals launch OTAs this week | Yahoo Sports
Offensive coordinator Mike Pitcher recently explained to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com that there will be no pitch count on Burrow, who suffered a season-ending wrist injury last November in Baltimore.
“We designed the whole thing to stay within the constraints of where the medical people think he should be and where he wants to be right now,” Pitcher said. “Nobody is sitting there with a special pitch counter. But we’ve been smart how we put it together.”
Pitcher added that Burrow currently has “all his range and power.”
It all points to Burrow possibly having the first normal training camp of his career. In 2020, there wasn’t one. In 2021, he was recovering from a torn ACL. In 2022, he had an appendectomy. Last year, he had a calf injury.
Broncos’ Jarrett Stidham ready to fight for starting QB job | ESPN
“I’ve dealt with this before when I was in New England when we drafted [former first-round pick] Mac Jones,’’ Stidham said after an OTA practice last week. “It’s a business, I totally understand it, but at the same time, I’m here to compete. I’m not going to just sit down and let someone else walk on in here — I’m going to work my butt off to get the job. I’m super excited about it.’’
Stidham, who signed a two-year, $10 million deal before the 2023 season, suddenly finds himself a 27-year-old “vet in the room’’ trying to win a starting quarterback job that looked much more winnable just five weeks ago.
Zach Wilson is a former first-round pick — No. 2 overall, by the New York Jets in the 2021 draft — and Payton said Nix was Denver’s target all along in the first round of the draft. That puts Stidham in a somewhat curious place many former backup quarterbacks find themselves in: a mentor who could also be considered an upset winner of the job.
In case you missed it on Chiefs Studios
Chiefs sign second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia to rookie contract
According to Tuesday’s official NFL transactions report, the Kansas City Chiefs have signed offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia to his four-year rookie contract.
Full details of the contract are not yet available. Under the rookie contract formula established between the league and the NFL Players’ Association, we expected the second-round pick to sign a four-year deal worth a total of $6.4 million, including what is likely to be a $1.5 million signing bonus. We expect the deal will carry a $1.2 million cap hit in 2024.
Social media to make you think
Rashee Rice not only been putting in work this weekend on the field, but he’s also been doing his thing off the field.
These are the types of stories that aren’t talked about enough!#ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/BaSBu7mTMu— Chief Concerns (@ConcernsChief) May 28, 2024
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