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2K22: WR


onejayhawk

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With Justyn Ross making a showtime one handed grab on the first day of OTAs, the bar at WR has been raised. We might as well have a thread discussing who, how many, and for what roles the WR corps will shake out. We need to pick 6-7 from these twelve.

  • Mecole Hardman - Suddenly the senior veteran
  • JuJu Smith-Schuster - Ross was not the only WR that Mahomes praised for making an impressive day #1 catch in OTA. Had 97 catches just two years ago.
  • Josh Gordon - He played a lot of snaps considering his production. The staff must like his subtle contributions
  • Daurice Fountain - Last summer's darling. Was it also his high point?
  • Cornell Powell - He didn't make the 53 but he stuck as a PS player
  • Justin Watson - He's part of the who's he list but he turned Mahomes head with his quickness.
  • Matthew Sexton - Another who's he 
  • Omar Bayless - and a third.
  • Corey Coleman - Coleman is a veteran with speed. A dark horse. 
  • Marquez Valdes-Scantling - Green Bay's deep threat. The problem is that that is all he was.
  • Skyy Moore - If he had JuJu's size, he would have gone top 10 even without elite speed. The rest is there. 
  • Justyn Ross - 1st round talent and career threatening injury.  

 

Edited by onejayhawk
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  • 2 weeks later...
On 5/26/2022 at 10:23 AM, onejayhawk said:

With Justyn Ross making a showtime one handed grab on the first day of OTAs, the bar at WR has been raised. We might as well have a thread discussing who, how many, and for what roles the WR corps will shake out. We need to pick 6-7 from these twelve.

  • Mecole Hardman - Suddenly the senior veteran
  • Daurice Fountain - Last summer's darling. Was it also his high point?
  • Justin Watson - He's part of the who's he list but he turned Mahomes head with his quickness.
  • Marquez Valdes-Scantling - Green Bay's deep threat. The problem is that that is all he was.
  • Skyy Moore - If he had JuJu's size, he would have gone top 10 even without elite speed. The rest is there. 
  • Justyn Ross - 1st round talent and career threatening injury.  

 

Ok this is my list

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One on Mecole Hardman by Ron Kopp. 
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2022/6/8/23157836/how-chiefs-wide-receiver-mecole-hardmans-role-can-expand-in-2022-the-reid-remix

The bottom line
Hardman is the Chiefs’ most experienced wide receiver. With Hill gone, I believe that will translate to an increase in his playing time. In the plays where the Chiefs take advantage of his speed horizontally, his usage may not change much. But what will likely change is how often he’s used as the primary receiver in bigger passing concepts — and the variety of routes he’ll be asked to run.

Those plays can come down to how much the quarterback and receiver are on the same page — which is an area that needs improvement. Without it, we may not see these big plays be completed at as high a rate as we’ve seen — and now that opponents are limiting the number of chances for these plays, this could be significant.

This all leads to Hardman being one of the biggest X-factors in the Chiefs’ 2022 offense. More than many other players, the unit’s success will be tied to his performance.

This one is more general. In general, no one person will replace Tyreek Hill. Elements of his game will be spread around.
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/which_chiefs_wr_is_the_best_replacement_for_tyreek_hill/s1_16631_37571834

 

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This one is interesting. It's a analysis of the WR and what we can expect in terms or targets, receptions, yards, and TDs. I think it's a lowball estimate--only 2825 yards. I think you could increase it 10%-15% without raising expectations unreasonably.
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2022/6/10/23162192/projecting-2022-numbers-for-chiefs-wide-receivers

Of the new WR, Mahomes seems to have taken a liking to MVS. 
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/chiefs-patrick-mahomes-and-marquez-valdes-scantling-forming-strong-connection-per-report/
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/06/10/marquez-valdes-scantling-im-living-right-to-go-from-aaron-rodgers-to-patrick-mahomes/

Edited by onejayhawk
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As we draw to the end of minicamp the situation is unresolved. Four slots are locked down--Hardman, JuJu, MVS, Skyy.

  • Josh Gordon has impressed. He played a lot of snaps in 2021 without a lot of stats. That means he does little things well.
  • Cornell Powell is said to be night to day better.
  • Justin Watson has drawn attention and he plays ST.
  • Justyn Ross needs no defense.

That makes four guys paying for two positions, one of which requires ST. We could easily get a Daurice Fountain or a Corey Coleman kept purely for ST. 

It appears Josh Gordon has done everything humanly possible, but I don't think Justyn Ross would clear waivers. It's surprising enough that he cleared the 7th round. Between those two it's a close call.

Cornell Powell could clear waivers but he is also tradeable. If he can play ST, he could snag the 6th spot. Otherwise I think Watson or one of the no names gets the last job. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Great tweet by RG III.
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/lists/kansas-city-chiefs-usfl-2022-players-free-agent-signings/

The Chiefs are DEEPER AT WR THAN EVER. Tyreek Hills don’t grow on trees so after he moved to Miami, the Chiefs replaced Tyreek with DEPTH. Added Ju Ju, MVS, Skyy Moore and have Josh Gordon, Corey Coleman and Justyn Ross fighting to be WR 5-6. CHEMISTRY will be key, not talent.

You know that they pay him to talk now, right?

Partly about the WR depth--Cornell Powell
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/how_noah_gray_and_cornell_powell_can_break_through_in_year_two/s1_16631_37622281

A long one on Justin Watson who may competing with Gordon, and Ross for one slot. Maybe Watson can play ST and throw his hat at the #6 spot.
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2022/6/27/23185487/chiefs-roster-hopeful-justin-watson-beginning-to-garner-national-attention

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As we know, Mahomes had informal meet-up with his WR before the draft. They are doing it again. This will be particularly important to rookies, who were not on the horizon at the first meet-up, and those who have been slowed by injury. Skyy Moore is both.
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2022/06/28/kansas-city-chiefs-patrick-mahomes-skyy-moore-texas-throwing-sessions/

More evidence that MVS is going to make an impact. Last year he was faster than Tyreek Hill. 
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2022/07/01/kansas-city-chiefs-marquez-valdes-scantling-nfls-fastest-receiver-2021-season/

Edited by onejayhawk
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  • 5 weeks later...

We have known for some time that we would have a four man WR core. On the first day of camp, JuJu Smith-Schuster put on a show. Back in minicamp it was Marquez Valdes-Scantling showing out. Mecole Hardman is the senior player and he knows Mahomes the Best. Skyy Moore is the future and the one who is best suited the slot. 

I has some questions:

  • Will any of them outshine the others?
  • If so, Who?
  • Why?
  • Do you expect the answer to change significantly over the course of the season?
  • Wy or why not?
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16 hours ago, onejayhawk said:

We have known for some time that we would have a four man WR core. On the first day of camp, JuJu Smith-Schuster put on a show. Back in minicamp it was Marquez Valdes-Scantling showing out. Mecole Hardman is the senior player and he knows Mahomes the Best. Skyy Moore is the future and the one who is best suited the slot. 

I has some questions:

  • Will any of them outshine the others?
  • If so, Who?
  • Why?
  • Do you expect the answer to change significantly over the course of the season?
  • Wy or why not?

IMO it has always been probably that if anyone takes an actual #1 WR role, it would be Juju. He's the veteran in a relative sense, and the most proven player. He doesn't have Hill's speed, but he might actually be a more refined route runner. He'll thrive on a lot of the underneath YAC stuff that Reid can create. Could see him functioning similarly to what Hill was forced into last year, and similar to what Kelce does in terms of depth and types of route run. And that has huge potential to add up to high volume, as far as targets and catches. Good hands and a knack for separation will make Mahomes like him quickly. I think Juju winds up being the guy on the field basically every snap, all season long.

I think Hardman and MVS are definitely the most suited for more specific roles. MVS has the deep speed, but not the wiggle. He graded out as one of the league's best run blocking receivers. His logical fit would be as a better Demarcus Robinson. Deep shots and perimeter blocking. Hardman has the athleticism with none of the refinement of MVS or Juju. He'll keep his role from last year, and if he improves as a receiver, he can take some of Pringle/Hill's target share. It doesn't feel like a safe bet, at this point, that Hardman will take that leap.

I really love Moore as a prospect. I think on another team he'd be a day 1 #1 WR, with how good he already is as a route runner. But, Reid asks a lot of his WRs. It's part of what Hardman has always struggled with. I'm not sure he'll be ready in the coaching staff's eyes. At least not week 1. And unless the position is a problem, even if he is ready in, say, week 13 or something, why make the change at that point? Maybe he does so spectacularly in camp that they just roll with it, but I'm betting on a modest start, as much as I like Moore. I think he'll have limited packages and personnel he comes out for, that slowly expand as the season goes on. And next year, I wouldn't be surprised if Juju walks for more money elsewhere, and we just slide Moore right in to the hole he vacates.

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