KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Shortly after signing his contract with the Kansas City Chiefs final week, extensive receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling wasn’t certain about what function he would possibly fill as his new staff rebuilds at extensive receiver after buying and selling Tyreek Hill.
“I was pitched on the opportunity,” Valdes-Scantling mentioned. “It wasn’t about, ‘You’re going to be wide receiver 1 [and] you’re going to do exactly what Tyreek did.’ We’re different players. I was pitched on the opportunity that I could come in and contribute and be a part of something special.”
Valdes-Scantling was talking for himself however may have properly been expressing the ideas of Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster as properly. Hardman, the Chiefs’ second-round draft choose in 2019, and Smith-Schuster, one other current free-agent signing, be a part of Valdes-Scantling as the highest three extensive receivers on the depth chart, however none will be certain at this level what all of it means.
Coach Andy Reid mentioned the Chiefs wanted to get larger at receiver. Hill is 5-foot-10 and 185 kilos, Hardman 5-10 and 180.
Valdes-Scantling is 6-4 and 206, Smith-Schuster 6-1 and 215, so the Chiefs have achieved that purpose.
“Over the years we had gotten a little bit smaller,” Reid mentioned. “We did have [Byron] Pringle and we did have [Demarcus Robinson], and that was kind of your size. These two we brought in now, they’re really good players and good-sized and can run. I’m excited to see them play.
“You’ll be able to’t evaluate them. They are not the identical kind of participant as Tyreek. Tyreek is a novel participant, a terrific participant. He is in a superb place, and when it is all mentioned and performed right here, we’ll be in an actual good place, too.”
Valdes-Scantling, Smith-Schuster and Hardman have never been true No. 1 receivers. Smith-Schuster did lead the Pittsburgh Steelers in catches (111) and yards (1,246) in 2018, but their lead receiver that season was Antonio Brown, who scored 15 touchdowns. Smith-Schuster also led the Steelers in catches in 2020 with 97, but was third in yards.
Valdes-Scantling and Hardman have had their moments. Valdes-Scantling averaged 17.5 yards per catch during his four seasons with the Green Bay Packers. Hardman averaged almost 21 yards per catch as a rookie. But neither player was ever his team’s most feared target.
That’s why there’s plenty of room in Kansas City for another wide receiver, whether he’s a veteran via free agency or trade or a draft pick, to come in and claim playing time and perhaps the No. 1 role. But the Chiefs have plans for Valdes-Scantling, Smith-Schuster and Hardman regardless.
The Chiefs not only traded Hill but lost two of their other top wide receivers from last season, Byron Pringle and Demarcus Robinson, in free company.
“We would not be in that room if we could not play soccer,” Valdes-Scantling said. “The Chiefs all consider in us. All of us consider in ourselves. That is our main focus, [trying] to be the very best model of ourselves.”
The plans for their receivers are unclear, except perhaps to Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. But Hardman and Valdes-Scantling are fast and the Chiefs undoubtedly will try to put those skills to good use.
“I have been a high deep menace within the league for my 4 years in my profession. These stats converse for themselves,” said Valdes-Scantling, referring to his high yard-per-catch average. “However I am additionally not restricted to that. Coach Reid does a extremely good job of getting his playmakers the ball. With Pat [Mahomes] beneath middle and coach Reid calling these performs I feel I match proper in.
“I know the type of player I am. I know the type of player that I want to continue to grow to be. Looking at the roster, they had a lot of turnover in their wideout room in the last few weeks. The top [three] guys are all gone from the year before, other than Mecole. It gave me a really good opportunity to be in position to come in and have an impact right away.”
Valdes-Scantling goes from taking part in with Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to working with Mahomes.
“Me and Aaron have a great relationship,” he mentioned. “It was really tough to walk away because I still had the opportunity on the table to go in and play with him for the rest of his career, whether that be one year, two or three, however long he decides to play.
“I walked into a possibility with a really comparable quarterback [with the Chiefs]. Having this chance to construct one thing long-term with Pat goes to be life-changing. … I present a spark. Being within the league 4 years and taking part in with Aaron, I do know what it seems to be like. … My talent set will converse for itself come Sundays.”
Smith-Schuster isn’t as fast but is more physical. He did a lot of his work with the Steelers as a slot receiver.
“I am a distinct kind of man,” he said. “I am somewhat bit extra constructed. You have acquired … speedster guys who can run down the sector. I am the kind of man, nice arms, somewhat bit like Travis [Kelce], nice arms, huge dude that may run and block, bodily blocking within the run recreation. There’s a lot I can do to assist this staff.”
