FanPost

CC's Offseason Breakdown: The Wide Receivers

It's time to get ready for the Second Season of the NFL year. There are those of us that seem to almost get more excited for this time of the year than we do for the actual season...of course, for a team with our recent history, that might be expected. So over the next couple of months, I'll be taking a look at our roster looking for where we can make changes, while also looking at potential Free Agent and draft pick options to fill the holes that will inevitably come up after the season is over.

Well, there is plenty to say about the train wreck that was our WR core in 2014, but very little of it is good. If there isn't a major overhaul at this position, I will be very disappointed. It was just...no, you know what? No more intro. I'm just going to get this over with.

2014 Wide Receivers:

Dwayne Bowe - You can blame it on whatever you want, but the flat out FACT of the matter is that the Smith-Bowe connection just ain't happening. And since Smith isn't going anywhere right now, the problem has to be fixed on the other end. The Chiefs cannot pay $14 mil for a sub-1000 yard, sub-5 TD year. They just can't. Dwayne Bowe's days in KC are likely coming to an end. That may anger a number of fans, but with the cap situation being what it is, there just isn't any room for this kind of gross over-spending. If Bowe doesn't restructure his contract, he won't be here in 2015.

Donnie Avery - At $2.85 mil, Avery was still paid way too much this season...as he was last season. When healthy, he's a hit or miss player that has not filled the deep threat role he was brought in for. And as for being the #2 WR on the team, he was very quickly outplayed by both Albert Wilson and Jason Avant. Avery will most certainly be gone in 2015, saving the Chiefs around $3.5 mil. This is an easy decision.

AJ Jenkins - Another easy cut for the front office. The trade for Jenkins opened up some immediate money when it happened, so it wasn't a "bad" move. But he has provided virtually nothing to this offense since being brought on. There is no upside left to him.

Junior Hemingway - Hemingway's only saving grace right now is his ST play. But it will be hard to hang his hat on that for long. John Dorsey has brought in more than a few quality ST players since he came to KC, and eventually he will find one that can also play some WR. So there really isn't much of a reason to bring Hemingway back. He's under contract so he should stil get a camp invite so there is at least some competition, but this looks like the end for him.

Frankie Hammond - Hammond showed some value as a return man early in the year, but that job now firmly belongs to DeAnthony Thomas. He'll get a camp invite, and has a real shot at making the team as a speedy depth option, but he needs to put in some major work on his route running and hands if he hopes to be a Chief moving forward.

Albert Wilson - The bright spot of the WR corps, and a reason for hope with John Dorsey as the GM. An UDFA, Wilson began turning heads at Training Camp, but didn't get much playing time until the end of the season...when he quickly established himself as the #2 WR on the roster. This is a phenomenal value player over the next couple of seasons. He still has work to do, but there is reason for hope.

Jason Avant - Avant certainly proved to be worth the cheap investment by outperforming all of our WRs besides Bowe and Wilson...and doing so in just a 5 week period. That should earn him a low-cost contract for 2015. The Chiefs will certainly need a heady veteran to help with what figures to be a very young WR corps next year. Knowing Andy Reid and his system also plays well for us. He can do more teaching than learning in Training Camp next year.

2015 Questions:

Will Dwayne Bowe be back in 2015? That's really a tough question, but I'm shading towards "no" at this point. It's hard for a team to give up on a guy they invest a lot in, especially when they have a proven history and are still in their athletic prime like Bowe. But at the same time, there is no way that you can argue the Chiefs have gotten a good return on their investment in him. Bowe may rebound...but there really isn't anything that suggests he will do it in this current situation. And the real issue may come down to keeping Bowe vs keeping Justin Houston because of a very tight cap situation. There is the possibility that Bowe restructures his contract, but if it doesn't happen quickly, it's probably a long shot. Bowe seems like a strong candidate to be designated a Post-June 1st Cut.

Will the Chiefs draft a WR in the 1st Rd? Strong possibility. I would say that WR is one of the four positions that the Chiefs will be scouting very heavily for a 1st rd pick. There are a number of quality options in the early rounds of this year's draft. The depth of the class isn't as strong as 2014, but the top of the group is very similar in talent.

Could the Chiefs add a big name WR in Free Agency? I don't think so. There are a number of guys that will be tempting for John Dorsey. Jeremy Maclin and Randall Cobb are both names that have to stick out because of their connections to our coaching staff and front office. But ultimately, this will be a question of money, and the Chiefs don't really have much to throw around. But this also comes down to the Bowe situation. If he is released, then I would fully expect the Chiefs to add a veteran WR (besides Avant) to help round out the position.

Could the Chiefs stick with the current WR corps? Wow...as much as I hate to admit it, this is definitely a possibility. The team would be hard pressed to provide an acceptable answer to the media and fan base, and they would have to be praying for a miraculous turn around in production, as well as a suitable source of cap space to come open for Justin Houston. I don't see them sticking with this group...but yes, it is possible.

Are the Chiefs WRs really that bad? Yes.

2015 Draft Options:

Amari Cooper - Alabama - 1st Rd: Cooper is the gem of the 2015 WRs. The only way he falls to the Chiefs at #18 is if several teams decide they need another position more, AND several teams decide they want a larger WR. Cooper gets great separation, has excellent physical traits, and shows very good technique. If he's available then there is no reason why this pick should not be made.

DeVante Parker - Louisville - 1st Rd: Parker is a big and fast WR with great hands. A matchup nightmare across the board. However, he doesn't have the initial quickness that is generally sought after in Andy Reid's offense. It's a situation where we could be looking at wasted talent if he ended up in KC. That's not to say he'd have a dropoff similar to what we've seen from Bowe the last two years, just that we probably wouldn't get the most out of him. Parker is better suited for an offense that allows him to stretch the field.

Justin Hardy - ECU - 1st/2nd Rd: FTW!!!!!

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Nelson Agholor - Southern Cal - 2nd Rd: Agholor is a shifty WR with break away speed. Perfect for what Andy Reid likes to do with his WRs. He plays with a tough attitude that ensures he almost always finishes the play. Solid route runner and shows good technique. When he gets going, he can get a little out of control, but generally shows good body control when making the catch. Breaks well in and out of his cuts.

Tre McBride - WIlliam & Mary - 4th Rd: Already a fast riser on the boards, Tre McBride could be one of the top prizes of the 2015 Draft. He does everything well and shows quality physical attributes that should make him a good prospect for David Cully to work with. McBride played at a small school with a pretty lackluster offensive cast, which hurt his ability to really showcase himself. But when given the chance, he can absolutely stun you. Plays tough when going after the ball, but needs to learn the value of blocking for others.

2015 Free Agent Options:

Jeremy Maclin - This should be the gold standard of Chiefs offseason targets. Though he has stated his desire to remain in Philly, nothing is certain, and you would have to figure his second choice would be to reunite with Andy Reid. Maclin would instantly be our #1 WR whether Bowe is on the roster or not.

Randall Cobb - Cobb will probably be out of the Chiefs price range, but showing interest wouldn't hurt. They did it with DeSean Jackson last year, so checking the box on Cobb is really a simple thing. Cobb fits the system and has been a productive player. Teams would certainly have to respect him on the outside.

Cecil Shorts - Shorts isn't going to come in and light the league on fire, but he can certainly erase the memory of Donnie Avery...and possibly for less money. I'll take that.

Torrey Smith - Smith would be a hit or miss acquisition. He is predominantly a down field threat, but the Chiefs don't attack down field a lot. However, that could also be because we haven't had much in the way of down field threats. Perhaps Smith is the guy that helps us open up the offense a little more. Tough to say...and at his price tag, that may be a poor gamble.

Denarius Moore - Chalk this up to peer pressure, because I'm really not convinced Moore is ever going to be an effective WR again. He was good when the raiders were just chucking the ball up in the air...but took a huge step back this year. Even ended up in the dog house. Questions about his hands, route running, ability to grasp the playbook, work ethic, and attitude make him a far less attractive option than his name recognition would lead you to believe.

Bottom Line:

Something has got to happen at the WR position. We cannot continue on like this. And since we know we are sticking with Alex Smith in 2015, the changes have to come at WR. Outside of Albert Wilson, nobody should be sure of a job in 2015. And only Bowe and Avant really merit any lengthy consideration for returning. The Chiefs FO has even acknowledged that changes need to happen. So it's hard to debate otherwise.

Up Next: Tight Ends

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Arrowhead Pride's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Arrowhead Pride writers or editors.