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Now that the NFL season is officially over after Super Bowl XLVIII, the shopping lists are out in front. Every team now has a list of positions to fill as they look over the roster, cut players and sign and draft new ones. From now until organized team activities, it's all any of us will be talking about.
For the Kansas City Chiefs, wide receiver is among the most cited positions on the shopping list. Dwayne Bowe is the fixture, but the team has little depth at the position. While the offense clicked in the season's second half, it's clear the Chiefs could use another valuable target for Alex Smith in the passing game.
What isn't clear at this point is whether some help is already available on the roster. Donnie Avery makes for a nice target, and Dexter McCluster certainly is another player to consider. But DMC is a free agent and the Chiefs needed help even with those players in tow. While free agency or the NFL Draft could bring in further help, ESPN's Louis Riddick reported earlier today that the team was "very excited" about the potential of A.J. Jenkins.
If Jenkins wasn't among the names of potential help at the position, you're likely not alone. The early season swap of Jonathan Baldwin for Jenkins with the San Francisco 49ers featured two disappointing wideouts in a classic change-of-scenery trade. Yet Riddick was a scout and Director of Player Personnel with the Philadelphia Eagles while Andy Reid was there, so he might know a thing or two from a proper source.
Jenkins was the 49ers first round selection at the bottom of the first round in the 2012 NFL Draft, so it's too early to call him a bust. This season he had eight receptions for 130 yards, but he came on in the team's final game agains the Chargers when Reid sat most of the team's starters. In that game, Jenkins caught 3 passes for 67 yards, including a 48 yard catch.
Obviously those numbers aren't enough to keep from listing WR as a need on the team's shopping list. But it helps to know that the team might have at least some hope already on the inside. Along with the return of tight end Travis Kelce, the Chiefs might have some room for improvement already in-house. That makes shopping a bit easier this offseason.
