Arrowheadlines: Travis Kelce is an ageless wonder — named best over 30 in the NFL

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Ageless Wonders: Ranking NFL’s Top 14 Players Over 30 | The 33rd Team

1. Travis Kelce, 33, Kansas City Chiefs, TE

The younger Kelce brother was a third-round pick in 2013. He is the NFL record-holder among tight ends for most seasons over 1,000 yards receiving with seven (the last seven years) and most yards receiving in a season with 1,416 in 2020. He won two Super Bowls as Patrick Mahomes’ leading target, made seven straight All-Pro teams (four First-Team) and eight consecutive Pro Bowls.

Travis Kelce‘s size, speed, route running and overall savvy as a receiver make him a huge matchup issue for defenses. He’s coming off a 2022 season with 110 receptions for 1,338 yards and 12 TDs (including four touchdowns in a Monday night win over the Raiders) with an additional 27 catches, 257 yards and four touchdowns in the Chiefs’ run to their Super Bowl LVII win.

Describing Every NFL Team’s Nightmare 2023 Season in 1 Sentence or Less | Bleacher Report

AFC West

Denver Broncos: Anything resembling 2022 for Russell Wilson and Co.

Kansas City Chiefs: Anything short of a deep playoff run, or, of course, an injury to Patrick Mahomes.

Las Vegas Raiders: Jimmy Garoppolo’s injured foot prevents him from delivering and the Raiders have quarterback issues in their first campaign post-Derek Carr.

Los Angeles Chargers: A Bolts team that often feels cursed fails to recover from a crushing playoff letdown against the Jaguars in 2022.

AFC rookies picked after Day 1 of NFL Draft who could earn key roles in 2023: Tyjae Spears among 16 sleepers | CBS Sports

AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs

WR Rashee Rice

Drafted: No. 55, second round

Impressive stat to know: Forced 52 missed tackles on 232 career receptions at SMU

I took a huge swing on Skyy Moore last year, and pulled my hamstring on the whiff. However, I do still believe in Moore and envision a sizable rebound his second season, but that is for another article, another time. Rice is the second-round Chiefs rookie receiver who’s going to pop instantly. He’s a compact wideout from a spaced-out offense not too dissimilar philosophically from Andy Reid’s attack. Beyond that, Rice is a contested-catch winner and scary YAC threat. It’s easy to understand why the Chiefs picked him. There are plenty of targets to go around in Kansas City. Rice will be a highish-volume producer in Year 1.

Who are the top beneficiaries from the NFL offseason? | Yardbarker

Kadarius Toney

In what looks like one of the riskier Chiefs plans of the Patrick Mahomes era, the defending Super Bowl champions are prepared to roll out Toney as not only a full-time player but perhaps as their lead wide receiver. Mecole Hardman joined the Jets, and talks with JuJu Smith-Schuster led to the team’s leading 2022 wideout signing with the Patriots. The Chiefs drafted Rashee Rice in Round 2, but Toney will be needed beyond his gadget duties. Electric with the ball in his hands, Toney is also one of the NFL’s biggest injury risks. Countless maladies have plagued him in New York and Kansas City. A dramatic role increase may be a dicey proposition.

Around the NFL

Bills QB Josh Allen on Madden NFL 24 video game cover | ESPN

Back in high school in Firebaugh, California, or even in college at the University of Wyoming — nah, it wasn’t something plausible. Let alone becoming the first Bills player to be selected as the main cover star.

“It’s such a small group of people who have ever touched the face of Madden, so now to be on that list, it’s very surreal. It’s very humbling,” Allen told ESPN. “To think about where I was not too long ago and coming out of high school with zero offers, going to junior college and have one offer, University of Wyoming of all places, and then fast-forward to now.

“I don’t know if I would have believed you at that point, if you were to tell me in high school. It’s so surreal. Madden has such a special place in my heart.”

Jaguars new stadium looks like the USS Enterprise and a sex toy had a baby | SB Nation

The Jacksonville Jaguars are looking to boldly go where no team has gone before with renderings of their proposed new stadium.

A literal chrome dome, this futuristic design for new stadium is very reminiscent of The Bean in Chicago, albeit more streamlined for space flight or ... other things.

Titans to host WR DeAndre Hopkins on free agent visit | ESPN

Titans coach Mike Vrabel confirmed the team is hosting Hopkins early next week.

“We want people that want to be here,” Vrabel said Wednesday when asked about Hopkins’ visit. “Then if that works out then you go on to the next step.”

Vrabel was the linebackers coach and later the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans when Hopkins was voted to two of his five career Pro Bowls. Hopkins posted 104 receptions for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019 when current Titans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly was calling the plays for the Texans.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs’ safety Bryan Cook looks to build off rookie year, break out in 2023

Evolution of his role

In the Chiefs’ system, it’s essential that a safety can make an impact in various ways. It allows Spagnuolo to stay unpredictable when he wants to be, especially on third downs.

That’s where Cook made most of his impact last season: when the Chiefs deployed their Dime personnel on obvious passing downs. Their Dime package calls for a third safety to replace a second linebacker in the formation.

To start the season, Cook was primarily given simple coverage responsibilities on those snaps: a deep half or quarter in zone coverage to stay on top of the routes developing in front of him. That freed Reid to play closer to the line of scrimmage, whether he was manning up a tight end, picking up a running back, or blitzing.

In Week 11 against the Los Angeles Chargers, Thornhill left the game with a calf injury, pushing Cook into the primary lineups where he was no longer aided by situation and simplicity.

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