The chiefs wide receiver is leaving instantly

There aren’t many positions on the current iteration of the 2024 Kansas City Chiefs that are more capable of playing tomorrow than the wide receivers. That’s ironic, considering the majority of Chiefs Kingdom is ready to flip the room on its head.

Nearly the entire group that battled through season-long adversity to win Super Bowl LVIII is under contract for 2024. The only unrestricted free agents are Mecole Hardman and Richie James, who were part-time players.

Yet, it would feel unacceptable to stay put during free agency and the draft. The Chiefs’ passing offense was too easy to disrupt in 2023, and blame was often earned by the pass catchers.

To reshape the wide receiver position, the Chiefs will first need to make room for newcomers

Starting wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has one more season under contract, but releasing him this spring would free up close to $12 million in cap space. Wide receiver Kadarius Toney doesn’t provide any financial benefit to being cut, but he’ll be difficult to trade. The dead cap number of $2.5 million is worth taking on to get fresh, likely more reliable talent in his place.

Valdes-Scantling did end the season strong, but he has proven too one-dimensional to be a starting receiver for the Chiefs; this offense values versatility at all positions. It was a bet on player development when he was signed two years ago. Valdes-Scantling was not able to expand his role past the occasional long completion despite leading the receivers in routes run both years here.

His departure would vacate the No. 1 outside receiver position for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. It’s important to think about the role in that regard: Rashee Rice had a historic rookie season by racking up yards after the catch and taking advantage of space from the slot. With three years to develop the downfield traits he has, it would boost both Rice’s impact and the offense in 2024 to add a capable playmaker in the vertical passing game.

Wide receiver Justin Watson will still be an asset in that realm; he caught some of the most confident, big-time throws Mahomes had last season. The messy performances led to that pushing to an extreme, like the 11 targets he saw against the Philadelphia Eagles. He ended as the third receiver in the rotation; that is at least one spot higher than is ideal to maximize his value as a role player.

The Chiefs’ receiver rotation should have at least two new additions this offseason, working with Rice, Watson, Skyy Moore and Justyn Ross as the projected group.