K.C. Chiefs swing-and-miss with wide receiver Josh Reynolds

Free agent extensive receiver Josh Reynolds, previously of the L.A. Rams, was a perfect goal for the K.C. Chiefs as they’ve a reasonably large gap on the place and issues about whether or not or not Mecole Hardman or Byron Pringle may step up into the WR2 function. Nevertheless, Reynolds came off the board early Monday morning, reportedly selecting to signal with the Tennessee Titans over the Chiefs.

Whereas we don’t but know what precisely the Chiefs supplied Reynolds, we do know one factor: Reynolds is the second vital extensive receiver free agent to apparently go over the Chiefs for an inferior crew. Final week it was reported that Steelers extensive receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster decided to not join the Chiefs and as a substitute return to the Pittsburgh Steelers regardless of the Chiefs providing more cash than Pittsburgh.

These are simply the gamers we all know who the Chiefs have critically pursued, so it’s doable there are extra targets who’ve determined to play elsewhere. It has change into evident that the Chiefs desire a veteran extensive receiver so as to add to this lineup, which makes all of the sense on the planet. Reynolds would have been splendid. Final yr for the Rams, Reynolds recorded 52 catches for 618 yards and a couple of TDs. These are splendid WR2 numbers, particularly when you think about Reynolds additionally performed with Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods in Los Angeles. Nevertheless, this newest free agent miss has us asking questions on how free brokers actually view the Chiefs.

Is it doable that the magical “Mahomes Impact” is non-existent? Possibly, however then you would need to clarify why the Chiefs had been capable of land Joe Thuney, Kyle Lengthy, Sammy Watkins, Tyrann Mathieu, and so forth. over the previous couple of years. There may be an argument to be made that the “Mahomes Impact” is overstated among the many fan base, although. Havin Mahomes definitely helps when swaying free brokers, however clearly it’s additionally true that some gamers are taking comparable or much less cash to go to different groups. It doesn’t even simply go for receivers both. We simply noticed the identical state of affairs play out with Trent Williams, who Mahomes apparently recruited to join Kansas City.

Possibly the considered changing into a 3rd or fourth choice in Kansas Metropolis behind Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce is scaring free brokers off versus being first or second choice elsewhere. Nevertheless, this doesn’t fairly make sense both. This narrative is a cop-out reply any time you see a free agent receiver choose another person. The primary impression is claimed receiver needed to be as productive as doable and wouldn’t get that chance with the Chiefs. I’d actually hope this isn’t the case, although, as a result of it could point out that free brokers aren’t doing their very own analysis or are being bought a fallacy by different groups.

To begin with, being a 3rd or fourth choice doesn’t all the time equal diminished manufacturing. Typically it could actually have the alternative impact and truly take the eye off a participant, thus giving them extra alternatives. For instance, Smith-Schuster went again to Pittsburgh partly as a result of he would have a greater alternative to shine. Nevertheless, Smith-Schuster has been infinitely extra productive as a WR2 and that’s evident in the truth that he has solely had two 100-yard receiving video games since Antonio Brown left, versus having 8 when Brown was with the Steelers.

Secondly, there are greater than sufficient targets to go round in Kansas Metropolis. Let me break it down. Sammy Watkins was Kansas Metropolis’s WR2 final yr, right? Effectively, in 2020 Watkins had 55 targets on the season. As well as, Demarcus Robinson who can be a free agent, had 59 targets in 2020. That’s over 100 targets proper there that I simply named from final season and each of these gamers at the moment are free brokers. So, the notion that Reynolds wouldn’t have gotten a considerable amount of targets right here isn’t true. And even when it was, Reynolds is the second choice at finest in Tennessee and that’s not even contemplating that they run Derrick Henry 30 instances a sport.

Both free brokers merely don’t perceive the state of affairs or there’s one thing on the market that we aren’t contemplating as to why free brokers are passing on Kansas Metropolis. Now, the Chiefs will proceed to hunt for a dependable veteran extensive receiver to assist fill the void. As of proper now, although, choices are beginning to actually dry up, that means that they might simply concentrate on the draft. General, this improvement is irritating for followers. Gamers must be lining as much as play for Kansas Metropolis, however that simply hasn’t been the case this free company.