to some new faces this
year. The Chiefs lost tiree, kill to the Dolphins, but they
added Marquez Valdez scantling Judy Smith Schuster, and free
agency, and Sky, more via the draft. Here's Pat Mahomes from
Thursday on what we can all expect to see
from the Chiefs new-look offense.
Wait, that's what you're gonna see this offense. This year is
gonna be everybody. It's not going to be one guy, and
obviously travel system will still get a lot of completions,
a lot of yards, but I think the whole receiving room is going
to have big days and I think that could be something we can
use to our advantage. You saw last year,
defense has had started to
formulate a good game plan, at least the beginning of
the season of trying to kind of maintain stopping Tyreke and
stop and Trav. And we had to find ways to have success other
way. So we can get those guys open. I think this year will be
coming
different where you're not going to know where you're
going to get the the Deep ball from you not know where your
The short pass from because we have a lot of different guys
that can do it all. So
I think having all those guys, I think it'll help us get more
of those deep throws that we've been accustomed to
That is the ultimate glass-half-full reaction to
the loss of one of the best receivers in the NFL. And I've
heard similar things about the Packers. I think it was back
during the
draft, when all those hours of draft coverage or filled
with talking head, opinions
about the Packers. Well, they're going to spread
the ball around a lot more this year and the offense will be
just as good. Well, but here's
the thing, when you take away a guy
who commands double coverage, who forces the defensive
coordinator for the other team to come up with a plan for,
Typically eliminating that guy or at least trying to, because,
no matter how hard you try, you still can't eliminate him. He's
that
good. It opens up the rest of the offense. You remove a guy
like that from the offense.
All of a sudden they got resources to deploy to cover
your other go. We got all these other guys. Yeah, but they're
not the guy that you traded
the guy you trade, it commands at least to everybody else. We
can cover them with a 1. So it's going to be harder. It's
still going to take some creativity. I don't say in
the Chiefs don't have the ability to
do it Peter, but it's glass. is have full to just say, well, we
got rid of one of the most game-breaking dominant
receivers in football
and will be fine with a bunch of guys who aren't
I think one of the things
that you have to look at, when you look at
the Kansas City offense, this year
is not only, are they going to spread it around to everybody.
But there are a bunch of receivers there
who especially Juju Smith, Schuster,
who I think has to be out to prove. It's still a young age
in this game. Whatever. He is 25 years old. I don't know. But
it's still a very young age in this game.
He was
two and three years ago, right? Ben Roethlisberger in
an explosive offense, the most important guy for Ben
Roethlisberger,
any sort of disappeared, the last couple of years,
you know, where he has not been able to be a dominant player
in that way. Juju Smith Schuster to me has gone to
football Nirvana.
And and I'll just say this, this is not the way comeback
player of the year is ever used, but he is in perfect
position
to be the comeback Player of the Year this year
because I think if he's healthy,
if he plays the way he did two. And three years ago, three
years ago. Let's say he has a chance to be a 90, catch
receiver
12 or 1300 yards with 10 touchdowns
in that offense.
I think you've got
the speed burner obviously in Marquez. Valdez scantling.
You've Got The Possession guy who's can be a game breaker at
tight end
obviously in Kelsey.
But you need a guy who that quarterback is going to look
for as is, reliable. Always open guy. That's what Juju
Smith Schuster was
when he broke into the NFL
and I believe he is looking at this year
as being. Hey,
mentally, he hears it. Mike.
Oh, we're going to spread the ball around. We're going to do
this. We're going to do that. I think he's going to be an Andy
Reid's here. He's going to be in Eric, be enemies here,
and he's Going to be saying, Hey, listen, I can get open on
this row, I can get open on that route. I can do this.
I can do that.
I just I think a little bit Mike over the last couple of
years.
It's been a little bit about the sideshow with him,
the dog in the Instagram, and the
taking kids to Proms and all that stuff. And it's
and look Juju Smith Schuster's. A wonderful human being, he
really is.
And, and I'm not
Demeaning any of the things that he does off the field? He
has fun with his life, but I just think he's going to go
into Kansas City this year and he's going to prove.
Patrick. I'm one of the best receivers in the NFL and I'm
going to force you to find me 90 times this year.
You make an excellent point about him, potentially being
comeback player of the year. When you consider
the production, he can have any offense, the personality that
will attract attention
that will just naturally and organically add to his case for
comeback Player of the Year playing for a team. Like
the Chiefs. He is a very
Magnetic Personality, a lot of Charisma, likable kid, still
25, is you. Said
the folks at points bed, have him as a 12:43. Proposition to
be comeback player of the year. For those of you who are
inclined to maybe make a wager and if you're looking for
Value, that's not bad value
because you're right Peter. He's going to get his
opportunity if he stays healthy, but he fits
the category of comeback Player of the Year perfectly because he
had the serious shoulder injury last year. Came back and played
late in the season. But but
he's coming back from
a down year, clearly in on him in a
couple of years.
Because he's been forgotten
ever since he got blown up
on on that Monday night against the Bengals. After he danced on
the logo before the game started. He's kind of been
forgotten
and and this would be a great way for him to reintroduce
himself to the NFL, have a huge year set himself up for a big
contract next year and also maybe get that comeback Player
of the Year trophy.
I just want to say one other thing about him,
you know, there's going to be a lot of people who will say,
wait a second two years ago.
He caught 97 balls,
but it was it was almost like he was catching balls, like
a wreath like a running back out of the backfield
mean eight point six yards per catch two years ago.
He was not the downfield thread. He was early on
remembering his first two years
when he caught 169 balls,
his Yards per catch what was up around? 13 14.
And so he wants to be that guy again.
Not the little safety valve guy.
He wants to be the guy who is the threat
in your offense and
Mike ever since they signed him
for a very reasonable contract, ever since they signed him,
I said, this is Juju Smith Schuster's. Prove it year
and coming off a bad.
A year,
you know, where he was hurt and very unproductive. I'll tell
you what. 12:43. Give me, give me some of that.
I, I think he's going to have a big year in Kansas City.
We found out after Antonio Brown left, Pittsburgh that he
can't be the number one guy because he lacks the speed to
draw double coverage. I remember the comments from him
at the time and they were trying to will him into being
the number one guy. It's like if you
can't run past the guy who's covering you enforce
the safety to, to paid over in your direction. You can't be
the number one guy, but you be right. Number two, guy in every
offense now, needs
at least two deep receivers who can get it done.
So he could have a great role. He could still have a great
long career in the NFL. It's just not going to continue in
Pittsburgh and
we're on the same page with what Juju can do to that
offense. And yeah, even with Tyree kill gone, they still
have a great tight end in Travis Kelce. He's had six
straight one thousand yard seasons,
even though both he and Tyree kill.
I've gotten the bulk of the attention from defenses
in recent years.