Team free agents 2023: pay or draft to replace?

[RunKC]

Orlando Brown Jr. T KC UFA Market Value
JuJu Smith-Schuster WR KC UFA -
Carlos Dunlap DE KC UFA -
Derrick Nnadi DT KC UFA -
Andrew Wylie T KC UFA -
Chad Henne QB KC UFA -
Ronald Jones II RB KC UFA -
Michael Burton FB KC UFA -
Blake Bell TE KC UFA -
Jerick McKinnon RB KC UFA -
Mecole Hardman WR KC UFA Market Value
Geron Christian T KC UFA -
Deon Bush S KC UFA -
Juan Thornhill S KC UFA -
Elijah Lee OLB KC UFA -
Justin Watson WR KC UFA -
Khalen Saunders DT KC UFA -
Chris Lammons CB KC RFA -
Tommy Townsend P KC RFA -
Tershawn Wharton DE KC RFA -
Jack Cochrane LB KC ERFA -
Rashad Fenton CB KC UFA -
Joe Fortson TE KC ERFA -
Shane Buechele QB KC ERFA -
Prince Tega Wanogho T KC ERFA -
Nick Allegretti G KC UFA

[htismaqe]

The problem is that we brought in Juju to be a zone buster but teams aren’t playing the shells anymore. They don’t respect our WR’s so they’re playing man, blitzing, and doing those things you didn’t dare do with Hill here.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

It would sure be nice to see another WR emerge and/or slide.

Because a LOT of last weeks struggles on offense were due to the WR corps. They just weren't getting separation. On re-watch, the OL was better than I saw in real time. And the WRs were significantly worse.

We've spent 2 seasons trying to load up on speed on defense in the draft (wisely so, IMO). Well in the process the offense has started to look quite a bit slower. I just don't see a single guy on the field most of the time who you can count on to beat man coverage. I mean, Kelce - but even Kelce's not quite the YAC monster he was 2-3 years ago as he's gotten a little slower with age.

They appear to recognize the need to get CEH and McKinnon involved in the passing game. That can help because both guys can force teams into zones a bit more often. But right now I think the best pure man-beater in the WR group is actually Justin Watson. MVS takes too long to get up to speed. Hardman doesn't appear to have the route-running ability. JJSS is just too slow. Moore isn't seeing the field.

I'd honestly think really hard about making Watson my starting X receiver right now because there's just no threat on the backside of plays.

I am to date SUPER unimpressed with JJSS. Even at his age, I think he's close to washed. Maybe if he had a Hill type on the other side to pull coverage he might be more effective, but godDAMN he hasn't looked good.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

The problem is that we brought in Juju to be a zone buster but teams aren’t playing the shells anymore. They don’t respect our WR’s so they’re playing man, blitzing, and doing those things you didn’t dare do with Hill here.

Well that was just wrong-headed, then.

I have to figure they made that JJSS signing w/ full awareness that Hill was going to be traded (given that Hill was traded 3 days later). Why would they expect teams to approach us the same way without Hill as they did with Hill?

It just kinda gets back to where I was before we signed him - the 'zone buster' stuff is a myth for the majority of guys. It's like calling every mediocre QB a 'game manager' because you can't come up with anything else to call them.

JJSS isn't a zone buster - he has no specific traits that make him more capable of sitting down on a route than Byron Pringle does. He's pretty much a JAG, IMO.

[O.city]

He looks slow for sure.

I'm willing to give some of them more than 2 games, but god damn it's not ideal.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Well that was just wrong-headed, then.

I have to figure they made that JJSS signing w/ full awareness that Hill was going to be traded (given that Hill was traded 3 days later). Why would they expect teams to approach us the same way without Hill as they did with Hill?

It just kinda gets back to where I was before we signed him - the 'zone buster' stuff is a myth for the majority of guys. It's like calling every mediocre QB a 'game manager' because you can't come up with anything else to call them.

JJSS isn't a zone buster - he has no specific traits that make him more capable of sitting down on a route than Byron Pringle does. He's pretty much a JAG, IMO.

You’re probably right, of course.

[O.city]

Teams aren't playing that 2 high sit back and wait kind of shell anymore. No reason to.

[JPH83]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Well that was just wrong-headed, then.

I have to figure they made that JJSS signing w/ full awareness that Hill was going to be traded (given that Hill was traded 3 days later). Why would they expect teams to approach us the same way without Hill as they did with Hill?

It just kinda gets back to where I was before we signed him - the 'zone buster' stuff is a myth for the majority of guys. It's like calling every mediocre QB a 'game manager' because you can't come up with anything else to call them.

JJSS isn't a zone buster - he has no specific traits that make him more capable of sitting down on a route than Byron Pringle does. He's pretty much a JAG, IMO.

He's really had one exceptional year, a couple of good ones, and then pretty average. The problem is everyone saw 2018 and decided that was the guy, and made excuses for him since. Big Ben can't throw, he just needs to stay injury free for a stretch. All true obviously so it's not to say he won't be great. But there's also enough so-so in there to have a little more doubt.

I think what's been repeatedly said about him is about right. Give him an elite WR1 alongside him and he can flourish. Put him in a roomful of "OK" and he'll probably just give you OK too.

[O.city]

This is the issue you run in to with the whole "room full of #2's".

That's all great and fine until you hit those elite defenses with dudes everyone and it's more about the Jimmy's and the Joes than the X's and the O's.

You also need your all world QB to play better and he really didn't play well against the Chargers.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by O.city

This is the issue you run in to with the whole "room full of #2's".

That's all great and fine until you hit those elite defenses with dudes everyone and it's more about the Jimmy's and the Joes than the X's and the O's.

You also need your all world QB to play better and he really didn't play well against the Chargers.

Breath of fresh air. Not just for us but for Patrick. How often was Patrick our sole hope of winning? His entire career minus the 2019 playoffs?

Now it appears he has a decent defense and a running game. Christ I bet that was part of the problem he had in the Championship game. Just too much on his damn shoulders

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by O.city

This is the issue you run in to with the whole "room full of #2's".

That's all great and fine until you hit those elite defenses with dudes everyone and it's more about the Jimmy's and the Joes than the X's and the O's.

You also need your all world QB to play better and he really didn't play well against the Chargers.

And yet we still won...

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by O.city

This is the issue you run in to with the whole "room full of #2's".

That's all great and fine until you hit those elite defenses with dudes everyone and it's more about the Jimmy's and the Joes than the X's and the O's.

You also need your all world QB to play better and he really didn't play well against the Chargers.

Is it though?

Tom Brady spent his entire career in New England throwing to #2 types with a HOF TE and won time and time again.

You don't have to have an elite #1 WR to move the football in the NFL if you have a good QB that can read the defense and find the open target in the proper scheme.

There's not a team in the NFL that has the horses in the secondary to cover 3 #2 types plus a HOF TE. I think this team will be just fine in that regard.

Now, if those #2 types play more like #4 types, then you have a bit more of a problem.

I'd like to see one of these guys emerge as more of an elite slot underneath, and JuJu has been that guy in the past. We'll see if he can get to it again. Doesn't look like it though.

I know one thing, I would really like to see alot more of Watson. He always seems to get open when he's been on the field.

[JPH83]

Originally Posted by kccrow

Is it though?

Tom Brady spent his entire career in New England throwing to #2 types with a HOF TE and won time and time again.

You don't have to have an elite #1 WR to move the football in the NFL if you have a good QB that can read the defense and find the open target in the proper scheme.

There's not a team in the NFL that has the horses in the secondary to cover 3 #2 types plus a HOF TE. I think this team will be just fine in that regard.

Now, if those #2 types play more like #4 types, then you have a bit more of a problem.

I'd like to see one of these guys emerge as more of an elite slot underneath, and JuJu has been that guy in the past. We'll see if he can get to it again. Doesn't look like it though.

I know one thing, I would really like to see alot more of Watson. He always seems to get open when he's been on the field.

Not disagreeing but can we think of a team outside of the Brady Patriots that won with that setup? He also had a defence that kept handing him back the ball.

I think a room full of WR2s with Kelce can work. But the trend has been an absolute arms race at WR. I'm struggling to think of the last SB team that didn't have a true WR1. Pretty certain with Pat and Kelce we make a room of WR2s work. But IF the choice is MVS and Juju or a true WR1, what do you go for?

[scho63]

You need to resign a lot of guys. Can't have 1/2 your team leave.

[CoMoChief]

****em all.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by kccrow

Is it though?

Tom Brady spent his entire career in New England throwing to #2 types with a HOF TE and won time and time again.

You don't have to have an elite #1 WR to move the football in the NFL if you have a good QB that can read the defense and find the open target in the proper scheme.

There's not a team in the NFL that has the horses in the secondary to cover 3 #2 types plus a HOF TE. I think this team will be just fine in that regard.

Now, if those #2 types play more like #4 types, then you have a bit more of a problem.

I'd like to see one of these guys emerge as more of an elite slot underneath, and JuJu has been that guy in the past. We'll see if he can get to it again. Doesn't look like it though.

I know one thing, I would really like to see alot more of Watson. He always seems to get open when he's been on the field.

Teams are playing man and blitzing the chiefs

That’s tells you what they think of the wrs