As the Kansas City Chiefs come out of their bye week, Andy Reid and Matt Nagy's offense will face a serious trial right away. A Week 7 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers awaits and while Nick Sorensen's defense is far from perfect, it boasts plenty of talent that should challenge the reigning Super Bowl champs.
The wide receiver position, specifically, will be under a microscope. Not only is Marquise "Hollywood" Brown still expected to miss the regular season at a minimum, but Reid confirmed on Monday afternoon that Rashee Rice's 2024-25 campaign appears to be over. That leaves players like rookie Xavier Worthy and veterans JuJu Smith-Schuster, Justin Watson and Mecole Hardman to help lead the group.
The early returns on that collective were good, as Smith-Schuster delivered a masterful performance in Week 5's win over the New Orleans Saints. In that outing, the Chiefs' offense looked as effective as it has all season. With that said, many tests are coming as the NFL's trade deadline approaches. Should Kansas City make a move for a wideout, is familiarity with their style of offense a prerequisite? Reid addressed that this week.
"I think that helped JuJu and his situation coming back in and jumping in," Reid said. "It helped Mecole coming back, but I'm not telling you other guys can't come in and help out. I don't think that's an issue – it's just going to take them a little bit longer to figure it out and get on the same page with Pat (Mahomes) and all those things that won't be quite as [seamless] as what you've seen with these other guys that have been in it. And I'm not saying that we need to bring anybody else in. You asked the question, I'm answering your question on that, Matt (Derrick)."
Reid's message echoes a sentiment similar to what he said in the aftermath of Rice's injury late last month.
"Depending on who the guy is," Reid said. "That's the reality of the situation. If he's got experience in the offense, then it's not too bad. But it takes somebody a little bit of time to get himself involved and get the terminology down. It's a lot easier now than it is during training camp when they have to learn a gazillion plays. Here, they just have the game week to learn. Getting on the same page with the quarterback and the timing, all that, that's a bigger issue normally."
In years past, the Chiefs haven't shied away from bringing in receivers near the deadline. In 2022, Kadarius Toney was acquired from the New York Giants. Last year, a Hardman reunion ultimately resulted in the former second-round pick hauling in the game-winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl LVIII against none other than the 49ers. Many folks are pushing for a more high-profile move this time around, although it remains to be seen whether general manager Brett Veach will make that happen.
It's well-documented how complex Reid's scheme is. Pass catchers must have a thorough understanding of timing and spacing, as well as how to get in sync with Mahomes. It's easier said than done, but those who get through the hurdles have become contributors on championship-winning teams. Anyone would agree that if a transaction to help offset the losses of Brown and Rice were made, it'd be rooted in sound logic.
Reid appearing open to different styles of wideouts from varying backgrounds might increase those odds.
