Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Richie James had career-low numbers during his first season with the Chiefs. But according to a post by James on X, formerly Twitter, it made sense given the investments around him on offense.
“Love playing with Pat [Mahomes]. But when you have TK [Travis Kelce], Paid Wr’s & 2nd Rounders. I believe you have to get them the ball more even if i am open. It is a business,” James wrote on July 8 in response to a post about him and his former teammate, quarterback Daniel Jones of the New York Giants.
Richie James Isn’t Entirely Right About Pecking Order
Though James is partly correct about why he might have had a down year with the Chiefs, his reasoning isn’t entirely accurate.
If Travis Kelce is open, he will likely be one of the first reads in the progression of a passing play. But as slow as the game is for Patrick Mahomes, he’s not thinking about who the Chiefs have the biggest investment in when he’s deciding who to throw to.
Yes, Marquez Valdes-Scantling was making a lot more money than James last season. And yes, Skyy Moore and Rashee Rice were backed by second-round draft capital. But at the end of the day, if you’re in an Andy Reid offense and you perform well you will get the ball. Financial investment and draft capital have little to do with it, which is clear given Moore’s lack of production despite being a Day 2 draft pick in 2022.
Richie James on Roster Bubble Heading Into Training Camp
Adjustments made to Kansas City’s receiver room this offseason mean that James is on the roster bubble heading into training camp.
The Chiefs’ first move in the receiver room was releasing Valdes-Scantling on February 28. The team then signed Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to a one-year deal. Lastly, the two-time defending Super Bowl champions traded up in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft to select Texas receiver Xavier Worthy 28th overall.
The only receivers that appear on track to make the team’s 2024 regular season roster are Rice, Brown, and Worthy. That means James, Moore, Mecole Hardman, Kadarius Toney, Justin Watson, Justyn Ross, Nikko Remigio, Cornell Powell, Montrell Washington, Phillip Brooks, and Jaaron Hayek will battle to fill out the remainder of the depth chart and practice squad.
After struggling to find a rhythm during the 2023 regular season and piecing things together during their recent Super Bowl run, the Chiefs are trying to find more balance between utilizing check-downs while also having explosive plays downfield, according to offensive coordinator Matt Nagy.
“There was quite a bit. It’s a unique question because we always try to go into every year with that mindset,” Nagy said during his May 30 press conference when asked about the team’s focus on the deep passing game this offseason. “You want to have the initiative to be great at that and practice it from day one. We’ve had some success early on, we’ve got to keep it going, but it’s a mindset. Then you pair that with what the defense is going to give you.
“I think we’ve seen an evolution – not just against the Chiefs in recent years but also in the NFL in general – the deep shots aren’t there as much,” Nagy continued. “Just having that balance of being able to still have that touchdown to check-down mentality but be smart with when we do take those shots.”
