The Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive struggles were quite evident last season. However, without a standout starting wide receiver for Patrick Mahomes to throw the ball to, the club went all the way and defended their championship title. Arguably, though, things could have been a lot easier for the team if they had secured the services of a true WR1 like Adam Thielen, who was very eager to ditch his move to Carolina for Kansas.
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In an interview with Starcade Media, Thielen discussed the Panthers’ highly anticipated matchup against the Chiefs. While he expressed excitement about the matchup, the star receiver also revealed that he once tried to join the team he is about to face in November.
However, the defending champs decided to stick with their receiver group, which consisted of rookies and players who had yet to prove themselves. Thus, Thielen is now eager to show them what a true receiver looks like.
“Ya, I know. I was trying to go there but they didn’t want me. I will try to show them what I got. It’s all good.”
#Panthers WR Adam Thielen tells us he wanted to go to Kansas City last offseason but that the #Chiefs didn’t want him pic.twitter.com/Jm2J5weCBC
— Starcade Media (@StarcadeMediaKC) July 12, 2024
Thielen has emerged as one of the best-undrafted signings in the 21st century, racking up 7696 yards and 59 touchdowns. Last season with the Panthers, he notched up his third 1000-yard season with 4 touchdowns despite playing in one of the worst offenses in the league with a rookie QB at the helm.
That said, it’s no secret that the Chiefs do not splurge big money on their players. Even their QB Mahomes isn’t among the top-10 highest-paid players. Thus, it can be argued that Thielen’s salary was a stumbling block for the Chiefs. The Panthers, on the other hand, signed the receiver to a 3-year, $25 million contract with $14 million in guaranteed money.
Despite this, the Chiefs managed to win another Super Bowl with Mecole Hardman, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and rookie Rashee Rice. The Chiefs rely heavily on free transfers and drafts to fill their roster, drafting and developing most of their core players internally.
Learning from last season’s experience of failing to bring in a receiver like Thielen, the defending champions have now acquired Hollywood Brown to spearhead their receiving corps.
Chiefs Bring In Marquise Brown to Assume WR1 Role
During the 2024 offseason, the defending champs signed Hollywood Brown to a one-year, $11 million deal with $7 million in guaranteed money. The deal is lauded as a bargain for a speedster, especially in this market. He is now highly anticipated to become their starting wide receiver, a role that rookie Rashee Rice played last season.
The Chiefs released Valdes-Scantling, and with Rice facing a possible suspension, Brown’s addition to the team makes sense. Even though he averaged only 700 yards over the past few seasons, which are not numbers worthy of a true WR1, he is capable of making explosive runs and is great at creating separation.
Brown, along with Rice, rookie speedster Xavier Worthy, and even Hardman, could help Mahomes return to his 2022 form, as the QB was unable to showcase his great arm talent last season. However, the 2-time MVP already has the best odds for another MVP going into the new season.
Nevertheless, the Chiefs are preparing themselves for a tough challenge, as other AFC teams have significantly improved their squads. The Ravens and Lamar look solid. Burrow is back with the Bengals. The Texans added more weapons for Stroud, and even the Jets have bolstered their O-line. Mahomes would need all the help he can get to turn that dream of a three-peat into a reality.
