Chiefs Rumors: Would a trade for Chase Claypool be the worst thing?
The Bears reportedly want to rid themselves of a disgruntled wide receiver. The Chiefs could use a wide receiver. Do the math, and....
No, no no no. No no. Chase Claypool to the Chiefs wouldn't actually happen, right?
Claypool, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, is being actively shopped by Ryan Poles, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The Bears wideout commanded a second-round pick when he was dealt to Chicago in November of 2022. Now, his value has been driven down and Poles may be happy with a fifth- or sixth-rounder in return for Claypool.
Arrowhead Addict's Josh Fann wrote that a Claypool trade could be right up Chiefs general manager Brett Veach's alley. The Chiefs made a move for Kadarius Toney last year, and going after Claypool this year would also be another "reclamation project", so to speak. In the last year and a half, Claypool has not performed up to par in Chicago, and there's no guarantee he would do well in the Chiefs' system.
Would a Claypool trade really be the worst thing for Kansas City, though? Fann says no. He wrote, "It's obvious that [Claypool's] motivation has taken a dip in Chicago which some might see as a red flag, but something that Kansas City excels in is restoring motivation in players and giving a second chance."
If it's a WR1 the Chiefs are looking for, Claypool is definitely not it. If the Chiefs are considering adding depth behind Toney, Skyy Moore, and Rashee Rice, then a high-upside target like Claypool may fit the bill.
Still, there will be more naysayers than optimists who don't want Veach going near Claypool with a ten-foot stick.
Chiefs Rumors: Patrick Mahomes accepts responsibility for passing game issues
Months ago, if someone had said Jets quarterback Zach Wilson would outplay Patrick Mahomes in the Chiefs-Jets regular season matchup, he would have been ridiculed to no end.
But that's exactly what happened in Week 4, when the Chiefs scraped by in a narrow win against the Aaron Rodgers-less Jets. Mahomes threw two picks, which would have been three if the referees didn't call a questionable holding penalty. He had struggled to gel with his wide receiver corps for the first three weeks of the season and the Jets game was no exception.
In a Wednesday press conference, Mahomes put his hand on his chest and called the Chiefs' passing woes his fault. He said, "If I start playing better, everybody will start playing better."
Mahomes noted that he has to make "better decisions" and be less "greedy" when it comes to vertical downfield passes. On the topic of his ugly turnovers, Mahomes said that limiting his interceptions is "something that I have to continue to get better and better throughout my career....It's something that you have to do at this quarterback position in order to have success."
When Mahomes threw two picks earlier in the season, the blame for those turnovers fell on his receivers. In Week 4, Mahomes was uncharacteristically sloppy and inaccurate; his first pick was wildly underthrown to Noah Gray in midfield, and his second pick was also underthrown into double coverage on Travis Kelce.
Outside of Mahomes' nasty habit of turning over the ball last week, he may look to better incorporate his wide receivers in the passing game. Behind Kelce, rookie Rashee Rice is the only wideout to record double-digit receptions (13). The Chiefs will need more production out of Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore this season, and Mahomes, the team's ever-humble ring leader, will play a large part in getting the best out of them.
Chiefs Rumors: Here's what Chris Jones' next contract could look like
Chiefs fans were tormented for an entire summer by Chris Jones' ugly contract saga. They had better prepare for another tense showdown next offseason, when Jones has played out his one-year deal.
After holding out into Week 1 of the 2023 season, Jones signed a one-year contract in Kansas City worth up to $25 million including incentives. The Chiefs could still franchise-tag the star pass-rusher in 2024, thought their limited salary cap room may not financially allow them to do so.
Jones immediately made an impact in his first game back with the team and has racked up 3.5 sacks so far. With the temporary truce between Jones and Kansas City this season, the Chiefs won one battle, but they could be poised to lose the war.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler crowdsourced intel regarding a future Chris Jones contract for next spring, and one NFL agent predicted Jones would command a three-year, $90 million deal with an unspecified team.
Another executive "saw something short of that.... but close."
Prior to Jones' finalized deal, the Chiefs reportedly offered him a two-year deal worth $54.5 million. What Fowler's sources project for Jones' future contract has an extra year and a higher average annual value, but it passes the smell test.
2023 is expected to play out like a "prove-it" year for Jones, and based on Jones' track record, he's more than capable of bringing the heat. Will the Chiefs -- or any other interested suitors -- bring the checkbook?
