Skip to main content
Advertising

Kansas City Chiefs Official Team Website | Chiefs.com

2014 Chiefs Positional Review: the Wide Receivers

Chiefs hope to get better at the position after a scoreless season

The Kansas City Chiefs receiving corps in 2014 was never one of continuity, and that's easy to see by simply looking at the difference between the first game and the last game.

In game one against the Tennessee Titans, Donnie Avery, Frankie Hammond and Junior Hemingway took the majority of the snaps, but by game 17 against the San Diego Chargers, that distinction belonged to a completely different trio—Jason Avant, Dwayne Bowe and Albert Wilson.

Wilson, the undrafted free agent out of Georgia State, was a pleasant surprise for the Chiefs in 2014. After tallying only four receptions all year, he combined for 12 in Kansas City's final four games. Small in stature, Wilson recently said that he models his game after Steve Smith Sr., who the Chiefs will not mind seeing him develop into, especially after Smith's most recent season.

1-22-15-IA-Wilson.jpg

Avant returned to head coach Andy Reid in Kansas City in the middle of the season after a brief stint with the Carolina Panthers. Reid coached Avant in Philadelphia for every year of his career until Reid's departure in 2012.

In five games with the Chiefs, Avant proved to be a trusted asset, as he was targeted by quarterback Alex Smith 22 times and in the process, compiled a few more than 150 yards with the Chiefs.

Bowe led the unit in yards receiving (754) for the fifth season in a row, but as is widely known, neither he nor any other Chiefs receiver made it to the end zone in any of the season's 16 games.

In addition, the next receiver to Bowe in terms of yards receiving (260) was Wilson, who barely played for the first three quarters of the season.

The 2014 Kansas City Chiefs' wide receivers.

"We thought we had some players that could help us," general manager John Dorsey said of the feeling of the personnel staff before the season began. "But then as you go into the free agency process … and as the [2013] draft unfolded, there were certain guys that you had pegged in certain situations that they may have peeled off a step or two before you so then you still have got to go with the best player and we kind of stayed true to that."

Another factor having to do with the poor performance of Chiefs receivers this season was a littering of injuries dealt to the organization that prevented any rhythm. Avery, Hemingway and A.J. Jenkins all missed time due to injury.

With this being Senior Bowl week, many believe that after last season, Dorsey will be closely watching the young receivers entering the NFL Draft.

Admittedly, he was not happy with the output in 2014 and realizes the Chiefs can do better.

"As we move forward, we are always still trying to see if we can fit a piece in here or fit a piece in there. I think that the stats speak for themselves and we're going to have to do some work there."

This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an issue.

Related Content

Advertising