NFL Rumors: Chiefs secure two offensive weapons to help Patrick Mahomes land 3rd Super Bowl
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs secured their second Super Bowl in four seasons last month. The offense was one of the best in the NFL last season, and the team is rumored to keep two key pieces to that offense. According to NFL insider James Palmer, the team plans to keep both wide receivers Kadarius Toney and JuJu Smith-Schuster this offseason.
Toney joined the Chiefs in October via a trade with the New York Giants. The former first-round draft pick played in seven regular-season games, getting 14 receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns.
The thought in KC right now is Patrick Mahomes is expected to be throwing the same core group of guys he ended the season with.
- Kelce
- Toney (who the #chiefs believe will be WR1 in 2023)
- MVS
- The plan is to bring Ju Ju back
- Skyy Moore
Smith-Schuster signed a one-year, $3.760 million deal last March. The former Pittsburgh Steelers star played in 16 regular-season games and was a favorite target of Patrick Mahomes. The 26-year-old wideout was second on the team in receptions (78) and yards (933).
Together, both Toney and Smith-Schuster helped Patrick Mahomes last season, but what would it take to keep them together for the 2023 season?
How much would it cost the Chiefs to keep Patrick Mahomes' two offensive targets?
The Chiefs won't have to dedicate a great deal of money to Toney and Smith-Schuster this offseason to keep them on the team. In the case of Toney, he'll be entering the third year of his rookie deal, making around $1.9 million in the 2023 season.
He'll enter the upcoming season as the franchise's top wideout, which will help Patrick Mahomes immensely.
Smith-Schuster, however, will require the Chiefs to sign him to an extension. According to Spotrac, his market value is a four-year, $58.6 million deal, which would put him in the top 30 of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL. T
A deal like that would be ideal for Chiefs general manager Brett Veach as the team has around $17.8 million in cap space. However, this would probably mean that receiver Mecole Hardman could be the odd man out.
We will see if the Chiefs can bring back Smith-Schuster and what the fate of Hardman will be. Will Mahomes have two key weapons for an already-loaded offense to get him a third Lombardi Trophy?