Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs need rebuild at more than just wide receiver, claims Marcus Spears
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs suffered their third defeat of the 2023 NFL season on Monday Night Football. They lost 21-17 to the Philadelphia Eagles at Arrowhead Stadium in a rematch of Super Bowl 57.
The Chiefs could have taken the lead and potentially won the game with a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, but wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling dropped a pinpoint pass from Mahomes for what would have been a walk-in score.
The Chiefs' wide receivers have been a topic of debate all season long. Ten games into the team's regular season schedule, the team has no wide receiver averaging over 50 receiving yards per game. Rasheed Rice leads the team's wide receivers with 420 yards.
The Chiefs' usually dynamic offense has been held scoreless in the second half in three straight games, a worrying sign for Mahomes and the team's odds of defending their Super Bowl crown.
While the receiving unit has been underwhelming, retired defensive end and NFL analyst Marcus Spears noted that the Chiefs' offensive line has also been poor at protecting Mahomes. He said:
One of the things about these Chiefs, these tackles are a problem, and they are giving up the ghost, baby. I never thought I'd say this so much, but Patrick Mahomes, you need new security, and you also need some security guards down downfield, scaringppeople into catching the football."
Mahomes was sacked only once against the Eagles but faced a lot of pressure from Philadelphia's pass-rushing unit in the loss on Monday.
Travis Kelce to retire in 2024? Patrick Mahomes' chief target hints at hanging up cleats
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs' passing game troubles could worsen significantly at the end of the year. Tight end Travis Kelce, who surpasses NFL Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez as the franchise's all-time receiving yards leader, has hinted that he may be retiring soon.
In a recent issue of the WSJ Magazine, Kelce claimed he's thinking of retirement "more than anyone could ever imagine." The veteran tight end claimed the wear and tear on his body from playing football, and the 10 surgeries he has had are taking their toll. He said:
"That's the only thing I've never really been open about, the discomfort. The pain. The lingering injuries, the 10 surgeries I've had that I still feel every single surgery to this day."
Kelce has been the team's receiving yards leader in eight of the last ten seasons and finished second in the other two campaigns. He's also second on the list of most receiving yards in the playoffs, trailing only Jerry Rice.
Kelce's retirement would be a tremendous blow to the Chiefs' receiving unit, which will need a full-scale revamp if the tight end calls it quits.